Psychiatric disorders and clinical correlates of suicidal patients admitted to a psychiatric hospital in Tokyo

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Ishimoto Kayo

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Patients admitted to a psychiatric hospital with suicidal behavior (SB are considered to be especially at high risk of suicide. However, the number of studies that have addressed this patient population remains insufficient compared to that of studies on suicidal patients in emergency or medical settings. The purpose of this study is to seek features of a sample of newly admitted suicidal psychiatric patients in a metropolitan area of Japan. Method 155 suicidal patients consecutively admitted to a large psychiatric center during a 20-month period, admission styles of whom were mostly involuntary, were assessed using Structured Clinical Interviews for DSM-IV Axis I and II Disorders (SCID-I CV and SCID-II and SB-related psychiatric measures. Associations of the psychiatric diagnoses and SB-related characteristics with gender and age were examined. Results The common DSM-IV axis I diagnoses were affective disorders 62%, anxiety disorders 56% and substance-related disorders 38%. 56% of the subjects were diagnosed as having borderline PD, and 87% of them, at least one type of personality disorder (PD. SB methods used prior to admission were self-cutting 41%, overdosing 32%, self-strangulation 15%, jumping from a height 12% and attempting traffic death 10%, the first two of which were frequent among young females. The median (range of the total number of SBs in the lifetime history was 7 (1-141. Severity of depressive symptomatology, suicidal intent and other symptoms, proportions of the subjects who reported SB-preceding life events and life problems, and childhood and adolescent abuse were comparable to those of the previous studies conducted in medical or emergency service settings. Gender and age-relevant life-problems and life events were identified. Conclusions Features of the studied sample were the high prevalence of affective disorders, anxiety disorders and borderline PD, a variety of SB methods used prior to admission

Profile of suicide attempts and risk factors among psychiatric patients: A case-control study.

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Meha Bhatt

Full Text Available Suicidal behaviour remains challenging for clinicians to predict, with few established risk factors and warning signs among psychiatric patients.We aimed to describe characteristics and identify risk factors for suicide attempts among patients with psychiatric disorders.Multivariable logistic regression analysis, adjusted for clinically important confounders, was employed to determine risk factors for suicide attempts within a psychiatric patient population.The case (n = 146 and control groups (n = 104 did not differ significantly with regards to sociodemographic characteristics. The majority of the participants who had attempted suicide did so with high intent to die, and expected to die without medical intervention. The primary method of attempt was pharmaceutical overdose among the case participants (73.3%. Results showed impulsivity (odds ratio [OR] = 1.15, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.03-1.30 and borderline personality symptoms (OR = 1.07, 95% CI = 1.01-1.13 were significantly associated with attempted suicide.Our findings indicate that known sociodemographic risk factors for suicide may not apply within psychiatric populations. Prevention strategies for suicidal behaviour in psychiatric patients may be effective, including limited access to means for suicide attempts (i.e. excess pharmaceutical drugs and target screening for high-risk personality and impulsivity traits.

The Use of Telemedicine and Mobile Technology to Promote Population Health and Population Management for Psychiatric Disorders.

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Turvey, Carolyn; Fortney, John

2017-10-16

This article discusses recent applications in telemedicine to promote the goals of population health and population management for people suffering psychiatric disorders. The use of telemedicine to promote collaborative care, self-monitoring and chronic disease management, and population screening has demonstrated broad applicability and effectiveness. Collaborative care using videoconferencing to facilitate mental health specialty consults has demonstrated effectiveness in the treatment of depression, PTSD, and also ADHD in pediatric populations. Mobile health is currently being harnessed to monitor patient symptom trajectories with the goal of using machine learning algorithms to predict illness relapse. Patient portals serve as a bridge between patients and providers. They provide an electronically secure shared space for providers and patients to collaborate and optimize care. To date, research has supported the effectiveness of telemedicine in promoting population health. Future endeavors should focus on developing the most effective clinical protocols for using these technologies to ensure long-term use and maximum effectiveness in reducing population burden of mental health.

Suicide Mortality of Suicide Attempt Patients Discharged from Emergency Room, Nonsuicidal Psychiatric Patients Discharged from Emergency Room, Admitted Suicide Attempt Patients, and Admitted Nonsuicidal Psychiatric Patients

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Choi, Jae W.; Park, Subin; Yi, Ki K.; Hong, Jin P.

2012-01-01

The suicide mortality rate and risk factors for suicide completion of patients who presented to an emergency room (ER) for suicide attempt and were discharged without psychiatric admission, patients who presented to an ER for psychiatric problems other than suicide attempt and were discharged without psychiatric admission, psychiatric inpatients…

The impact of psychiatric patient boarding in emergency departments.

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Nicks, B A; Manthey, D M

2012-01-01

Objectives. Studies have demonstrated the adverse effects of emergency department (ED) boarding. This study examines the impact of resource utilization, throughput, and financial impact for psychiatric patients awaiting inpatient placement. Methods. The authors retrospectively studied all psychiatric and non-psychiatric adult admissions in an Academic Medical Center ED (>68,000 adult visits) from January 2007-2008. The main outcomes were ED length of stay (LOS) and associated reimbursement. Results. 1,438 patients were consulted to psychiatry with 505 (35.1%) requiring inpatient psychiatric care management. The mean psychiatric patient age was 42.5 years (SD 13.1 years), with 2.7 times more women than men. ED LOS was significantly longer for psychiatric admissions (1089 min, CI (1039-1140) versus 340 min, CI (304-375); P boarding accounted for a direct loss of ($1,198) compared to non-psychiatric admissions. Factoring the loss of bed turnover for waiting patients and opportunity cost due to loss of those patients, psychiatric patient boarding cost the department $2,264 per patient. Conclusions. Psychiatric patients awaiting inpatient placement remain in the ED 3.2 times longer than non-psychiatric patients, preventing 2.2 bed turnovers (additional patients) per psychiatric patient, and decreasing financial revenue.

Brain tumors in patients primarly treated psychiatrically

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Ignjatović-Ristić Dragana

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Psychiatric symptoms are not rare manifestations of brain tumors. Brain tumors presented by symptoms of raised intracranial pressure, focal neurological signs, or convulsions are usually first seen by the neurologist or less frequently by the neurosurgeon in routine diagnostic procedures. On the other hand, when psychiatric symptoms are the first manifestation in “neurologically silent” brain tumors, the patients are sent to the psychiatrist for the treatment of psychiatric symptoms and brain tumors are left misdiagnosed for a long period of time. Case Report. We presented three patients with the diagnosed brain tumor where psychiatrist had been the first specialist to be consulted. In all three cases neurological examination was generally unremarkable with no focal signs or features of raised intracranial pressure. CT scan demonstrated right insular tumor in a female patient with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD; right parietal temporal tumor in a patient with delusions and depression and left frontal tumor in a patient with history of alcohol dependency. Conclusion. Psychiatric symptoms/disorders in patients with brain tumors are not specific enough and can have the same clinical presentation as the genuine psychiatric disorder. Therefore, we emphasize the consideration of neuroimaging in patients with abrupt beginning of psychiatric symptoms, in those with a change in mental status, or when headaches suddenly appear or in cases of treatment resistant psychiatric disorders regardless the lack of neurological symptoms.

Satisfaction of patients hospitalised in psychiatric hospitals: a randomised comparison of two psychiatric-specific and one generic satisfaction questionnaires

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Cléopas Agatta

2006-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background While there is interest in measuring the satisfaction of patients discharged from psychiatric hospitals, it might be important to determine whether surveys of psychiatric patients should employ generic or psychiatry-specific instruments. The aim of this study was to compare two psychiatric-specific and one generic questionnaires assessing patients' satisfaction after a hospitalisation in a psychiatric hospital. Methods We randomised adult patients discharged from two Swiss psychiatric university hospitals between April and September 2004, to receive one of three instruments: the Saphora-Psy questionnaire, the Perceptions of Care survey questionnaire or the Picker Institute questionnaire for acute care hospitals. In addition to the comparison of response rates, completion time, mean number of missing items and mean ceiling effect, we targeted our comparison on patients and asked them to answer ten evaluation questions about the questionnaire they had just completed. Results 728 out of 1550 eligible patients (47% participated in the study. Across questionnaires, response rates were similar (Saphora-Psy: 48.5%, Perceptions of Care: 49.9%, Picker: 43.4%; P = 0.08, average completion time was lowest for the Perceptions of Care questionnaire (minutes: Saphora-Psy: 17.7, Perceptions of Care: 13.7, Picker: 17.5; P = 0.005, the Saphora-Psy questionnaire had the largest mean proportion of missing responses (Saphora-Psy: 7.1%, Perceptions of Care: 2.8%, Picker: 4.0%; P P Conclusion Despite differences in the intended target population, content, lay-out and length of questionnaires, none appeared to be obviously better based on our comparison. All three presented advantages and drawbacks and could be used for the satisfaction evaluation of psychiatric inpatients. However, if comparison across medical services or hospitals is desired, using a generic questionnaire might be advantageous.

Common Use of Electroconvulsive Therapy for Chinese Adolescent Psychiatric Patients.

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Zhang, Qing-E; Wang, Zhi-Min; Sha, Sha; Ng, Chee H; Seiner, Stephen J; Welch, Charles A; Lok, Grace K I; Chow, Ines H I; Wang, Fei; Li, Lu; Xiang, Yu-Tao

2016-12-01

Little is known about the use of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) for adolescent psychiatric patients in China. This study examined the frequency of ECT and the demographic and clinical correlates of adolescent psychiatric patients hospitalized in a tertiary psychiatric hospital in China. This was a retrospective chart review of 954 inpatients aged between 13 and 17 years treated over a period of 8 years (2007-2013). Sociodemographic and clinical data were collected from the electronic chart management system for discharged patients. The rate of ECT use was 42.6% in the whole sample (46.5% for patients with schizophrenia, 41.8% for major depressive disorder, 57.8% for bipolar disorders, and 23.9% for other diagnoses). Use of ECT was independently and positively associated with older age, high aggression risk at time of admission, and use of antipsychotics and antidepressants. Compared with patients with schizophrenia, those with other psychiatric diagnoses were less likely to receive ECT. The above significant correlates explained 32% of the variance of ECT use (P < 0.001). Limitations of this study included the lack of data regarding the efficacy and side effects of ECT. Furthermore, the high rate of ECT applied only to 1 setting which limits the ability to extrapolate the implications of the results to other populations. The use of ECT was exceedingly high in adolescent patients treated in a tertiary clinical centre in China. It is unlikely that such a high rate of ECT use is found across China or that such practice reflects standard of care for psychiatrically ill adolescents. The underlying reasons for the high use of ECT at this center warrant urgent investigations.

Prevalence of substance use disorders in psychiatric patients

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Toftdahl, Nanna Gilliam; Nordentoft, Merete; Hjorthøj, Carsten

2016-01-01

PURPOSE: The present study established the national prevalence of substance use disorders (SUDs) among Danish psychiatric patients. Furthermore, patients with SUDs and those without SUDs were compared on a range of socio-demographic, clinical, and treatment characteristics. METHODS: Data were......). Patients with SUDs were more often men, had fewer years of formal education, more often received disability pension and died due to unnatural causes. CONCLUSIONS: The study was the most comprehensive of its kind so far to estimate the prevalence of SUDs in an unselected population-based cohort...

Psychiatric disorders in bone marrow transplant patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khan, A.G.; Irfan, M.; Shamsi, T.S.; Hussain, M.

2007-01-01

To identify the psychiatric illnesses in patients with hematological/oncological disorders encountered during blood and bone marrow transplantation. All consecutive patients, aged 15 years and above, who fulfilled inclusion and exclusion criteria and underwent blood and bone marrow transplantation, were enrolled in this study. Psychiatric assessment comprised of a semi-structured interview based on Present Status Examination (PSE). The psychiatric diagnosis was made on the basis of International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) system of classification devised by W.H.O. Eighty patients, who fulfilled the inclusion criteria, were inducted in this study. Thirty (37.5%) cases were found to have psychiatric disorders. Out of the total, 60 (75%) were males and 20 (25%) females. Adjustment disorder was the most frequent diagnosis (n=12), followed by major depression (n=7). Rest of the diagnoses made were generalized anxiety disorder, acute psychotic disorder, delirium and depressive psychosis. High psychiatric morbidity associated with blood and bone marrow transplantation was observed. It indicates the importance of psychiatric intervention during the isolation period of BMT as well as pre-transplant psychiatric assessment and counseling regarding procedure. (author)

The prevalence and clinical features of the night eating syndrome in psychiatric out-patient population.

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Saraçlı, Özge; Atasoy, Nuray; Akdemir, Asena; Güriz, Olga; Konuk, Numan; Sevinçer, Güzin Mukaddes; Ankaralı, Handan; Atik, Levent

2015-02-01

In this study we aimed to investigate the prevalance and clinical correlations of night eating syndrome (NES) in a sample of psychiatric outpatients. Four hundred thirthy three consecutive psychiatric out-patients older than 18years were evaluated in the outpatient clinics using clinical interview according to the DSM-IV with regard to psychiatric diagnosis. Participants were also screened for presence of NES utilizing both clinical interview and self report based on Night Eating Questionnaire (NEQ) instruments. Sociodemographic and clinical features such as age, gender, education level, socioeconomic level and body mass index (BMI) were also recorded. The Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ) and the Symptom Checklist-90 Revised (SCL-90R) were administered. Based on the proposed diagnostic criteria of the NES via utilizing clinical interview method, 97 (32 male, 65 female) of the sample met diagnostic criteria for NES. The point prevalence of NES was 22.4%. No statistically significant differences were found between the two groups in terms of age, gender, marital status, education and BMI. The patients with NES had higher NEQ, BSQ and SCL-90R subscale scores than patients without NES. Prevalance of depressive disorder, impulse control disorder, and nicotine dependency was higher among patients with NES. No differences were found with regard to the medication (antipsychotics, antidepressants and mood stabilizers). Night eating syndrome is prevalent among psychiatric outpatients and associated with depression, impulse control disorder, and nicotine dependency. Body dissatisfaction and higher symptom severity are also other risk factors for the development of NES. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Impact of boarding pediatric psychiatric patients on a medical ward.

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Claudius, Ilene; Donofrio, J Joelle; Lam, Chun Nok; Santillanes, Genevieve

2014-05-01

Psychiatric disorders account for an increasing number of pediatric hospitalizations. Due to lack of psychiatric beds, patients on involuntary psychiatric holds may be admitted to medical units. Our objectives were to evaluate the rate of admission of psychiatric patients to a medical unit, psychiatric care provided, and estimated cost of care. The study involved retrospective chart review of all patients on involuntary psychiatric holds presenting to 1 pediatric emergency department from July 2009 to December 2010. We determined the rate of admission to a medical unit, the rate of counseling or psychiatric medication administration, and the estimated cost of nonmedical admissions (boarding) of patients on the medical unit. A total of 555 (50.1%) of 1108 patients on involuntary psychiatric holds were admitted to the pediatric medical unit. The majority (523 [94.2%]) were admitted for boarding because no psychiatric bed was available. Thirty-two (6.1%) patients admitted for isolated psychiatric reasons had counseling documented, and 105 (20.1%) received psychiatric medications. Patients admitted to an affiliated psychiatric hospital were significantly more likely to receive counseling and medications. Psychiatric patients were boarded in medical beds for 1169 days at an estimated cost of $2 232 790 or $4269 per patient over the 18-month period. We found high admission rates of patients on involuntary psychiatric holds to a pediatric medical unit with little psychiatric treatment in 1 hospital. Further research in other centers is required to determine the extent of the issue. Future studies of longer term outcomes (including readmission rates and assessments of functioning) are needed.

Obstructive sleep apnea: management considerations in psychiatric patients

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Heck T

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Taryn Heck,1 Monica Zolezzi21Pharmacy Department, University of Alberta Hospital, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB, Canada; 2Clinical Pharmacy and Practice, College of Pharmacy, Qatar University, Doha, QatarAbstract: Psychiatric disorders and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA are often comorbid. However, there is limited information on the impact of psychotropic medications on OSA symptoms, on how to manage psychiatric pharmacotherapy in patients presenting with OSA, or on the effectiveness and challenges of OSA treatments in patients with comorbid mental illness. As such, the objective of this article is to provide an overview of some epidemiological aspects of OSA and treatment considerations in the management of OSA in individuals with comorbid psychiatric disorders. Predefined keywords were used to search for relevant literature in electronic databases. Data show that OSA is particularly prevalent in patients with psychiatric disorders. The medical care that patients with these comorbidities require can be challenging, as some of the psychiatric medications used by these patients may exacerbate OSA symptoms. As such, continuous positive airway pressure continues to be the first-line treatment, even in patients with psychiatric comorbidity. However, more controlled studies are required, particularly to determine continuous positive airway pressure compliance in patients with mental illness, the impact of treating OSA on psychiatric symptoms, and the impact of the use of psychotropic medications on OSA symptoms.Keywords: obstructive sleep apnea, psychiatric disorders, comorbidity, psychotropic medications

Frequency of Different Psychiatric Disorders in Patients With Functional Bowel Disorders: A Short Report

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Fakhraei

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Background Functional gastrointestinal (GI disorders are very common and many patients with such disorders are not satisfied with treatment outcomes. Psychological aspects of functional disorders need special attention that may play an important role in patient management. Objectives In this study, psychology evaluation was performed for a population of patients with functional bowel disorders. Patients and Methods One hundred patients with functional bowel disorders including 50 patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS referred to GI clinics were candidates for psychiatry evaluation; of those 60 patients completed the study. Psychiatric disorders were diagnosed using a structured clinical interview based on diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders IV (DSM IV. Results Of 60 patients with functional bowel disorders (including 39 IBS, 51 (85% were diagnosed with at least one psychiatry disorder. The most common disorders were dysthymia (25% and obsessive-compulsive disorder (20%. There was no significant difference between IBS patients and other functional bowel disorders regarding the prevalence of psychiatric disorders. Conclusions Psychiatric disorders are very prevalent among patients with functional bowel disorders. Prompt diagnosis and appropriate management of associated psychiatric disorders along with GI targeted treatments may lead to a better outcome in these patients.

PSYCHIATRIC COMORBIDITY IN PATIENTS WITH OPIOID DEPENDENCE

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Shihab Kattukulathil

2018-02-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND Opioid dependence is a major public health problem in Kerala. Presence of psychiatric disorder among opioid dependent patients worsens the scenario. To date no attempts have been made to analyse the magnitude and pattern of comorbid psychiatric disorders in the state. MATERIALS AND METHODS We assessed 30 patients with ICD-10 diagnosis of opioid dependence syndrome for the presence of comorbid psychiatric disorders using structured clinical interview for DSM IV Axis 1 disorder (SCID-1. Patients with opioid withdrawal state, delirium and acute medical emergencies were excluded. RESULTS 56.7% of our subjects had a comorbid psychiatric disorder. Major depressive disorder was the most common one (n=7, 23.3%. Prevalence of other disorders were generalised anxiety disorder (n=6, 20%, bipolar affective disorder (n=3, 10% and schizophrenia (n=1, 3.3%. CONCLUSION Comorbid Psychiatric disorders are highly prevalent in opioid dependence. There is a need for further large sample studies in the areas of comorbidities and in the integrated strategies for the identification and management of both opioid dependence and comorbid psychiatric disorders.

Patient Aggression and the Wellbeing of Nurses: A Cross-Sectional Survey Study in Psychiatric and Non-Psychiatric Settings.

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Pekurinen, Virve; Willman, Laura; Virtanen, Marianna; Kivimäki, Mika; Vahtera, Jussi; Välimäki, Maritta

2017-10-18

Wellbeing of nurses is associated with patient aggression. Little is known about the differences in these associations between nurses working in different specialties. We aimed to estimate and compare the prevalence of patient aggression and the associations between patient aggression and the wellbeing of nurses in psychiatric and non-psychiatric specialties (medical and surgical, and emergency medicine). A sample of 5288 nurses (923 psychiatric nurses, 4070 medical and surgical nurses, 295 emergency nurses) participated in the study. Subjective measures were used to assess both the occurrence of patient aggression and the wellbeing of nurses (self-rated health, sleep disturbances, psychological distress and perceived work ability). Binary logistic regression with interaction terms was used to compare the associations between patient aggression and the wellbeing of nurses. Psychiatric nurses reported all types of patient aggression more frequently than medical and surgical nurses, whereas nurses working in emergency settings reported physical violence and verbal aggression more frequently than psychiatric nurses. Psychiatric nurses reported poor self-rated health and reduced work ability more frequently than both of the non-psychiatric nursing groups, whereas medical and surgical nurses reported psychological distress and sleep disturbances more often. Psychiatric nurses who had experienced at least one type of patient aggression or mental abuse in the previous year, were less likely to suffer from psychological distress and sleep disturbances compared to medical and surgical nurses. Psychiatric nurses who had experienced physical assaults and armed threats were less likely to suffer from sleep disturbances compared to nurses working in emergency settings. Compared to medical and surgical nurses, psychiatric nurses face patient aggression more often, but certain types of aggression are more common in emergency settings. Psychiatric nurses have worse subjective

Self-Esteem Deficits Among Psychiatric Patients

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Muhammad Rizwan

2015-04-01

Full Text Available The objective of the present study was to investigate the difference in the level of self-esteem among patients with psychiatric disorders and normal controls. After a detailed literature review, it was hypothesized that there would be a significant difference in the level of self-esteem among patients with psychiatric disorders and normal controls. The sample of the present study consisted of 260 participants, who were further divided into two groups: clinical group (n = 140 and normal controls (n = 120. The age range of the participants in both the samples were 18 to 25 years (with the mean age of 22.14 years for psychiatric patients and 21.18 years for normal controls, and they belonged to middle socioeconomic status. The clinical group consisted of diagnosed psychiatric patients according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed., text rev.; DSM-IV-TR criteria and further divided into four subgroups, including patients of (a schizophrenia (n = 40, (b major depressive disorder (n = 40, (c obsessive-compulsive disorder (n = 40, and (d opioid dependence disorder (n = 20. The semi-structured interview form of Institute of Clinical Psychology, University of Karachi, and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale were used. Descriptive Statistics and one-way ANOVA were applied to analyze and interpret the data in statistical terminology. Results indicate significant differences among patients with psychiatric disorders and normal controls on the variable of self-esteem (F = 30.513, df = 4, 255, p< .05. The finding has implications for clinical interventions and also suggests avenues for future research.

Psychiatric disorders of patients seeking obesity treatment

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Lin Hung-Yen

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Obese and overweight people have a higher risk of both chronic physical illness and mental illness. Obesity is reported to be positively associated with psychiatric disorders, especially in people who seek obesity treatment. At the same time, obesity treatment may be influenced by psychological factors or personality characteristics. This study aimed to understand the prevalence of mental disorders among ethnic Chinese who sought obesity treatment. Methods Subjects were retrospectively recruited from an obesity treatment center in Taiwan. The obesity treatments included bariatric surgery and non-surgery treatment. All subjects underwent a standardized clinical evaluation with two questionnaires and a psychiatric referral when needed. The psychiatric diagnosis was made thorough psychiatric clinic interviews using the SCID. A total of 841 patients were recruited. We compared the difference in psychiatric disorder prevalence between patients with surgical and non-surgical treatment. Results Of the 841 patients, 42% had at least one psychiatric disorder. Mood disorders, anxiety disorders and eating disorders were the most prevalent categories of psychiatric disorders. Females had more mood disorders and eating disorders than males. The surgical group had more binge-eating disorder, adjustment disorder, and sleep disorders than the non-surgical group. Conclusion A high prevalence of psychiatric disorders was found among ethnic Chinese seeking obesity treatment. This is consistent with study results in the US and Europe.

[Psychiatric comorbidities in transsexualism: Study of a Lebanese transgender population].

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Ibrahim, C; Haddad, R; Richa, S

2016-12-01

The question of whether gender dysphoria is associated with psychiatric comorbidity has been addressed in several studies. Several cohort studies have shown that psychiatric comorbidity is one of the main features of poor prognosis following sex change therapy. Gender dysphoria is rare, with an estimated prevalence of 0.001% to 0.002% globally. The literature shows a high prevalence of psychiatric comorbidities in people with gender dysphoria, and that they are more common in male to female transsexuals. Data on long-term mortality show that transsexuals present a 51 % increase in mortality compared to the general population. This is mainly attributed to a six-fold increase in the number of suicides and a higher rate of psychiatric disorders and risky behaviors leading to HIV infection and substance abuse. Assess psychiatric comorbidity in a population of Lebanese transgender individuals and compare it to the general population. The hypothesis of our study is that the Lebanese transgenders suffer from more psychiatric comorbidities than the general population. Our second objective was to determine the specific mental health needs of this population in order to adapt our services to their medical needs and their specific concerns. Our objective was to acquire 20 transgender participants and 20 control subjects. We chose a snowball sampling method. The evaluation consisted of three questionnaires including a general demographic questionnaire, the MINI 5.0.0 Arabic version for axis I disorders and the SCID-II for axis II disorders. The mean age of both groups was 23.55 years. Fifty-five percent (n=11) transgender participants had active suicidal thoughts against 0 % in controls. Within the group of transgender, 45 % (n=9) had a major depressive episode, 5 % (n=1) had a generalized anxiety disorder, 5 % (n=1) had a posttraumatic stress disorder and 10 % (n=2) had a major depressive episode with comorbid posttraumatic stress disorder. We noted a significant

iPad-assisted measurements of duration estimation in psychiatric patients and healthy control subjects.

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Irene Preuschoff

Full Text Available Handheld devices with touchscreen controls have become widespread in the general population. In this study, we examined the duration estimates (explicit timing made by patients in a major general hospital and healthy control subjects using a custom iPad application. We methodically assessed duration estimates using this novel device. We found that both psychiatric and non-psychiatric patients significantly overestimated time periods compared with healthy control subjects, who estimated elapsed time very precisely. The use of touchscreen-based methodologies can provide valuable information about patients.

Psychiatric diagnoses in patients with burning mouth syndrome and atypical odontalgia referred from psychiatric to dental facilities

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Takenoshita, Miho; Sato, Tomoko; Kato, Yuichi; Katagiri, Ayano; Yoshikawa, Tatsuya; Sato, Yusuke; Matsushima, Eisuke; Sasaki, Yoshiyuki; Toyofuku, Akira

2010-01-01

Background Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) and atypical odontalgia (AO) are two conditions involving chronic oral pain in the absence of any organic cause. Psychiatrically they can both be considered as “somatoform disorder”. From the dental point of view, however, the two disorders are quite distinct. BMS is a burning or stinging sensation in the mouth in association with a normal mucosa whereas AO is most frequently associated with a continuous pain in the teeth or in a tooth socket after extraction in the absence of any identifiable cause. Because of the absence of organic causes, BMS and AO are often regarded as psychogenic conditions, although the relationship between oral pain and psychologic factors is still unclear. Some studies have analyzed the psychiatric diagnoses of patients with chronic oral pain who have been referred from dental facilities to psychiatric facilities. No study to date has investigated patients referred from psychiatric facilities to dental facilities. Objective To analyze the psychiatric diagnoses of chronic oral pain patients, diagnosed with BMS and AO, and referred from psychiatric facilities to dental facilities. Study design Psychiatric diagnoses and disease conditions of BMS or AO were investigated in 162 patients by reviewing patients’ medical records and referral forms. Psychiatric diagnoses were categorized according to the International Statistical Classification of Disease and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision. Results The proportion of F4 classification (neurotic, stress-related, and somatoform disorders) in AO patients was significantly higher than in BMS patients. BMS patients were more frequently given a F3 classification (mood/affective disorders). However, 50.8% of BMS patients and 33.3% of AO patients had no specific psychiatric diagnoses. Conclusion Although BMS and AO are both chronic pain disorders occurring in the absence of any organic cause, the psychiatric diagnoses of patients with BMS and AO differ

Continuity of pharmaceutical care for psychiatric patients

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Abdullah-Koolmees, Heshu

2015-01-01

Psychiatric diseases are common. The effective treatment of a psychiatric disease, its (somatic) side effects and any concurrent somatic diseases is important for the patient’s overall health and wellbeing. The studies conducted in psychiatric patients generally focus on the continuation of

Clinical and demographic profile of cancer patients in a consultation-liaison psychiatric service

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Vanessa de Albuquerque Citero

Full Text Available ABSTRACT CONTEXT: An almost 50% prevalence of psychiatric disorders among cancer patients has prompted a series of studies on consultation-liaison psychiatry. Nonetheless, there are few reports on the epidemiological factors involving comorbidity between cancer and psychiatric disorders. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the epidemiological profile of cancer inpatients referred to the consultation-liaison psychiatric service in an oncology hospital during its first year of activity. TYPE OF STUDY: Descriptive study. SETTING: Tertiary-care teaching hospital. PARTICIPANTS: 319 patients referred 412 times to the consultation-liaison psychiatry service. PROCEDURES: From August 97 to July 98, an appraisal was made of data on all admissions registered at the Hospital do Câncer, and also all referrals registered at the consultation-liaison psychiatry service. MAIN MEASUREMENTS: The demographics and patients' clinical data, the type and flow of the request, and the evaluation conducted by the service were analyzed and comparisons with the hospital data were made. The distribution of the number of referrals was used to construct a profile of patients who had repeatedly used the service. RESULTS: Psychiatric diagnoses were found in 59% of the cases. Forty-three percent of these required medication, 18.3% needed psychotherapy, 22.1% family intervention and 20.5% guidance from the staff. Over 22.8% of the consultations were reevaluations, mainly involving younger male patients with worst prognoses. These patients required lengthier and more elaborate intervention, and had higher prevalence of depressive and behavioral disorders. CONCLUSION: A younger and mainly male population of non-surgical oncological cases was referred to the consultation-liaison psychiatric service during its first year of activity. The psychiatric disorder prevalence was higher than expected, and consisted predominantly of mood disorders. We detected a priority group, namely the reevaluated

Psychiatric Comorbidities and Environmental Triggers in Patients with Chronic Daily Headache: A Lifestyle Study

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Fakhrudin Faizi

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Objective: Patients with chronic daily headache (CDH suffer from several significant psychiatric comorbidities and have unhealthy lifestyle. We aimed at studying psychiatric comorbidities, environmental triggers, lifestyle factors, and intensity of CDH in patients referred by the department of neurology from 2011 to 2014.Method: Through medical and psychiatric interviews and using 0 to 10 visual analogue scale (VAS, we assessed patients with CDH, using a checklist, to elicit psychiatric comorbidities, intensity of CDH, environmental factors, and lifestyle derangement.Results: We interviewed 413 (age 16-80 years, mean 40 +/- 14.0 out of 548 patients; 312 (75.5% were married, and 282 (68.1% were female. Environmental triggers (374, 90.6% were the most common cause of CDH, while 214 (51.8% had no compliance to recommended nutrition. Exercise avoidance (201, 48.7% was the less prevalent lifestyle factor. Of the patients, 372 (90.1% were stressed and 162 (39.2% had obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD, which were the most and less prevalent psychiatric comorbidities, respectively. Intensity of pain was moderate to severe (mean score = 7.1+/- 1.9, while females reported higher VAS scores (p<0.02. Patients with previous history of psychotherapy reported higher score of VAS (p<0.001. Those patients living with a person suffering from head pain reported more VAS score (p<0.003.Conclusion: Notable psychiatric comorbidities were found in patients with CDH, many of which are modifiable such as environmental triggers and unhealthy lifestyle. In heavily populated cities, these factors may double the burden of the CDH by precipitating new or exacerbating previous psychiatric comorbidities. We, thus, suggest conducting more studies on this subject.

[Negative symptoms in patients with non schizophrenic psychiatric disorders].

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Donnoli, Vicente F; Moroni, María V; Cohen, Diego; Chisari Rocha, Liliana; Marleta, María; Sepich Dalmeida, Tomás; Bonani, Matías; D'Alessio, Luciana

2011-01-01

The presence of negative symptoms (NS) in different clinical entities other than schizophrenia, with a dimensional approach of negative symptoms, was considered in this work. Determine the presence and distribution of NS, in a population of patients with non schizophrenic psychiatric disorders attending ambulatory treatment at public hospitals. Patients with define DSM IV diagnosis criteria for different disorders; affective, alimentary, substance abuse, anxiety, personality disorders and patients with ILAE diagnoses criteria for temporal lobe epilepsy were included. All patients underwent the subscale PANNS for negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Student T test was calculated to determine the differences of frequency for NS among psychiatric disorders. 106 patients were included; 60 women, 46 men, 38 years +/- 12.1. The 90% of patients have a low score of NS. Media 11.6, Max/min 9.38 -14.29. Emotional withdrawal and passive social withdrawal were more frequent in alimentary disorders than in affective disorder and than in epilepsy. Emotional withdrawal was more frequent in substance disorders than epilepsy. According this study, negative symptoms are present in a low to moderate intensity in non schizophrenic psychiatry entities and in the temporal lobe epilepsy.

Psychiatric morbidity among rural and slum female population: A comparative study

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Jhunu Shamsun Nahar

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Background: Psychiatric disorders are more prevalent among women than men worldwide. The lifetime risk of depres­sion and dysthymia are twice as common in women as men. Rural women usually undergoes more stressful situations and also scores more on stress scale than that of urban and slum population. Objectives: The research objectives of this study are: 1 To find out the prevalence of psychiatric disorders among the study population. 2 To compare the disorders among the rural and slum female population. 3 To find out the influence of existing socio-demographic factors on psychiatric disorders. Method: This is a community-based study, which is also cross sectional and descriptive in nature. The sample for the main study constituted 366 randomly selected respondents. A two-staged screening procedure was carried in the study. First, the total population was studied by screening test-Self Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ to divide the sample into 'screen positive' and 'screen negative' subjects. In the second stage, full assessment of a mixture of all 'screen positive' and 25% 'screen negative' was carried out by structured clinical interview for diagnosis (SCID-NP. Later SCID filled by the respondents was assessed by consultant psychiatrists by using DSMIV in order to put exact clinical diagnosis. Stress was scored according to Presumptive Stressful Life Events Scale (PSLE. The total duration of the study was from July 2010 to June 2011. Results: Higher prevalence of psychiatric morbidity was found among rural sample (22.8% than slum (10.90% population. Regarding pattern of psychiatric disorders among rural sample (22.8% than slum (10.9% population.See the PDF for the rest of the abstract.

[The attitudes nurses working at psychiatric hospitals in Turkey have towards forensic psychiatric patients and the associated factors].

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Baysan Arabacı, Leyla; Çam, M Olcay

2013-01-01

To determine the attitudes nurses working at psychiatric hospitals in Turkey have towards forensic psychiatric patients and the associated factors. This cross-sectional study included 620 nurses working at 8 psychiatric hospitals in Turkey that completed ≥80% of the Nurses' Attitudes Towards Forensic Psychiatric Patients Scale (NAFPPS). Data were evaluated based on number-percentage distribution, and the relationship between variables was examined via t-test, variance analysis, and correlation analysis. Mean age of the nurses was 34.37 ± 7.48 years and 79.4% were female. Mean NAFPPS total and subscale scores were as follows: Xtotal = 69.07 ± 12.46 (max: 125); Xfeelingthreatened = 15.98 ± 3.61 (max: 30); Xtrust = 20.49 ± 5.24 (max: 20); Xsocialdistance = 10.45 ± 3.33 (max: 20); Xwillingnesstoprovidecare = 22.31 ± 4.25 (max: 40). Gender, place of employment, method of obtaining current position, employment status, level of satisfaction working as a psychiatric nurse, history of providing treatment to forensic psychiatric patients, having knowledge of Turkish laws regarding the treatment of forensic psychiatric patients, and thinking that nurses should treat forensic psychiatric patients were correlated with the nurses' attitudes towards forensic psychiatric patients, whereas age, marital status, place of longest residence, level of education, duration of working in the profession, and duration at current hospital were not. Despite the fact that the nurses working at 8 psychiatric hospitals in Turkey considered forensic psychiatric patients threatening, didn't trust them, and had a tendency to be socially distant with them, they had a moderate level of willingness to provide them proper care.

The Quality of Prescribing for Psychiatric Patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Soerensen, A L; Nielsen, L P; Poulsen, B K

2014-01-01

The Quality of Prescribing for Psychiatric PatientsSoerensen AL1,2, Nielsen LP3,4, Poulsen BK3, Lisby M3,5, Mainz J6,7 1Danish Center for Healthcare Improvements, Faculty of Social Sciences and Faculty of Health Sciences, Aalborg University, Denmark; 2University College of Northern Denmark; 3......, Aalborg; Denmark OBJECTIVES: Prescribing for adult psychiatric patients is often highly complex due to the nature of psychiatric conditions, but also due to somatic comorbidity. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify prevalence and types of potential inappropriate prescribing (PIP), asses...... the severity of potential clinical consequences and identify possible predictive factors of PIP.METHODS: The study was designed as a prospective study of PIP using medication reviews. Patients who were admitted during a 4 month period (August 2013 - November 2013) to a psychiatric university hospital were...

The Quality of Prescribing for Psychiatric Patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Ann Lykkegaard; Nielsen, Lars Peter; Poulsen, Birgitte Klindt

2014-01-01

The Quality of Prescribing for Psychiatric Patients Soerensen AL1,2, Nielsen LP3,4, Poulsen BK3, Lisby M3,5, Mainz J6,7 1Danish Center for Healthcare Improvements, Faculty of Social Sciences and Faculty of Health Sciences, Aalborg University, Denmark; 2University College of Northern Denmark; 3......, Aalborg; Denmark OBJECTIVES: Prescribing for adult psychiatric patients is often highly complex due to the nature of psychiatric conditions, but also due to somatic comorbidity. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify prevalence and types of potential inappropriate prescribing (PIP), asses...... the severity of potential clinical consequences and identify possible predictive factors of PIP. METHODS: The study was designed as a prospective study of PIP using medication reviews. Patients who were admitted during a 4 month period (August 2013 - November 2013) to a psychiatric university hospital were...

[Psychiatric comorbidities in patients referred for irritable bowel syndrome].

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Hao, Jing-xin; Han, Mai; Duan, Li-ping; Ge, Ying; Huang, Yue-qin

2011-07-19

To assess the prevalence of psychiatric comorbidities in patients referred for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) with questionnaires for mental disorders. A total of 83 IBS patients at our hospital were enrolled and assessed with the Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire for DSM-IV, version 4 (PDQ-4) and Composite International Diagnostic Interview, version 3.0 and 2.1 (CIDI-3.0 & CIDI-2.1) by trained interviewers. Such items as personality dysfunction, mental disorder and somatization disorder were examined. The male-female ratio was 1.08/1. Their mean age was (38 ± 14) years old. Among them, 20 patients (24.1%) were constipation-predominant, 31 (37.3%) diarrhea-predominant, 15 (18.1%) mixed and 17 (20.5%) unclassified type. (1) Sixty-two (74.7%) patients scored positive for any personality dysfunction. There was no significant gender difference. The cluster C (anxious-fearful) personality disorder was most commonly found in IBS patients (n = 58, 69.9%). The prevalence of somatoform disorders plus personality dysfunction was 46.8% (29/62). It was significantly higher than those without personality dysfunction [19.0% (4/21), P = 0.025]. (2) Thirty-seven patients (44.6%) had a lifetime CIDI-3.0 diagnosis. It was significantly higher than that in the general population. There was no gender difference. Anxiety and mood disorders were the most common types of psychiatric comorbidities [n = 21 (25.3%) and n = 19 (22.9%) respectively]. The lifetime prevalence of alcohol or nicotine abuse and(or) dependence and intermittent explosive disorder were 10.8% (n = 9) and 8.4% (n = 7). Psychiatric comorbidities were most commonly found in diarrhea-predominant patients (58.1%). But there was no significant difference among the subgroups. (3) Thirty-three patients (39.8%) had somatoform disorders. Neither gender nor subgroup difference was observed. The IBS patients with anxiety disorders presented significantly more somatoform disorders than the remainders [61.9% (13/21) vs 32

Psychometric Properties of the Problems Assessment for Substance Using Psychiatric Patients

OpenAIRE

Sayed Hadi Sayed Alitabar; Maryam Falahatpisheh; Mojtaba Habibi Asgarabad; Musa Arvin; Ali Sarvestani

2016-01-01

Background and Objective: Today, substance use problem is an important and critical problem in the world. This study investigates the psychometric properties of the Problems Assessment for Substance Using Psychiatric Patients (PASUPP).Materials and Methods: Research was descriptive and correlational. The study population consisted of all psychiatry patients with drug addiction in Tehran. The sample consisted of 381 patients (143 women and 238 men) were selected with a multi-stage cluster samp...

Concurrent Medical and Psychiatric Disorders among Schizophrenic and Neurotic Outpatients.

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Lima, Bruno R.; Pai, Shaila

Although the occurrence of medical illnesses in psychiatric patients is quite high, medical illnesses manifested by psychiatric symptoms are often overlooked. The higher mortality rates among psychiatric patients when compared to the general population may be a reflection of neglect or inadequate treatment of the psychiatric patients' medical…

[Differences between patients in consultation psychiatry and psychiatric inpatients].

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Unterecker, Stefan; Maloney, Julia; Pfuhlmann, Bruno; Deckert, Jürgen; Warrings, Bodo

2014-05-01

To optimize psychiatric consultation service epidemiological information is needed. We compared data on gender, age and diagnoses of patients in the consultation service to psychiatric inpatients. In psychiatric consultation service patients are older (56.6 vs. 44.9 years, p psychiatric consultation service is contacted more often in cases of organic disorders, for females in adjustment disorders (p psychiatric consultation service is different for males and females with relevance for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Prevalence of psychiatric and physical morbidity in an urban geriatric population

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Seby, K.; Chaudhury, Suprakash; Chakraborty, Rudraprosad

2011-01-01

Background: With a rapidly increasing population of older aged people, epidemiological data regarding the prevalence of mental and physical illnesses are urgently required for proper health planning. However, there is a scarcity of such data from India. Aims: To study the frequency and pattern of psychiatric morbidity present and the association of physical illness with psychiatric morbidity in an elderly urban population. Settings and Design: Cross-sectional, epidemiological study. Materials...

Psychiatric comorbidity in patients with spasmodic dysphonia: a controlled study

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Gündel, H; Busch, R; Ceballos‐Baumann, A; Seifert, E

2007-01-01

Objectives To study the prevalence of psychiatric comorbidity assessed by a structured clinical interview in patients with spasmodic dysphonia (SD) compared with patients suffering from vocal fold paralysis (VFP). Methods In 48 patients with SD and 27 patients with VFP, overall psychiatric comorbidity was studied prospectively using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM‐IV Axis I disorders. Physical disability and psychometric variables were assessed with standardised self‐rating questionnaires. Results 41.7% of SD subjects and 19.5% of the control group met DSM‐IV clinical criteria for current psychiatric comorbidity (p<0.05). Significant predictors of psychiatric comorbidity in SD were severity of voice impairment and subjective assessment of “satisfaction with health”. As a limitation, the severity of voice impairment in patients with SD was nearly twice as high, and their illness had lasted nearly twice as long. Conclusions We found a high prevalence of psychiatric comorbidity in patients with SD. The significant correlation between current psychiatric comorbidity and the extent of voice pathology may point to an especially strong interaction between somatic and psychiatric complaints in SD. PMID:17615166

Values as determinant of meaning among patients with psychiatric disorders in the perspective of recovery.

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Huguelet, Philippe; Guillaume, Sébastien; Vidal, Sonia; Mohr, Sylvia; Courtet, Philippe; Villain, Lucile; Girod, Chloé; Hasler, Roland; Prada, Paco; Olié, Emilie; Perroud, Nader

2016-06-08

Recovery is a personal process of growth that involves hope, self-identity, meaning in life and responsibility. Determinants of meaning have not been explored among populations of patients with persistent psychiatric conditions. However, an evidence-based approach aiming at assessing such determinants should provide some insight into the psychotherapeutic aspects of recovery. We tested a model hypothesizing that some symptoms and social parameters of patients are related to values, and secondarily to meaning in life, and in turn that meaning is associated with various parameters, such as depressiveness and self-esteem. We assessed 176 patients with schizophrenia, anorexia, borderline personality disorder and bipolar disorder. Overall, our hypotheses proved correct: firstly, characteristics such as depression, hopelessness, self-esteem and the number of relationships influenced values; secondly, the presence and an enactment of values were associated with meaning, and thirdly, meaning was associated with some symptoms and social characteristics. This model was confirmed in the four psychiatric populations under study. These results support the relevance of addressing values and meaning in the recovery-oriented care of patients with persistent psychiatric disorders, in addition to other psychosocial interventions which are more systematically considered in this area.

Medication compliance behavior in psychiatric out‑patients with ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: Psychotropic medication adherence is a major challenge in psychiatric patients with comorbidity. Objective: The objective was to determine medication adherence behavior among psychiatric out‑patients with psychoactive substance use comorbidity in a Nigerian Tertiary Hospital. Settings and Design: A ...

Psychiatric morbidity in elderly patients attending OPD of tertiary care centre in western region of Nepal

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Prakash Thapa

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Context: Aging of population is currently a global phenomenon. At least one in 5 people over the age of 65 years will suffer from a mental disorder by 2030. Study of psychiatric morbidities in this age group is essential to prepare for upcoming challenges. Aims: To find out the prevalence of different psychiatric morbidities in elderly population and to find out if there are any age and gender specific differences. Settings and Design: Retrospective review; Psychiatric outpatient department of Manipal Teaching Hospital, Pokhara, Nepal. Materials and Methods: Data for patients ≥ 65 years of age attending the psychiatric outpatient department of Manipal Teaching Hospital, Pokhara, Nepal, from 1 st January 2012 to 15 th January 2013 were collected retrospectively in a predesigned proforma. Statistical Analysis Used: Risk of having different psychiatric disorders was estimated using odds ratio. Results: The mean age of 120 patients included in this study was 69.67 (SD = 5.94 years. Depressive disorder (26.7% was the most common diagnosis. There was no statistically significant difference in psychiatric disorders in >75 years compared with ≤75 years except for dementia [odd ratio (OR (≤75 years/>75 years=0.055, 95% confidence interval (CI=0.016; 0.194]. Alcohol dependence syndrome [OR (male/female=7.826, 95% CI = 1.699;36.705] and dementia [OR (male/female=3.394, 95% CI = 1.015;11.350] was more common in males. Conclusions: Depressive disorder was the most common psychiatric morbidity among the elderly patients. The odds suffering from dementia increased with increasing age. The odds of having alcohol related problems and dementia were more in males compared with females.

Psychiatric patients' satisfaction in the therapeutic residence services: A positive experience of psychiatric deinstitutionalization

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Rafael Gustavo Maluf

Full Text Available This study investigated the satisfaction level of psychiatric patients in the therapeutic residential services of Barbacena-MG. Total population comprised 154 individuals, of which 45 were sampled. Subjects were interviewed with the SATIS-BR scale and a sociodemographic questionnaire. Results showed a high degree of satisfaction with the service for the global score and its three dimensions staff competence and understanding, help received, infrastructure. Results were not related to sociodemographic and clinical variables analyzed individually. Multivariate analysis indicated higher satisfaction for literate patients and for those that underwent some other form of treatment (e.g., hydrogymnastics and fitness activities besides medications or occupational therapy. We conclude that the therapeutic residence services appear to be a viable alternative for mental health public policy, from the patients' perspective.

Nurse-led medication reviews in psychiatric patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Ann Lykkegaard; Mainz, Jan; Nielsen, Lars Peter

Background : Potential inappropiate prescribing (IP) is associated with higher mortality, morbidity and risk of hospitalization. Potential IP has only been investigated in elderly populations and never in a psychiatric setting or a general population. Registered nurses are the healthprofessionals...

Valuing psychiatric patients' stories: belief in and use of the supernatural in the Jamaican psychiatric setting.

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James, Caryl C A B; Carpenter, Karen A; Peltzer, Karl; Weaver, Steve

2014-04-01

The aim of this study was to examine illness presentation and understand how psychiatric patients make meaning of the causes of their mental illnesses. Six Jamaican psychiatric patients were interviewed using the McGill Illness Narrative Interview Schedule. Of the 6, 3 representative case studies were chosen. The hermeneutic phenomenological approach and the common sense model were used in the formulation of patients' explanatory models. Results indicate that psychiatric patients actively conceptualized the causes and resultant treatment of their mental illnesses. Patients' satisfaction and compliance with treatment were dependent on the extent to which practitioners' conceptualization matched their own, as well as practitioners' acknowledgement of patients' concerns about causation, prognosis, and treatment.

Narcissism in patients admitted to psychiatric acute wards: its relation to violence, suicidality and other psychopathology

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Svindseth, Marit F; Nøttestad, Jim Aage; Wallin, Juliska; Roaldset, John Olav; Dahl, Alv A

2008-01-01

Background The objective was to examine various aspects of narcissism in patients admitted to acute psychiatric wards and to compare their level of narcissism to that of an age- and gender-matched sample from the general population (NORM). Methods This cross-sectional study interviewed 186 eligible acute psychiatric patients with the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF). The patients filled in the Narcissistic Personality Inventory-21 item version (NPI-21), The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. High and low narcissism was defined by the median of the total NPI-21 score. An age- and gender-matched control sample from the general population also scored the NPI-21 (NORM). Results Being male, involuntary admitted, having diagnosis of schizophrenia, higher self-esteem, and severe violence were significantly associated with high narcissism, and so were also low levels of suicidality, depression, anxiety and GAF scores. Severe violence and high self-esteem were significantly associated with high narcissism in multivariable analyses. The NPI-21 and its subscales showed test-retest correlations ≥0.83, while the BPRS and the HADS showed lower correlations, confirming the trait character of the NPI-21. Depression and suicidality were negatively associated with the NPI-21 total score and all its subscales, while positive association was observed with grandiosity. No significant differences were observed between patients and NORM on the NPI-21 total score or any of the NPI subscales. Conclusion Narcissism in the psychiatric patients was significantly associated with violence, suicidality and other symptoms relevant for management and treatment planning. Due to its trait character, use of the NPI-21 in acute psychiatric patients can give important clinical information. The similar level of narcissism found in patients and NORM is in need of further examination. PMID:18304339

Narcissism in patients admitted to psychiatric acute wards: its relation to violence, suicidality and other psychopathology

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Wallin Juliska

2008-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The objective was to examine various aspects of narcissism in patients admitted to acute psychiatric wards and to compare their level of narcissism to that of an age- and gender-matched sample from the general population (NORM. Methods This cross-sectional study interviewed 186 eligible acute psychiatric patients with the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS and the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF. The patients filled in the Narcissistic Personality Inventory-21 item version (NPI-21, The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. High and low narcissism was defined by the median of the total NPI-21 score. An age- and gender-matched control sample from the general population also scored the NPI-21 (NORM. Results Being male, involuntary admitted, having diagnosis of schizophrenia, higher self-esteem, and severe violence were significantly associated with high narcissism, and so were also low levels of suicidality, depression, anxiety and GAF scores. Severe violence and high self-esteem were significantly associated with high narcissism in multivariable analyses. The NPI-21 and its subscales showed test-retest correlations ≥0.83, while the BPRS and the HADS showed lower correlations, confirming the trait character of the NPI-21. Depression and suicidality were negatively associated with the NPI-21 total score and all its subscales, while positive association was observed with grandiosity. No significant differences were observed between patients and NORM on the NPI-21 total score or any of the NPI subscales. Conclusion Narcissism in the psychiatric patients was significantly associated with violence, suicidality and other symptoms relevant for management and treatment planning. Due to its trait character, use of the NPI-21 in acute psychiatric patients can give important clinical information. The similar level of narcissism found in patients and NORM is in need of further examination.

Psychiatric diagnoses in patients with burning mouth syndrome and atypical odontalgia referred from psychiatric to dental facilities

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Miho Takenoshita

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Miho Takenoshita1, Tomoko Sato1, Yuichi Kato1, Ayano Katagiri1, Tatsuya Yoshikawa1, Yusuke Sato2, Eisuke Matsushima3, Yoshiyuki Sasaki4, Akira Toyofuku11Psychosomatic Dentistry, 2Complete Denture Prosthodontics, 3Liaison Psychiatry and Palliative Medicine, 4Center for Education and Research in Oral Health Care, Faculty of Dentistry, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, JapanBackground: Burning mouth syndrome (BMS and atypical odontalgia (AO are two conditions involving chronic oral pain in the absence of any organic cause. Psychiatrically they can both be considered as “somatoform disorder”. From the dental point of view, however, the two disorders are quite distinct. BMS is a burning or stinging sensation in the mouth in association with a normal mucosa whereas AO is most frequently associated with a continuous pain in the teeth or in a tooth socket after extraction in the absence of any identifiable cause. Because of the absence of organic causes, BMS and AO are often regarded as psychogenic conditions, although the relationship between oral pain and psychologic factors is still unclear. Some studies have analyzed the psychiatric diagnoses of patients with chronic oral pain who have been referred from dental facilities to psychiatric facilities. No study to date has investigated patients referred from psychiatric facilities to dental facilities.Objective: To analyze the psychiatric diagnoses of chronic oral pain patients, diagnosed with BMS and AO, and referred from psychiatric facilities to dental facilities.Study design: Psychiatric diagnoses and disease conditions of BMS or AO were investigated in 162 patients by reviewing patients’ medical records and referral forms. Psychiatric diagnoses were categorized according to the International Statistical Classification of Disease and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision.Results: The proportion of F4 classification (neurotic, stress

A study of psychiatric morbidity in patients of peptic ulcer diseases

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Jagpal Singh Klair

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Aims and Objectives: To study the prevalence of psychiatric morbidity among patients of peptic ulcer disease and to study the patients of peptic ulcer disease with psychiatric morbidity in comparison to patients of peptic ulcer disease without psychiatric morbidity on following variables: sociodemographic variables and attributes/risk factors of peptic ulcer disease. Materials and Methods: Fifty cases of clinically proven acid peptic diseases and 30 cases of the control group were screened in department of General Medicine, outdoor as well as indoor patients. Instruments applied for the purpose of the study were Personal Bio-data Performa (Appendix-I, (SCL- 80 (Appendix-II, Hamilton rating scale for anxiety and depression, (P.S.L.E.; clinical diagnosis of psychiatric disorders was made as per ICD- 10 criteria. Data collected shall be subjected to statistical analysis. Results and Findings: The psychiatric morbidity was significantly (P10 years, compared to 23.80% in patients without psychiatric morbidity. Lastly, 48.27% of patients with psychiatric morbidity had significantly (P<0.01 stronger family history of acid peptic disease compared to 9.52% in patients without psychiatric morbidity. Conclusions: There is a significant relationship between the peptic ulcer disease and the various psychiatric morbidity factors as illustrated from the findings of this study.

[Psychiatric disorders in patients with Cushing's disease before and after neurosurgery].

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Gnjidiae, Zivko; Karloviae, Dalibor; Buljan, Danijel; Malencia, Masa; Kovak-Mufiae, Ana; Kostanjsak, Lidija

2011-01-01

Cushing's disease which is a consequence of ACTH-secreting pituitary adenoma leads to hypercortisolism. Cushing's disease is associated with several psychiatric disturbances. The aim of the present study was to identify which psychiatric disorders were present in patients with Cushing's disease over a 2-year period and to monitor their general psychiatric condition. Additionally, the study aimed to examine the relationship between the duration of Cushing's disease, and the severity of psychiatric conditions based on psychiatric rating scales. The study included 39 patients with Cushing's disease that underwent neurosurgery for ACTH-secreting pituitary adenomas. The transsphenoidal approach (the standard microsurgery technique) was performed in all patients. ACTH-secreting pituitary adenomas were confirmed based on immunohistochemistry in all patients. Psychiatric conditions in the patients were identified using the Clinical Global Impression Scale (CGI) and ICD 10 diagnostic criteria at 3 time points: prior to surgery, and 6 and 48 months post surgery. The Cushing's disease patients exhibited statistically significant improvement in their psychiatric condition, according to the CGI, 6 and 48 months post surgery. There wasn't any significant correlation between the duration of Cushing's disease and psychiatric status, as measured by the CGI prior to surgery, 6 months post surgery, or 48 months post surgery. Patients with Cushing's disease had a significant level psychiatric disturbance that remitted after surgery. There wasn't a significant correlation between the duration of Cushing's disease and psychiatric status.

Psychiatric inpatient expenditures and public health insurance programmes: analysis of a national database covering the entire South Korean population

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Chung Woojin

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Medical spending on psychiatric hospitalization has been reported to impose a tremendous socio-economic burden on many developed countries with public health insurance programmes. However, there has been no in-depth study of the factors affecting psychiatric inpatient medical expenditures and differentiated these factors across different types of public health insurance programmes. In view of this, this study attempted to explore factors affecting medical expenditures for psychiatric inpatients between two public health insurance programmes covering the entire South Korean population: National Health Insurance (NHI and National Medical Care Aid (AID. Methods This retrospective, cross-sectional study used a nationwide, population-based reimbursement claims dataset consisting of 1,131,346 claims of all 160,465 citizens institutionalized due to psychiatric diagnosis between January 2005 and June 2006 in South Korea. To adjust for possible correlation of patients characteristics within the same medical institution and a non-linearity structure, a Box-Cox transformed, multilevel regression analysis was performed. Results Compared with inpatients 19 years old or younger, the medical expenditures of inpatients between 50 and 64 years old were 10% higher among NHI beneficiaries but 40% higher among AID beneficiaries. Males showed higher medical expenditures than did females. Expenditures on inpatients with schizophrenia as compared to expenditures on those with neurotic disorders were 120% higher among NHI beneficiaries but 83% higher among AID beneficiaries. Expenditures on inpatients of psychiatric hospitals were greater on average than expenditures on inpatients of general hospitals. Among AID beneficiaries, institutions owned by private groups treated inpatients with 32% higher costs than did government institutions. Among NHI beneficiaries, inpatients medical expenditures were positively associated with the proportion of

Recent illicit drug use among psychiatric patients in Brazil: a national representative study

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Nahas, Miriam Almeida; Melo, Ana Paula Souto; Cournos, Francine; Mckinnon, Karen; Wainberg, Milton; Guimarães, Mark Drew Crosland

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To estimate factors associated to illicit drug use among patients with mental illness in Brazil according to gender. METHODS A cross-sectional representative sample of psychiatric patients (2,475 individuals) was randomly selected from 11 hospitals and 15 public mental health outpatient clinics. Data on self-reported illicit drug use and sociodemographic, clinical and behavioral characteristics were obtained from face-to-face interviews. Logistic regression was used to estimate associations with recent illicit drug use. RESULTS The prevalence of any recent illicit drug use was 11.4%. Men had higher prevalence than women for all substances (17.5% and 5.6%, respectively). Lower education, history of physical violence, and history of homelessness were associated with drug use among men only; not professing a religion was associated with drug use in women only. For both men and women, younger age, current hospitalization, alcohol and tobacco use, history of incarceration, younger age at sexual debut, and more than one sexual partner were statistically associated with illicit drug use. CONCLUSIONS Recent illicit drug use among psychiatric patients is higher than among the general Brazilian population and it is associated with multiple factors including markers of psychiatric severity. Our data indicate the need for the development of gender-based drug-use interventions among psychiatric patients in Brazil. Integration of substance use treatment strategies with mental health treatment should be a priority. PMID:28832753

Psychiatric Evaluation of the Agitated Patient: Consensus Statement of the American Association for Emergency Psychiatry Project BETA Psychiatric Evaluation Workgroup

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Keith R. Stowell

2012-04-01

Full Text Available It is difficult to fully assess an agitated patient, and the complete psychiatric evaluation usually cannot be completed until the patient is calm enough to participate in a psychiatric interview. Nonetheless, emergency clinicians must perform an initial mental status screening to begin this process as soon as the agitated patient presents to an emergency service. For this reason, the psychiatric evaluation of the agitated patient can be thought of as a two-step process. First a brief evaluation must be aimed at determining the most likely cause of agitation, so as to guide preliminary interventions to calm the patient. Once the patient is calmed, more extensive psychiatric assessment can be completed. The goal of the emergency assessment of the psychiatric patient is not necessarily to obtain a definitive diagnosis. Rather, ascertaining a differential diagnosis, determining safety, and developing an appropriate treatment and disposition plan are the goals of the assessment. This article will summarize what components of the psychiatric assessment can and should be done at the time the agitated patient presents. The complete psychiatric evaluation of the patient whose agitation has been treated successfully is beyond the scope of this paper and Project BETA, but will be outlined briefly to give the reader an understanding of what a full psychiatric assessment would entail. Other issues related to the assessment of the agitated patient in the emergency setting will also be discussed. [West J Emerg Med. 2012;13(1:11–16.

Psychiatric evaluation of the agitated patient: consensus statement of the american association for emergency psychiatry project Beta psychiatric evaluation workgroup.

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Stowell, Keith R; Florence, Peter; Harman, Herbert J; Glick, Rachel L

2012-02-01

It is difficult to fully assess an agitated patient, and the complete psychiatric evaluation usually cannot be completed until the patient is calm enough to participate in a psychiatric interview. Nonetheless, emergency clinicians must perform an initial mental status screening to begin this process as soon as the agitated patient presents to an emergency setting. For this reason, the psychiatric evaluation of the agitated patient can be thought of as a 2-step process. First, a brief evaluation must be aimed at determining the most likely cause of agitation, so as to guide preliminary interventions to calm the patient. Once the patient is calmed, more extensive psychiatric assessment can be completed. The goal of the emergency assessment of the psychiatric patient is not necessarily to obtain a definitive diagnosis. Rather, ascertaining a differential diagnosis, determining safety, and developing an appropriate treatment and disposition plan are the goals of the assessment. This article will summarize what components of the psychiatric assessment can and should be done at the time the agitated patient presents to the emergency setting. The complete psychiatric evaluation of the patient whose agitation has been treated successfully is beyond the scope of this article and Project BETA (Best practices in Evaluation and Treatment of Agitation), but will be outlined briefly to give the reader an understanding of what a full psychiatric assessment would entail. Other issues related to the assessment of the agitated patient in the emergency setting will also be discussed.

Wireless physiological monitoring system for psychiatric patients.

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Rademeyer, A J; Blanckenberg, M M; Scheffer, C

2009-01-01

Patients in psychiatric hospitals that are sedated or secluded are at risk of death or injury if they are not continuously monitored. Some psychiatric patients are restless and aggressive, and hence the monitoring device should be robust and must transmit the data wirelessly. Two devices, a glove that measures oxygen saturation and a dorsally-mounted device that measures heart rate, skin temperature and respiratory rate were designed and tested. Both devices connect to one central monitoring station using two separate Bluetooth connections, ensuring a completely wireless setup. A Matlab graphical user interface (GUI) was developed for signal processing and monitoring of the vital signs of the psychiatric patient. Detection algorithms were implemented to detect ECG arrhythmias such as premature ventricular contraction and atrial fibrillation. The prototypes were manufactured and tested in a laboratory setting on healthy volunteers.

Psychiatric Assessment and Rehabilitation of Burn Patients

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Süleyman Akarsu

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Objective: Psychiatric rehabilitation has gained significance owing to improved healthcare facilities for burn injuries and decreased mortality/ morbidity rates. Burn traumas may result in psychiatric signs such as denial, anger, guilt, confusion, disgrace, anxiety, distress, and nervousness. Psychiatric disorders such as delirium, depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and sexual problems can also be encountered. Therefore, it is necessary to look for these signs and disorders through regular sessions with burn patients and appropriate psychometric tests. This study aims at examining the process of psychological rehabilitation for burn patients in light of the current literature. Material and Methods: This study has been carried out in the light of the main and current literature review. The study intends to put forth the data observed in the course of the psychological diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of burn patients. The study has been conducted in accordance with the Helsinki Declaration Guidelines. Results: Treatment and rehabilitation process requires a multidisciplinary teamwork that consists of physicians, dieticians, psychologists, social service specialists, and other healthcare workers who can meet the needs of burn patients and their families. It is necessary for the team to contribute both to the hospitalization process and the social environment of the patients and their families. Conclusion: It is observed that the quality of life of these patients can be considerably improved with the effective assessment of psychiatric signs that occur during or after the injury and with appropriate treatment methods.

Demographic and clinical characteristics of patients referred to psychiatric unit in a tertiary care hospital

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yousafzai, A.W.; Kazim, M.; Jehangiri, A.U.R.

2015-01-01

Very few studies from Pakistan have examined the profile of patients seen by psychiatrists in general hospital. The aim of this research is to describe the clinical and demographic characteristics of patients referred to the psychiatric unit of a general hospital over a one year period. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Ayub Teaching Hospital, Abbottabad, from January 1st to December 31st 2012. All patients being referred to psychiatry were included in the study over one year period. The information was recorded on a structured questionnaire and analysed the data using SPSS-19.0. Results: Out of the 105 patients referred to the psychiatric unit, 74 (72.3%) were females. A total of 69 (68.5%) patients were married. More than half were uneducated and only number 4 (3%) patients had university qualification. Housewives made up 64.4% of the patient population followed by students (11%). Majority 55 (53%) had less than Rs. 5000/ monthly income. About 30% patients were shifted to psychiatry ward while, nearly one tenth were discharged. In 35% cases the psychiatrist was asked to help in the management, while in 50% cases only opinion was sought. Aggressive and threatening behaviour was source of concern in majority of patients for the primary team while 34% exhibited suicidal behaviour. Depression was most frequent diagnosis in 45 43% patients, followed by conversion disorder 19 (17%) and delirium 16 (14%). Conclusion: The rate of psychiatric referrals is dismal with only one third of the patients being transferred to the psychiatric ward. The major psychiatric diagnosis was depression. Patients with aggressive and threatening behaviour were more frequently referred. (author)

Psychiatric hospital beds and prison populations in South America since 1990: does the Penrose hypothesis apply?

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Mundt, Adrian P; Chow, Winnie S; Arduino, Margarita; Barrionuevo, Hugo; Fritsch, Rosemarie; Girala, Nestor; Minoletti, Alberto; Mitkiewicz, Flávia; Rivera, Guillermo; Tavares, María; Priebe, Stefan

2015-02-01

In 1939, English mathematician, geneticist, and psychiatrist Lionel Sharples Penrose hypothesized that the numbers of psychiatric hospital beds and the sizes of prison populations were inversely related; 75 years later, the question arises as to whether the hypothesis applies to recent developments in South America. To explore the possible association of changes in the numbers of psychiatric hospital beds with changes in the sizes of prison populations in South America since 1990. We searched primary sources for the numbers of psychiatric hospital beds in South American countries since 1990 (the year that the Latin American countries signed the Caracas Declaration) and compared these changes against the sizes of prison populations. The associations between the numbers of psychiatric beds and the sizes of prison populations were tested using fixed-effects regression of panel data. Economic variables were considered as covariates. Sufficiently reliable and complete data were obtained from 6 countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay. The numbers of psychiatric beds and the sizes of prison populations. Since 1990, the numbers of psychiatric beds decreased in all 6 countries (ranging from -2.0% to -71.9%), while the sizes of prison populations increased substantially (ranging from 16.1% to 273.0%). Panel data regression analysis across the 6 countries showed a significant inverse relationship between numbers of psychiatric beds and sizes of prison populations. On average, the removal of 1 bed was associated with 5.18 more prisoners (95% CI, 3.10-7.26; P = .001), which was reduced to 2.78 prisoners (95% CI, 2.59-2.97; P prison populations remained practically unchanged when income inequality was considered as a covariate (-4.28 [95% CI, -5.21 to -3.36]; P prison populations have increased against a background of strong economic growth. The changes appear to be associated because the numbers of beds decreased more extensively when and

Delusional infestation is typically comorbid with other psychiatric diagnoses: review of 54 patients receiving psychiatric evaluation at Mayo Clinic.

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Hylwa, Sara A; Foster, Ashley A; Bury, Jessica E; Davis, Mark D P; Pittelkow, Mark R; Bostwick, J Michael

2012-01-01

Delusional infestation, which encompasses both delusions of parasitosis and delusions of infestation with inanimate objects (sometimes called Morgellons disease), has been said to represent a distinct and encapsulated delusion, that is, a stand-alone diagnosis. Anecdotally, we have observed that patients with delusional infestation often have one or more psychiatric comorbid conditions and that delusional infestation should not be regarded as a stand-alone diagnosis. The purpose of this study was to identify whether patients with delusional infestation have psychiatric comorbid conditions. We therefore identified patients who had been formally evaluated in the Department of Psychiatry during their visit to Mayo Clinic. We retrospectively searched for and reviewed the cases of all patients with delusional infestation seen from 2001 through 2007 at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, and who underwent psychiatric evaluation. The diagnoses resulting from psychiatric evaluation were analyzed. During the 7-year study period, 109 patients seen for delusional infestation at Mayo Clinic were referred to the Department of Psychiatry, 54 (50%) of whom actually followed through with psychiatric consultation. Of these 54 patients, 40 (74%) received additional active psychiatric diagnoses; 14 patients (26%) had delusional infestation alone. Abnormal personality traits were rarely documented. Most patients with delusional infestation have multiple coexisting or underlying psychiatric disorders. Therefore, evaluation by a psychiatrist, when possible, is advised for all patients with delusional infestation. Copyright © 2012 The Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Psychiatric morbidity in patients with chronic whiplash-associated disorder.

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Kivioja, Jouko; Själin, Mikael; Lindgren, Urban

2004-06-01

Prospective cohort with age- and gender-matched controls. To compare psychiatric morbidity between two groups: patients having chronic symptoms after a whiplash injury and patients who recovered completely. Psychiatric morbidity may influence the outcome of somatic diseases, and it has been suggested that psychological factors are often involved in the development of chronic symptoms after whiplash injuries, but there is no study assessing psychiatric morbidity in whiplash-associated disorder (WAD) using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV. We studied a consecutive sample of 278 patients with a whiplash injury. Eighty-five had persisting neck pain after 1 year, and 38 of these participated in this study. For each patient with chronic neck pain at the 1 year follow-up, a gender- and age-matched recovered patient was selected from the study cohort of 278 cases. Psychiatric morbidity was determined using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID). The interview was conducted at 1 year after the accident (360 days, SD 2 days). The chronic WAD group had a significantly (P factor for chronic symptoms after a whiplash injury. The development of chronic symptoms after awhiplash injury seems to be associated with psychiatric vulnerability.

Marked reduction in length of stay for patients with psychiatric emergencies after implementation of a comanagement model.

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Polevoi, Steven K; Jewel Shim, J; McCulloch, Charles E; Grimes, Barbara; Govindarajan, Prasanthi

2013-04-01

Patients with psychiatric emergencies often spend excessive time in an emergency department (ED) due to limited inpatient psychiatric bed capacity. The objective was to compare traditional resident consultation with a new model (comanagement) to reduce length of stay (LOS) for patients with psychiatric emergencies. The costs of this model were compared to those of standard care. This was a before-and-after study conducted in the ED of an urban academic medical center without an inpatient psychiatry unit from January 1, 2007, through December 31, 2009. Subjects were all adult patients seen by ED clinicians and determined to be a danger to self or others or gravely disabled. At baseline, psychiatry residents evaluated patients and made therapeutic recommendations after consultation with faculty. The comanagement model was fully implemented in September 2008. In this model, psychiatrists directly ordered pharmacotherapy, regularly monitored effects, and intensified efforts toward appropriate disposition. Additionally, increased attending-level involvement expedited focused evaluation and disposition of patients. An interrupted time series analysis was used to study the effects of this intervention on LOS for all psychiatric patients transferred for inpatient psychiatric care. Secondary outcomes included mean number of hours on ambulance diversion per month and the mean number of patients who left without being seen (LWBS) from the ED. A total of 1,884 patient visits were considered. Compared to the preintervention phase, median LOS for patients transferred for inpatient psychiatric care decreased by about 22% (p model was associated with a marked reduction in the LOS for this patient population. © 2013 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

Psychiatric comorbidity and psychosocial impairment among patients with vertigo and dizziness.

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Lahmann, Claas; Henningsen, Peter; Brandt, Thomas; Strupp, Michael; Jahn, Klaus; Dieterich, Marianne; Eckhardt-Henn, Annegret; Feuerecker, Regina; Dinkel, Andreas; Schmid, Gabriele

2015-03-01

Vertigo and dizziness are often not fully explained by an organic illness, but instead are related to psychiatric disorders. This study aimed to evaluate psychiatric comorbidity and assess psychosocial impairment in a large sample of patients with a wide range of unselected organic and non-organic (ie, medically unexplained) vertigo/dizziness syndromes. This cross-sectional study involved a sample of 547 patients recruited from a specialised interdisciplinary treatment centre for vertigo/dizziness. Diagnostic evaluation included standardised neurological examinations, structured clinical interview for major mental disorders (SCID-I) and self-report questionnaires regarding dizziness, depression, anxiety, somatisation and quality of life. Neurological diagnostic workup revealed organic and non-organic vertigo/dizziness in 80.8% and 19.2% of patients, respectively. In 48.8% of patients, SCID-I led to the diagnosis of a current psychiatric disorder, most frequently anxiety/phobic, somatoform and affective disorders. In the organic vertigo/dizziness group, 42.5% of patients, particularly those with vestibular paroxysmia or vestibular migraine, had a current psychiatric comorbidity. Patients with psychiatric comorbidity reported more vertigo-related handicaps, more depressive, anxiety and somatisation symptoms, and lower psychological quality of life compared with patients without psychiatric comorbidity. Almost half of patients with vertigo/dizziness suffer from a psychiatric comorbidity. These patients show more severe psychosocial impairment compared with patients without psychiatric disorders. The worst combination, in terms of vertigo-related handicaps, is having non-organic vertigo/dizziness and psychiatric comorbidity. This phenomenon should be considered when diagnosing and treating vertigo/dizziness in the early stages of the disease. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to

Psychiatric morbidity in asymptomatic human immunodeficiency virus patients

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V S Chauhan

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Psychiatric morbidity in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV patients is being studied all over the world. There is paucity of Indian literature particularly in asymptomatic HIV individuals. Aim: The aim of the following study is to establish the prevalence and the determinants of psychiatric morbidity in asymptomatic HIV patients. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was undertaken to assess psychiatric morbidity as per ICD-10 dacryocystorhinostomy criteria in 100 consecutive asymptomatic seropositive HIV patients and an equal number of age, sex, education, economic and marital status matched HIV seronegative control. All subjects were assessed with the general health questionnaire (GHQ, mini mental status examination, hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS and sensation seeking scale (SSS and the scores were analyzed statistically. Results: Asymptomatic HIV positive patients had significantly higher GHQ caseness and depression but not anxiety on HADS as compared to HIV seronegative controls. On SSS asymptomatic HIV seropositive subjects showed significant higher scores in thrill and adventure seeking, experience seeking and boredom susceptibility as compared to controls. HIV seropositive patients had significantly higher incidence of total psychiatric morbidity. Among the individual disorders, alcohol dependence syndrome, sexual dysfunction and adjustment disorder were significantly increased compared with HIV seronegative controls. Conclusion: Psychiatric morbidity is higher in asymptomatic HIV patients when compared to HIV seronegative controls. Among the individual disorders, alcohol dependence syndrome, sexual dysfunction and adjustment disorder were significantly increased compared with HIV seronegative controls. High sensation seeking and substance abuse found in HIV seropositive patients may play a vital role in engaging in high-risk behavior resulting in this dreaded illness.

''Routine'' brain CT in psychiatric patients - does it make sense?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pickuth, D.; Heywang-Koebrunner, S.H.; Spielmann, R.P.

1999-01-01

Purpose: To prospectively assess the spectrum of brain CT findings in psychiatric patients and to determine the number of patients that had an underlying cause for the symptoms. Patients and methods: Over a period of six months, 142 patients (78 males, 64 females; median age 61 [18-91] years) were referred for CT brain scans. Their scans were reviewed, along with the clinical information that was provided in the request form. All the hard copies were reviewed to assess areas of ischaemia, infarction, atrophy, tumours, and haematomas. The majority of requests were to exclude vascular event or space-occupying lesions. Clinical indications included mood disorders (depression, mania), schizophrenic disorders, dementia, personality and behavioural disorders. Results: 31 (22%) were normal. 111 (78%) had varying degrees of ischaemia, infarction and cerebral/cerebellar atrophy. 7 (4.9%) had space-occupying lesions which included two gliomas and five meningiomas. There were two chronic subdural haematomas and one arteriovenous malformation. Conclusion: 1. In our series, pathologic findings in 'routine' brain CT's were encountered in 78%. 2. The incidence of brain tumours was 4.9%, compared with 0.00005% of the general population. 3. CT scanning in psychiatric patients is cost-effective and especially indicated when there is an atypical presentation, or inadequate response to standard treatment. (orig.) [de

Psychiatric symptoms in patients with sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in Germany.

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Krasnianski, Anna; Bohling, Geeske T; Harden, Markus; Zerr, Inga

2015-09-01

Psychiatric symptoms in sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD) are still not sufficiently evaluated. To describe psychiatric symptoms in sCJD with respect to molecular subtype. Patients in this retrospective study were classified according to established diagnostic criteria. 248 sCJD patients with known molecular subtype were recruited from January 1993 to December 2004 and investigated. Psychiatric symptoms were defined according to Möller and colleagues and the AMDP system (Study Group for Methods and Documentation in Psychiatry) and were collected by direct examination by study physicians or extracted from medical documentation. Our data were compared with published data on variant CJD (vCJD). Psychiatric symptoms were common in sCJD patients (90%) and mostly found already at the disease onset (agitation in 64% of the patients, hallucinations in 45%, anxiety in 50%, depression in 37%). All psychiatric symptoms but illusions were found early in the disease course. Psychiatric symptoms in sCJD were less frequent than in vCJD. We provide the first detailed analysis of psychiatric symptoms in a large group of patients with sCJD with respect to differences concerning frequency and time point of occurrence of psychiatric symptoms between molecular subtypes. These data suggest that psychiatric symptoms occurring early in the disease course are common not only in vCJD but also in other CJD types. © Copyright 2015 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.

Oesophageal motility disorders in patients with psychiatric disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roland, J.; Dhaenen, H.; Ham, H.R.; Peters, O.; Piepsz, A.

1996-01-01

Clinical and experimental observations indicate that the motility of the oesophagus may be affected by emotional stimuli. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of oesophageal contractility impairment in patients suffering from a psychiatric disorder. Fifty-one patients admitted to the psychiatric department were submitted to an oesophageal transit study by means of krypton-81m. All patients with an abnormal oesophageal transit underwent manometry and endoscopy. The level of depression and anxiety was evaluated by the treating psychiatrist, using the Hamilton Depression and Anxiety Rating Scales. The oesophageal transit was abnormal in 13 patients. Two of these 13 patients refused manometric investigation. In ten of the 11 remaining patients, the manometry revealed functional motor abnormalities. Endoscopy, performed in all these ten patients, was normal. In conclusion, a high percentage of oesophageal contractility disturbances was found in psychiatric patients complaining of anxiety and/or depression. These abnormalities were detected by scintigraphy as well as by manometry. Owing to the normal endoscopic findings, these contraction abnormalities are likely to reflect a functional motor impairment. (orig.). With 3 figs., 2 tabs

Oesophageal motility disorders in patients with psychiatric disease

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Roland, J. [Department of Nuclear Medicine, Free University of Brussels, Brussels (Belgium); Dhaenen, H. [Department of Psychiatry, Free University of Brussels, Brussels (Belgium); Ham, H.R. [Department of Nuclear Medicine, Free University of Brussels, Brussels (Belgium); Peters, O. [Department of Gastro-enterology, Free University of Brussels, Brussels (Belgium); Piepsz, A. [Department of Nuclear Medicine, Free University of Brussels, Brussels (Belgium)

1996-12-01

Clinical and experimental observations indicate that the motility of the oesophagus may be affected by emotional stimuli. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of oesophageal contractility impairment in patients suffering from a psychiatric disorder. Fifty-one patients admitted to the psychiatric department were submitted to an oesophageal transit study by means of krypton-81m. All patients with an abnormal oesophageal transit underwent manometry and endoscopy. The level of depression and anxiety was evaluated by the treating psychiatrist, using the Hamilton Depression and Anxiety Rating Scales. The oesophageal transit was abnormal in 13 patients. Two of these 13 patients refused manometric investigation. In ten of the 11 remaining patients, the manometry revealed functional motor abnormalities. Endoscopy, performed in all these ten patients, was normal. In conclusion, a high percentage of oesophageal contractility disturbances was found in psychiatric patients complaining of anxiety and/or depression. These abnormalities were detected by scintigraphy as well as by manometry. Owing to the normal endoscopic findings, these contraction abnormalities are likely to reflect a functional motor impairment. (orig.). With 3 figs., 2 tabs.

Recent illicit drug use among psychiatric patients in Brazil: a national representative study

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Miriam Almeida Nahas

2017-08-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To estimate factors associated to illicit drug use among patients with mental illness in Brazil according to gender. METHODS A cross-sectional representative sample of psychiatric patients (2,475 individuals was randomly selected from 11 hospitals and 15 public mental health outpatient clinics. Data on self-reported illicit drug use and sociodemographic, clinical and behavioral characteristics were obtained from face-to-face interviews. Logistic regression was used to estimate associations with recent illicit drug use. RESULTS The prevalence of any recent illicit drug use was 11.4%. Men had higher prevalence than women for all substances (17.5% and 5.6%, respectively. Lower education, history of physical violence, and history of homelessness were associated with drug use among men only; not professing a religion was associated with drug use in women only. For both men and women, younger age, current hospitalization, alcohol and tobacco use, history of incarceration, younger age at sexual debut, and more than one sexual partner were statistically associated with illicit drug use. CONCLUSIONS Recent illicit drug use among psychiatric patients is higher than among the general Brazilian population and it is associated with multiple factors including markers of psychiatric severity. Our data indicate the need for the development of gender-based drug-use interventions among psychiatric patients in Brazil. Integration of substance use treatment strategies with mental health treatment should be a priority.

The lived experience by psychiatric nurses of aggression and violence from patients in a Gauteng psychiatric institution.

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Bimenyimana, E; Poggenpoel, M; Myburgh, C; van Niekerk, V

2009-09-01

Caring for good people is difficult enough; to care for people who are either aggressive or violent is even more difficult. This is what psychiatric nurses working in the psychiatric institution in which research was done are exposed to on a daily basis. The aim of the research was to explore and describe the lived experience by psychiatric nurses of aggression and violence from patients in a Gauteng psychiatric institution. A qualitative, explorative, descriptive, and contextual study design was utilised. Data was collected by means of semi-structured interviews and naïve sketches. Tesch 's (Creswell, 2004: 256) method of open coding and an independent coder were utilised for data analysis. This study shed some light on the lived experience by psychiatric nurses of aggression and violence from patients in a Gauteng psychiatric institution. The findings show that the level of violence and aggression to which psychiatric nurses are exposed is overwhelming and the consequences are alarming. The contributing factors to this violence and aggression are: the mental status and the conditions in which patients are admitted; the staff shortage; the lack of support among the members of the multidisciplinary team (MDT); and the lack of structured and comprehensive orientation among newly appointed staff members. As a result, psychiatric nurses are emotionally, psychologically, and physically affected. They then respond with the following emotions and behaviour: fear, anger, frustration, despair, hopelessness and helplessness, substance abuse, absenteeism, retaliation and the development of an "I don't care" attitude.

"Chronicity," "nervios" and community care: a case study of Puerto Rican psychiatric patients in New York City.

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Swerdlow, M

1992-06-01

The role of ethnicity, community structure, and folk concepts of mental illness in facilitating the adaptation of long term psychiatric patients to community living has received little attention. This article examines the cultural concepts of mental illness and the community involvement of 30 Puerto Rican psychiatric patients participating in a New York City treatment program. It is shown that many of the attributes usually associated with chronic mental illness do not apply to this population. It is argued that the folk concept of nervios helps to foster the integration of these patients in a wide range of community networks. The impact of gentrification on these patients' community integration is also discussed.

Hospital Related Stress Among Patients Admitted to a Psychiatric In-patient Unit in India

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Latha KS

2011-04-01

Full Text Available The psychiatric patient’s attitudes towards hospitalization have found an association between patient perceptions of the ward atmosphere and dissatisfaction. The aim of the study was to determine the aspects of stress related to hospitalization in inpatients admitted to a psychiatric facility. Fifty in-patients of both sexes admitted consecutively to a psychiatric unit in a General Hospital were asked to rate the importance of, and their satisfaction with, 38 different aspects of in-patient care and treatment. Results showed that the major sources of stress were related to having a violent patient near to his/her bed; being away from family; having to stay in closed wards; having to eat cold and tasteless food; losing income or job due to illness, being hospitalized away from home; not able to understand the jargons used by the clinical staff and not getting medication for sleep. A well-differentiated assessment of stress and satisfaction has implications for the evaluation of the quality of psychiatric care and for the improvement of in-patient psychiatric care.

Pre-surgical predictors for psychiatric disorders following epilepsy surgery in patients with refractory temporal lobe epilepsy and mesial temporal sclerosis.

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Filho, Gerardo Maria de Araújo; Mazetto, Lenon; Gomes, Francinaldo Lobato; Marinho, Murilo Martinez; Tavares, Igor Melo; Caboclo, Luís Otávio Sales Ferreira; Centeno, Ricardo Silva; Yacubian, Elza Márcia Targas

2012-11-01

Psychiatric outcomes of patients submitted to epilepsy surgery have gained particular interest given the high prevalence of pre-surgical psychiatric disorders (PD) in this population. The present study aimed to verify the possible pre-surgical predictors for psychiatric disorders following epilepsy surgery in a homogeneous series of patients with refractory temporal lobe epilepsy and mesial temporal sclerosis (TLE-MTS). Data from 115 TLE-MTS patients (65 females; 56.5%) who underwent cortico-amygdalohippocampectomy were included. Pre- and post-surgical psychiatric evaluations were performed using DSM-IV criteria. Pre-surgical PD - particularly mood, anxiety and psychotic disorders - were diagnosed in 47 patients (40.8%). Twenty-seven patients (54% of those with pre-surgical PD) demonstrated a remission of psychiatric symptoms on post-surgical psychiatric evaluation. Eleven patients (9.6%) developed de novo PD. The presence of pre-surgical depression (OR=3.32; p=0.008), pre-surgical interictal psychosis (OR=4.39; p=0.009) and epileptiform discharges contralateral to the epileptogenic zone (OR=2.73; p=0.01) were risk factors associated with post-surgical PD. Although epilepsy surgery is considered to be the best treatment option for patients with refractory TLE-MTS, the relatively high psychiatric comorbidities observed in surgical candidates and their possible negative impact on post-surgical outcomes require a careful pre-surgical evaluation of clinical, sociodemographic and psychiatric factors. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influence of polygenic risk scores on lipid levels and dyslipidemia in a psychiatric population receiving weight gain-inducing psychotropic drugs.

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Delacrétaz, Aurélie; Lagares Santos, Patricia; Saigi Morgui, Nuria; Vandenberghe, Frederik; Glatard, Anaïs; Gholam-Rezaee, Mehdi; von Gunten, Armin; Conus, Philippe; Eap, Chin B

2017-12-01

Dyslipidemia represents a major health issue in psychiatry. We determined whether weighted polygenic risk scores (wPRSs) combining multiple single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with lipid levels in the general population are associated with lipid levels [high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), total cholesterol (TC), and triglycerides] and/or dyslipidemia in patients receiving weight gain-inducing psychotropic drugs. We also determined whether genetics improve the predictive power of dyslipidemia. The influence of wPRS on lipid levels was firstly assessed in a discovery psychiatric sample (n=332) and was then tested for replication in an independent psychiatric sample (n=140). The contribution of genetic markers to predict dyslipidemia was evaluated in the combined psychiatric sample. wPRSs were significantly associated with the four lipid traits in the discovery (P≤0.02) and in the replication sample (P≤0.03). Patients whose wPRS was higher than the median wPRS had significantly higher LDL, TC, and triglyceride levels (0.20, 0.32 and 0.26 mmol/l, respectively; P≤0.004) and significantly lower HDL levels (0.13 mmol/l; Pdyslipidemia prediction of HDL (P=0.03) and a trend for improvement was observed for the prediction of TC dyslipidemia (P=0.08). Population-based wPRSs have thus significant effects on lipid levels in the psychiatric population. As genetics improved the predictive power of dyslipidemia development, only 24 patients need to be genotyped to prevent the development of one case of HDL hypocholesterolemia. If confirmed by further prospective investigations, the present results could be used for individualizing psychotropic treatment.

Patient participation: causing moral stress in psychiatric nursing?

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Jansen, Trine-Lise; Hanssen, Ingrid

2017-06-01

The aim of this study was to explore psychiatric nurses' experiences and perspectives regarding patient participation. Patient participation is an ambiguous, complex and poorly defined concept with practical/clinical, organisational, legal and ethical aspects, some of which in psychiatric units may cause ethical predicaments and moral stress in nurses, for instance when moral caring acts are thwarted by constraints. An explorative quantitative pilot study was conducted at a psychiatric subacute unit through three focus group interviews with a total of nine participants. A thematic analytic approach was chosen. Preliminary empirical findings were discussed with participants before the final data analysis. Ethical research guidelines were followed. Patient participation is a difficult ideal to realise because of vagueness of aim and content. What was regarded as patient participation differed. Some interviewees held that patients may have a say within the framework of restraints while others saw patient participation as superficial. The interviewees describe themselves as patient's spokespersons and contributing to patients participating in their treatment as a great responsibility. They felt squeezed between their ethical values and the 'system'. They found themselves in a negotiator role trying to collaborate with both the doctors and the patients. Privatisation of a political ideal makes nurses vulnerable to burn out and moral distress. Nurses have a particular ethical responsibility towards vulnerable patients, and may themselves be vulnerable when caught in situations where their professional and moral values are threatened. Unclear concepts make for unclear division of responsibility. Patient participation is often a neglected value in current psychiatric treatment philosophy. When healthcare workers' ethical sensibilities are compromised, this may result in moral stress. © 2016 Nordic College of Caring Science.

White matter lesions in psychiatric patients: a retrospective MRI study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Becker, T.; Teichmann, E.; Hofmann, E.; Schmidtke, A.; Warmuth-Metz, M.; Nadjmi, M.

1992-01-01

T2-weighted MRI scans of psychiatric patients with at least one white matter lesion (WML) were compared to 83 non-psychiatric controls with respect to WML number and distribution. MANOVA resulted in significant effects for sex, age and patient group with respect to WML number. In the psychiatric patients, infratentorial WML prevailed in organic psychoses. WML number was positively correlated with age with the exception of right temporal lobe WML. Based on WML spatial distribution, four patient clusters were found. Clusters with widely distributed WML comprised older patients with late onset of illness; right frontal and temporal WML were associated with mania, euphoria and unstable mood. (orig.)

The lived experience by psychiatric nurses of aggression and violence from patients in a Gauteng psychiatric institution

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. Bimenyimana

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Caring for good people is difficult enough; to care for people who are either aggressive or violent is even more difficult. This is what psychiatric nurses working in the psychiatric institution in which research was done are exposed to on a daily basis. The aim of the research was to explore and describe the lived experience by psychiatric nurses of aggression and violence from patients in a Gauteng psychiatric institution. A qualitative, explorative, descriptive, and contextual study design was utilised. Data was collected by means of semi-structured interviews and naïve sketches. Tesch’s (Creswell, 2004:256 method of open coding and an independent coder were utilised for data analysis. This study shed some light on the lived experience by psychiatric nurses of aggression and violence from patients in a Gauteng psychiatric institution. The findings show that the level of violence and aggression to which psychiatric nurses are exposed is overwhelming and the consequences are alarming. The contributing factors to this violence and aggression are: the mental status and the conditions in which patients are admitted; the staff shortage; the lack of support among the members of the multidisciplinary team (MDT; and the lack of structured and comprehensive orientation among newly appointed staff members. As a result, psychiatric nurses are emotionally, psychologically, and physically affected. They then respond with the following emotions and behaviour: fear, anger, frustration, despair, hopelessness and helplessness, substance abuse, absenteeism, retaliation and the development of an “I don’t care” attitude.

Psychiatric Problems in Patients with Breast Cancer

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Munevver Tunel

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Cancer is a physical disorder with concurrent mental and social components. During cancer, the feelings of fear, hopelessness, guilt, helplessness, abandonment perceived as a crisis leading to destruction in the suffering person. Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among women. Prevalence of psychiatric disorders among cancer patients is approximately 50% and most of disorders are related with the occurrence of cancer and cancer treatment. Majority of patients present with major depression, adjustment disorder, anxiety disorders, sleep disorders, suicidial ideation, and delirium. Treatment of psychiatric disorders and cancer therapy should be conducted along with special consideration of drug interactions. This article reviews the adaptation process experienced by individuals during diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer, it psychological effects, resulting psychiatric comorbidites and their treatments. [Archives Medical Review Journal 2012; 21(3.000: 189-219

ELECTROCONVULSIVE THERAPY AMONG ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRIC PATIENTS- A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY

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Lakshimi Borgohain

2017-05-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT among adolescent psychiatric patient is rarely used and studies in this regard are also rare, while its need is of great importance. Aim of this study was to study the prevalence of ECT in common psychiatric illnesses among adolescent age group, where it is indicated and outcome of ECT in those psychiatric patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS All data were collected retrospectively from the chart review for those adolescents aged between 12 to 18 years who received ECT during the period of 2008 - 2012. During the study period a total of 554 patients received ECT, among whom 104 were adolescents. RESULTS Adolescent patients were 18.77% in the whole ECT sample; the average age of the adolescents was 16.33 years and number of patients were more with older age. Among all the patients, 48.08% had positive family history of mental illness and 81.73% were from lower Socioeconomic Class. The use of ECT was more with schizophrenia (n= 63, 60.57% and acute and transient psychotic disorder (n= 30, 28.85%. The most common indication was agitation and aggression (n= 29, 27.88% followed by poor medication response (n= 19, 18.27%. Good response is found in most of the cases (n= 88, 84.62%, only a few percentage of cases showed minor and transient adverse event. CONCLUSION The result of our study suggests that prevalence of ECT among adolescent psychiatric patients is quite high and ECT is a safe and effective method of treatment in the adolescent psychiatric patients, especially those patients who are severely ill and poorly responding to medication.

Psychiatric Evaluation of the Agitated Patient: Consensus Statement of the American Association for Emergency Psychiatry Project BETA Psychiatric Evaluation Workgroup

OpenAIRE

Stowell, Keith R; Florence, Peter; Harman, Herbert J; Glick, Rachel L

2012-01-01

It is difficult to fully assess an agitated patient, and the complete psychiatric evaluation usually cannot be completed until the patient is calm enough to participate in a psychiatric interview. Nonetheless, emergency clinicians must perform an initial mental status screening to begin this process as soon as the agitated patient presents to an emergency setting. For this reason, the psychiatric evaluation of the agitated patient can be thought of as a 2-step process. First, a brief evaluati...

Evaluating DSM-5 Insomnia Disorder and the Treatment of Sleep Problems in a Psychiatric Population

Science.gov (United States)

Seow, Lee Seng Esmond; Verma, Swapna Kamal; Mok, Yee Ming; Kumar, Sunita; Chang, Sherilyn; Satghare, Pratika; Hombali, Aditi; Vaingankar, Janhavi; Chong, Siow Ann; Subramaniam, Mythily

2018-01-01

Study Objectives: With the introduction of insomnia disorder in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), greater emphasis has been placed on the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorder even in the presence of a coexisting mental disorder. The current study seeks to explore the clinical picture of insomnia in the context of psychiatric disorders commonly associated with sleep complaints by assessing the prevalence and correlates of DSM-5 insomnia disorder, and examining the extent to which insomnia symptoms have been addressed in this population. Methods: Four hundred treatment-seeking outpatients suffering from depressive, bipolar affective, anxiety, and schizophrenia spectrum disorders were recruited. DSM-5 insomnia was established using the modified Brief Insomnia Questionnaire. Differences in sociodemographic factors, clinical status, impairment outcomes, and mental health services utilization were compared. Information on patients' help-seeking experiences for insomnia-related symptoms was collected to determine the treatment received and treatment effectiveness. Results: Almost one-third of our sample (31.8%) had DSM-5 insomnia disorder. Those with insomnia disorder had significantly higher impairment outcomes than their counterparts but no group difference was observed for mental health services utilization. Findings based on past treatment contact for sleep problems suggest that diagnosis and treatment of insomnia is lacking in this population. Conclusions: With the new calling from DSM-5, clinicians treating psychiatric patients should view insomnia less as a symptom of their mental illnesses and treat clinical insomnia as a primary disorder. Patients should also be educated on the importance of reporting and treating their sleep complaints. Nonmedical (cognitive and behavioral) interventions for insomnia need to be further explored given their proven clinical effectiveness. Citation: Seow LSE, Verma SK, Mok YM, Kumar

[Suicides committed by patients who receive psychiatric care].

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Rønneberg, Unni; Walby, Fredrik A

2008-01-17

Psychiatric institutions (hospitals and out-patient clinics) are obliged to report cases of suicide to the authorities, but it has not been known to what extent this obligation has been fulfilled. The Norwegian Board of Health Supervision wished to provide an overview of reporting frequencies, descriptions of the extent of the problem, reasons for suicide in patients undergoing psychiatric treatment, whether the institutions use these occurrences to improve the quality of their work and how these cases were handled by the 18 county medical officers. The county medical officers completed registration forms and closing letters for each reported case of suicide committed by patients in psychiatric care (in 2005 and 2006), and sent these documents to the Norwegian Board of Health Supervision. 34/176 (19.3%) suicides were not reported according to the requirements. Almost none of the institutions seemed to use the occurrences in their work to improve quality. There were large differences between the counties both with respect to the number of - and the handling of the reports. The psychiatric hospitals and out-patient clinics must fulfil their obligation to report suicides to the authorities to a larger degree, and to use such occurrences in their work to prevent suicides.

Sudden Cardiac Death in Young Adults With Previous Hospital-Based Psychiatric Inpatient and Outpatient Treatment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Risgaard, Bjarke; Waagstein, Kristine; Winkel, Bo Gregers

2015-01-01

Introduction: Psychiatric patients have premature mortality compared to the general population. The incidence of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in psychiatric patients is unknown in a nationwide setting. The aim of this study was to compare nationwide SCD incidence rates in young individuals with and......Introduction: Psychiatric patients have premature mortality compared to the general population. The incidence of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in psychiatric patients is unknown in a nationwide setting. The aim of this study was to compare nationwide SCD incidence rates in young individuals...

Association Between Allergies and Psychiatric Disorders in Patients Undergoing Invasive Procedures.

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Aberle, Dwight; Wu, Stephanie E; Oklu, Rahmi; Erinjeri, Joseph; Deipolyi, Amy R

Associations between allergies and psychiatric disorders have been reported in the context of depression and suicide; psychiatric disorders may affect pain perception. To investigate the relationship of allergies with psychiatric disorders and pain perception in the context of invasive procedures, specifically during tunneled hemodialysis catheter placement. We identified 89 patients (51 men, 38 women), mean age 66 years (range: 23-96), who underwent tunneled hemodialysis catheter placement (1/2014-2/2015), recording numeric rating scale pain scores, medications, psychiatric history, allergies, and smoking status. Of 89 patients, 47 patients had no allergies, and 42 had ≥1 allergy. Patients with allergies were more likely to have a pre-existing psychiatric disorder compared to those without allergies, odds ratio 2.6 (95% CI: 1.0-6.8). Having allergies did not affect procedural sedation or postprocedural pain scores. Multiple logistic regression with age, sex, smoking, presence of allergies, psychiatric history, inpatient/outpatient status, procedure time, and procedural sedation administration as inputs and postprocedural pain as the outcome showed that the only independent predictor was receiving procedural sedation (P = 0.005). Findings corroborate anecdotal reports of allergies as a marker for psychiatric history. However, having allergies was not associated with increased pain or need for more sedation. Further studies could prospectively assess whether allergies and psychiatric disorders affect patient/doctor perceptions beyond pain during invasive procedures. Copyright © 2017 The Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Experiences of psychiatric nurses exposed to hostility from patients in a forensic ward.

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Tema, T R; Poggenpoel, M; Myburgh, C P H

2011-10-01

Hostile behaviour is becoming a way of life in South Africa. Hostility prevails at all settings, including in the health sector. In a forensic ward psychiatric nurses are subjected to hostile behaviour by the patients. The aim of the present study was to explore and describe the psychiatric nurses' experiences of hostile behaviour by patients in a forensic ward and make recommendations for nurse managers to empower these psychiatric nurses to cope with the patients' aggression. Qualitative, in-depth, phenomenological interviews were conducted with nine psychiatric nurses exposed to hostility from patients in a forensic ward. Recommendations were derived from the results from nurse managers to assist psychiatric nurses. It became apparent from the findings that psychiatric nurses in a forensic ward work in a stressful environment. Hostile behaviour in the forensic ward is consistently experienced by the psychiatric nurses as hindering therapeutic relationships. The psychiatric nurses experienced being disempowered. Psychiatric nurses experience hostile behaviour by patients in a forensic ward as disempowering. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSE MANAGEMENT: Nurse managers can facilitate psychiatric nurses' empowerment by providing them access to: information, support, resources, opportunity and growth. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome among psychiatric patients ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

About 70-90% of patients with IBS have psychiatric comorbidity, such as depression, anxiety disorders, sexual dysfunction and somatoform disorders. Many studies had been ... The most common psychiatric diagnosis in the subjects was schizophrenia, which was diagnosed in 51 (54.8%) subjects. Using the Rome III ...

Prevalence of psychiatric and physical morbidity in an urban geriatric population.

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Seby, K; Chaudhury, Suprakash; Chakraborty, Rudraprosad

2011-04-01

With a rapidly increasing population of older aged people, epidemiological data regarding the prevalence of mental and physical illnesses are urgently required for proper health planning. However, there is a scarcity of such data from India. To study the frequency and pattern of psychiatric morbidity present and the association of physical illness with psychiatric morbidity in an elderly urban population. Cross-sectional, epidemiological study. All the consenting elderly persons in a municipal ward division (n=202) were enrolled after surveying a total adult population of 7239 people. A door to door survey was undertaken where the participants were interviewed and physically examined. General Health Questionnaire-12, Mini Mental State Examination, CAGE Questionnaire and Geriatric Depression Scale were used in the interview apart from consulting the available documents. Other family members were also interviewed to verify the information. Chi-square test with Yates correction. Psychiatric illnesses were detected in 26.7% while physical illnesses were present in 69.8% of the population surveyed. Predominant psychiatric diagnoses were depressive disorders, dementia, generalized anxiety disorder, alcohol dependence and bipolar disorder. The most common physical illness was visual impairment, followed by cardiovascular disease, rheumatic illnesses, pulmonary illnesses, hearing impairment, genitourinary diseases and neurological disorders. Presence of dementia was associated with increased age, single/widowed/separated status, nuclear family, economic dependence, low education, cardiovascular disorders, rheumatic disorders and neurological disorders. Depression was associated with female sex, single/widowed/separated status, staying in nuclear families, economic dependence on others and co-morbid physical illnesses, specifically cardiovascular disorders and visual impairment. This study presented a higher rate of dementia and old age depression. The interesting

Sleep ameliorating effects of acupuncture in a psychiatric population

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bosch, M.P.C.; Luijtelaar, E.L.J.M. van; Noort, M.W.M.L. van den; Lim, S.; Egger, J.I.M.; Coenen, A.M.L.

2013-01-01

The interest of psychiatric patients for complementary medicine, such as acupuncture, is stable, but effect studies in psychiatry remain scarce. In this pilot study, the effects of 3 months of acupuncture treatment on sleep were evaluated and compared between a group of patients with schizophrenia

Ergonomics in the psychiatric ward towards workers or patients?

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Silvana, Salerno; Laura, Forcella; Ursula, Di Fabio; Irene, Figà Talamanca; Paolo, Boscolo

2012-01-01

Patient's aggressive behavior is one of the major problem in the psychiatric ward. Here we present the preliminary results of a psychiatric ward case-study, of a public hospital in the Chieti province, in order to plan ergonomic improvement. We applied the Method of Organizational Congruencies in the psychiatric ward in order to study the relationship between organized hospital work and nurses wellbeing in a 24 hour shifts. We observed 58 main phases in the three work shifts. The technical actions are mainly those of any hospital wards (shift briefing, preparing and administering drugs, recording data on clinical charts, etc.). We found important differences mainly due to the nurses overcontrol activities on the patients behavior (preventing suicides or self destructive behavior), the occurrence of restraint procedure towards patients, the pollution due to patient's cigarette smoke. The fear of patient's self destructive behavior or other aggressive behaviour are the main cognitive and social aspects of this hospital ward. Nurses working in this psychiatric ward have to accept: locked doors, poor and polluted environment, restraint procedure with high risk of aggression and no availability of mental health care programs. A new interdisciplinary concept for ergonomics in psychiatry setting may represent a challenge for both nurses and patients and the community.

Psychiatric morbidity in patients of pulmonary tuberculosis-an observational study

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Lalit Singh

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background: A lot of stigma and misconceptions about pulmonary tuberculosis still persist, in spite of the advances in treatment. Thus, a mere diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis can be a psychological trauma to an individual. The situation has aggravated with the association of tuberculosis with HIV infection. Aim: To study the psychiatric morbidity due to the various psychological stresses faced by a patient of pulmonary tuberculosis. Materials and Methods: The study group consisted of 100 inpatients admitted to pulmonary ward with diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis. The control group consisted of 100 inpatients admitted to pulmonary ward with nontuberculous pulmonary diseases. Psychiatric history and mental status were recorded on a specially designed proforma and diagnosis of any psychiatric illness, if present, arrived at as per International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10. The psychiatric tests applied were beck's depression inventory (BDI and Taylor's Manifest Anxiety Scale (TMAS. Results: Of the patients of pulmonary tuberculosis, 24% could be given a diagnostic category, as per ICD-10, as compared to only 8% of the controls (P < 0.005. On BDI, 44% of patients of pulmonary tuberculosis showed depression as compared to 27% of the controls (P < 0.02. On TMAS, 38% of patients of pulmonary tuberculosis showed anxiety as compared to 24% of controls (P < 0.05. A greater incidence of depression (on BDI and anxiety (on TMAS was seen in those with longer duration of illness (P < 0.02 and in those with greater severity of illness (P < 0.02. Conclusion: In view of the high psychiatric morbidity associated with pulmonary tuberculosis, there is enough scope for psychiatric services to be made available to these patients. In addition, personnel involved in the treatment of these patients should be trained for early detection of psychiatric symptoms.

Respect in forensic psychiatric nurse-patient relationships: a practical compromise.

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Rose, Donald N; Peter, Elizabeth; Gallop, Ruth; Angus, Jan E; Liaschenko, Joan

2011-03-01

The context of forensic psychiatric nursing is distinct from other psychiatric settings as, it involves placement of patients in secure environments with restrictions determined by the courts. Previous literature has identified that nurses morally struggle with respecting patients who have committed heinous offences, which can lead to the patient being depersonalized and dehumanized. Although respect is fundamental to ethical nursing practice, it has not been adequately explored conceptually or empirically. As a result, little knowledge exists that identifies how nurses develop, maintain, and express respect for patients. The purpose of this study is to analyze the concept of respect systematically, from a forensic psychiatric nurse's perspective using the qualitative methodology of focused ethnography. Forensic psychiatric nurses were recruited from two medium secure forensic rehabilitation units. In the first interview, 13 registered nurses (RNs) and two registered practical nurses (RPNs) participated, and although all informants were invited to the second interview, six RNs were lost to follow-up. Despite this loss, saturation was achieved and the data were interpreted through a feminist philosophical lens. Respect was influenced by factors categorized into four themes: (1) emotive-cognitive reactions, (2) nonjudgmental approach, (3) social identity and power, and (4) context. The data from the themes indicate that forensic psychiatric nurses strike a practical compromise, in their understanding and enactment of respect in therapeutic relationships with forensic psychiatric patients. © 2011 International Association of Forensic Nurses.

Psychiatric morbidity in dermatology patients: Frequency and results of consultations

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Seyhan Muammer

2006-01-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Dermatological patients quite commonly depict psychiatric morbidity. PURPOSES: To study the psychiatric morbidity among skin patients of our clinic. METHODS: In the present study, the patients who were treated in the Dermatology Clinic of Inonu University Medical Faculty were evaluated retrospectively. The age, gender, marital status, habits, dermatological and systemic diseases, previously used drugs, current therapy and psychiatric diagnosis of each patient were recorded. FINDINGS: Of 636 patients involved in the study, 15.3% had psychopathological problems, which were depression (32.0%, adjustment difficulty (15.5%, anxiety (13.4%, psychosomatic disorders (10.3%, obsessive-compulsive disorder and conversion (5.1%, dysthymic disorder (4.1%, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (2.1%, panic attack (1.0%, premenstrual syndrome, schizophrenia, somatization disorder, insomnia, alcohol dependency, bipolar affective disorder, mental retardation, agoraphobia, social phobia and dementia. The dermatological diseases defined for the patients with psychopathology diagnosis were chronic urticaria (25.8%; psoriasis (15.5%; alopecia areata, totalis and iniversalis (11.3%; acute urticaria, neurodermatitis and Behcet′s disease (5.1%; atopic dermatitis and drug eruptions (4.1%; pemphigus (3.1%; angioedema, contact dermatitis and generalized pruritus (2.1%; folliculitis and the others (1.0%. CONCLUSIONS: Psychiatric morbidity has an affect on the course of dermatological diseases. When required, psychiatric consultation should be sought by dermatology clinics and patients should be followed with the cooperation of dermatologists and psychiatrists. LIMITATION: The indoor-based study had not included any control group and any domicillary patient.

Pre-existing psychiatric disorder in the burn patient is associated with worse outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Hudson, Alexandra; Al Youha, Sarah; Samargandi, Osama A; Paletz, Justin

2017-08-01

To compare patient and burn characteristics between patients who had a pre-existing psychiatric diagnosis and patients who did not in a Burn Unit at an academic hospital. Psychosocial issues are common in patients recovering from a burn; however, little is known regarding hospital course and discharge outcomes in patients with a pre-existing psychiatric diagnosis presenting with a burn. Baseline medical comorbidities of burn patients have been shown to be a significant risk for in-hospital mortality. A retrospective chart review of 479 consecutive patients admitted to the Burn Unit of an academic hospital in Halifax, Nova Scotia between March 2nd 1995 and June 1st 2013 was performed. Extensive data regarding patient and burn characteristics and outcomes was collected. Patients with and without pre-existing psychiatric diagnoses at the time of hospital admission were compared. Sixty-three (13%) patients had a psychiatric diagnosis, with the most common being depression (52%). Forty-percent (n=25/63) of these patients had multiple pre-existing psychiatric diagnoses. Patients with a psychiatric diagnosis had a greater total-body-surface-area (TBSA)% covered by a third-degree burn (p=0.001), and were more likely to have an inhalation injury (pBurn Unit (p=0.01). The risk of death in burn patients with pre-existing psychiatric disorders was about three times the risk of death in patients with no psychiatric disorders when adjusting for other potential confounders (95% CI, 1.13-9.10; p-value 0.03). Presence of a pre-existing psychiatric disorder in the burn patient was associated with worse outcomes and was a significant predictor of death. Psychiatric diagnoses should be identified early in burn treatment and efforts should be made to ensure a comprehensive approach to inpatient support and patient discharge to reduce unfavorable burn outcomes and placement issues. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Prevalence of Psychiatric Disorders in Patients with Diabetes Type 2

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S. Alireza Sajjadi

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Background: Psychiatric disorders are important complications of chronic diseases such as diabetes mellitus.Materials and method: In this descriptive study, 80 patients with diabetes type 2 referred to diabetes clinic of Zahedan in 2009. They were selected by simple randomized method, screened by General Health Questionnaire and assessed by psychiatric interview, if it was necessary.Results: Totally, 67.5% required an interview and 43.75% were diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder. Major depression were more prevalent (13.5% than adjustment disorders (15%.Conclusion: High prevalence of depression and adjustment disorder in diabetic patients needs psychiatric assessment and treatment as the main part, in the diabetes clinics

Psychopathology and comorbidity of psychiatric disorders in patients with kleptomania.

Science.gov (United States)

Baylé, Franck J; Caci, Hervé; Millet, Bruno; Richa, Sami; Olié, Jean-Pierre

2003-08-01

This study compared patients with kleptomania, patients with alcohol abuse or dependence, and psychiatric patients without impulse-control disorders or substance-related disorders on several key psychopathological dimensions. In addition, the comorbidity of kleptomania with other psychiatric disorders was examined. Eleven patients with kleptomania recruited over a cumulative 2-year period and 60 patients with alcohol abuse or dependence and 29 psychiatric comparison patients recruited over a consecutive 6-month period participated in structured clinical interviews to determine the presence of impulse-control and substance-related disorders and of other psychiatric disorders that were comorbid with kleptomania. Psychopathological dimensions were measured with the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, the Sensation Seeking Scale, the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale, and the anxiety and depression subscales of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Significant group effects were found for the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale total and cognitive impulsivity scores, with the patients with kleptomania having higher impulsivity scores than the other groups. Significant group differences were found on the Sensation Seeking Scale total and disinhibition scores. No significant group effects were found for the mood and anxiety measures. Patients with kleptomania had high rates of comorbid psychiatric disorders, particularly mood disorders, other impulse-control disorders, and substance abuse or dependence (mainly nicotine dependence). Kleptomania presented a specific psychopathological profile that distinguished patients with this disorder from patients with alcohol abuse or dependence and other psychiatric comparison patients. Impulsivity was the major psychopathological feature of kleptomania. A link between kleptomania and affective disorder was supported by the high rate of comorbid affective disorders in patients with kleptomania and a specific pattern of variation in

Worsening psychosis induced by varenicline in a hospitalized psychiatric patient.

Science.gov (United States)

DiPaula, Bethany A; Thomas, Michele D

2009-07-01

Varenicline is a novel treatment for smoking cessation; however, the agent has not been well studied in a population with severe mental illness. Varenicline can reportedly cause neuropsychiatric adverse effects, some resulting in hospitalizations and/or suicides. We describe a case of clinician-observed, worsening psychotic symptoms in a patient with chronic mental illness who was receiving varenicline. A 45-year-old woman with bipolar disorder, mixed type with psychotic features, was admitted to a psychiatric hospital due to acute decompensation after she discontinued her drug therapy. Because of the facility's smoke-free policy, the patient was not permitted to smoke cigarettes during her hospitalization. Over the next several weeks, her condition was stabilized with psychotropic drugs. Her symptoms improved, and plans were made for her discharge. Varenicline was prescribed to manage her nicotine cravings. After 2 days of treatment, staff members noted worsening of the patient's psychotic symptoms and agitation. Varenicline was discontinued, the patient's mental status returned to baseline, and she was subsequently discharged. Use of the Naranjo adverse drug reaction probability scale indicated a probable relationship (score of 7) between the patient's worsening psychosis and her varenicline therapy. This case report provides valuable support of previously published cases that demonstrate the risk of exacerbation of psychotic symptoms with varenicline use in patients with severe mental illness. With proper assessment and management of varenicline-induced neuropsychiatric effects, health care professionals can provide an important role in helping to prevent and manage worsening psychiatric symptoms.

[Patients with ICD-10 disorders F3 and F4 in psychiatric and psychosomatic in-patient units - who is treated where? : Allocation features from the PfAD study].

Science.gov (United States)

Bichescu-Burian, D; Cerisier, C; Czekaj, A; Grempler, J; Hund, S; Jaeger, S; Schmid, P; Weithmann, G; Steinert, T

2017-01-01

In Germany, in-patient treatment of patients with depressive, neurotic, anxiety, and somatoform disorders (ICD-10 F3, F4) is carried out in different settings in psychiatry and psychosomatics. Which patient characteristics determine referral to one or the other specialty is a crucial question in mental health policy and is a matter of ongoing controversy. However, comparative data on patient populations are widely lacking. In the study of Treatment Pathways of Patients with Anxiety and Depression (PfAD study), a total of 320 patients with ICD-10 F3/F4 clinical diagnoses were consecutively recruited from four treatment settings (psychiatric depression ward, psychiatric crisis intervention ward, psychiatric day hospitals, or psychosomatic hospital units; 80 participants per setting) and investigated. In all treatment settings, patients with considerable severity of illness and chronicity were treated. Female gender, higher education, and higher income predicted referral to psychosomatic units; male gender, transfer from another hospital or emergency hospitalization, co-morbidity with a personality disorder, higher general psychiatric co-morbidity, and danger to self at admission predicted referral to psychiatric unit. Patients in psychosomatic units had neither more psychosomatic disorders nor more somatic problems. There is considerable overlap between the clientele of psychiatric and psychosomatic units. Referral and allocation appears to be determined by aspects of severity and social status.

ABO blood groups and psychiatric disorders: a Croatian study.

Science.gov (United States)

Pisk, Sandra Vuk; Vuk, Tomislav; Ivezić, Ena; Jukić, Irena; Bingulac-Popović, Jasna; Filipčić, Igor

2018-02-15

The prevalence of ABO alleles is different in different populations, and many studies have shown a correlation between the occurrences of some diseases and different genotypes of ABO blood groups. The aim of this study was to determine whether there is a significant association between psychiatric syndromes and ABO blood groups. This case-control study involved 156 psychiatric patients and 303 healthy, unrelated, voluntary blood donors. Genomic DNA was isolated from blood on a QIAcube device using a QIAamp DNA Blood mini QIAcube kit. ABO genotyping on five basic ABO alleles was performed using allele-specific polymerase chain reaction analysis. Compared with healthy subjects, a significantly higher proportion of psychiatric patients had AB blood group (χ 2 =9.359, df=3, p=0.025) and, accordingly, a significantly higher incidence of A1B genotype (χ 2 =8.226, df=3, p=0.042). The odds ratio showed that psychiatric disorders occur almost three times more frequently in carriers of AB group compared to other blood groups. However, no statistically significant difference was found in the distribution of ABO blood groups among patients with different psychiatric diagnoses. Likewise, no correlations were found between ABO blood groups and other characteristics of the psychiatric patients (sex, psychiatric heredity, somatic comorbidity, suicidality). The results of this study support the hypothesis of an association between psychiatric disorders and ABO blood groups. The probability is that psychiatric disorders will occur almost three times more frequently in carriers of AB group compared to other ABO blood groups in the Croatian population.

Weather conditions influence the number of psychiatric emergency room patients

Science.gov (United States)

Brandl, Eva Janina; Lett, Tristram A.; Bakanidze, George; Heinz, Andreas; Bermpohl, Felix; Schouler-Ocak, Meryam

2017-12-01

The specific impact of weather factors on psychiatric disorders has been investigated only in few studies with inconsistent results. We hypothesized that meteorological conditions influence the number of cases presenting in a psychiatric emergency room as a measure of mental health conditions. We analyzed the number of patients consulting the emergency room (ER) of a psychiatric hospital in Berlin, Germany, between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2014. A total of N = 22,672 cases were treated in the ER over the study period. Meteorological data were obtained from a publicly available data base. Due to collinearity among the meteorological variables, we performed a principal component (PC) analysis. Association of PCs with the daily number of patients was analyzed with autoregressive integrated moving average model. Delayed effects were investigated using Granger causal modeling. Daily number of patients in the ER was significantly higher in spring and summer compared to fall and winter (p psychiatric patients consulting the emergency room. In particular, our data indicate lower patient numbers during very cold temperatures.

The association of Mediterranean diet and exercise modifications with anthropometric parameters in a psychiatric community population: A pilot study

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Rosaria Di Lorenzo

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Weight gain and related metabolic syndrome (MS are major current issues in public health. MS consists of abdominal fat, atherogenic dyslipidemia, hypertension, hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, pro-inflammatory and pro-thrombotic state, and accounts for both cardiovascular diseases and type II diabetes mellitus risk factors. Patients affected by psychiatric illness present a prevalence of 35–40% of MS. Many studies have shown that Mediterranean diet is associated with the reduction of mortality due to cardiovascular and malignant diseases, potentially preventing both obesity and type II diabetes mellitus. Our pilot study explores the effects of a 12-month healthy lifestyle program (Mediterranean diet and mild physical activity on metabolic and anthropometric parameters of patients affected by chronic psychiatric disorders who live in a psychiatric community facility. A Mediterranean diet was provided by a senior nutritional clinician and adapted by two dieticians, according to the needs and preferences of the community population. Concomitantly, a program of moderate physical activity, consisting in 30-min walks on level ground 4days a week, and psycho-educational group sessions with educational and therapeutic purposes were implemented. The metabolic and anthropometric parameters of our patients improved after both 6 (T6 and 12 (T12 months. Body Max Index was statistically significantly reduced at T6 and T12, with patients perceiving good quality of life. These positive outcomes suggest that a low-cost healthy lifestyle program can produce good adherence and feasibility even among patients with chronic psychiatric diseases, reducing their risk for MS, cardiovascular diseases and other complications. Keywords: Weight gain and metabolic syndrome, Antipsychotic drugs, Chronic psychiatric disorders, Rehabilitative community, Mediterranean diet and mild physical activity

Lower Bispectral index values in psychiatric patients: A prospective, observational study

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Venkatapura J Ramesh

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background : Bispectral index score (BIS is a processed electroencephalographic parameter used to measure level of sedation in anaesthetised patients. In few studies of psychiatric patients undergoing electroconvulsive therapy (ECT, it was observed that the BIS values were lower at baseline. It is not clear from those studies whether the BIS values are really low. Also, it is not clear whether the lower values are related to the primary psychiatric illness or the due to the effect of ECT. Therefore, we studied the BIS values in psychiatric illnesses and compared them with the normal controls. Materials and Methods : BIS index was recorded in 237 patients with various psychiatric illness (Group P and 40 control patients without any psychiatric illness undergoing spinal surgery (Group C. BIS values were recorded in supine position before breakfast and before the morning doses of antipsychotic/benzodiazepine medications. It was recorded during resting state in all the subjects. Results : BIS values were lower in group P compared to control group (a mean of 89.8 ± 7.8 vs 95.7 ± 2.4, P < 0.0001. In the group P, the patients with psychosis and bipolar disorder had significantly lower BIS values than the patients with depression (P = 0.04. Conclusions : BIS values in psychiatric patients are lower than those in the control group. Psychotic and bipolar disorders are associated with significantly lower BIS values than the depression.

Prevalence of psychiatric morbidity among cancer patients – hospital-based, cross-sectional survey

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Mohan Roy Gopalan

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Aim: To study the prevalence of Psychiatric disorders in cancer patients and to find out the factors associated with Psychiatric disorders in Cancer Patients. Settings and Design: Department of Radiotherapy, Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, cross sectional survey design was used. Methods and Material: Adult patients (18 years of age and above, having a diagnosis of carcinoma were selected by consecutive sampling method.A questionnaire which included back ground data, socio economic variables, treatment variables like type of malignancy, exposure to radiation & chemotherapy prior to the evaluation and current treatment, co occurring medical illness & treatment and past & family history of psychiatric illness was used to collect data. Delirium rating scale and MINI International neuropsychiatric interview were used to assess Psychiatric disorders and delirium. Statistical Analysis Used: Chi square and logistics regression tests were used for analysis. Results: Of the 384 assessed, 160(41.7% had psychiatric disorders. Adjustment disorders were seen in 22.6%. 10.9% of subjects had major depressive disorder. Thus a total of 33.5% of patients had a diagnosis of either anxiety or depressive disorder. Proportion of patients having delirium was 6.5%. Hypomania was seen in small (1.6% of patients. Multivariate analysis for various parameters for psychiatric disorders showed that age, past history of chemotherapy, past history of radiotherapy, & surgical treatment of carcinomas are significant predictors of psychiatric disorders. Conclusions: Psychiatric disorders are seen in a significant proportion of Psychiatric patients.

Prevalence of psychiatric morbidity among cancer patients – hospital-based, cross-sectional survey

Science.gov (United States)

Gopalan, Mohan Roy; Karunakaran, Vidhukumar; Prabhakaran, Anil; Jayakumar, Krishnannair Lalithamma

2016-01-01

Aim: To study the prevalence of Psychiatric disorders in cancer patients and to find out the factors associated with Psychiatric disorders in Cancer Patients. Settings and Design: Department of Radiotherapy, Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, cross sectional survey design was used. Methods and Material: Adult patients (18 years of age and above), having a diagnosis of carcinoma were selected by consecutive sampling method.A questionnaire which included back ground data, socio economic variables, treatment variables like type of malignancy, exposure to radiation & chemotherapy prior to the evaluation and current treatment, co occurring medical illness & treatment and past & family history of psychiatric illness was used to collect data. Delirium rating scale and MINI International neuropsychiatric interview were used to assess Psychiatric disorders and delirium. Statistical Analysis Used: Chi square and logistics regression tests were used for analysis. Results: Of the 384 assessed, 160(41.7%) had psychiatric disorders. Adjustment disorders were seen in 22.6%. 10.9% of subjects had major depressive disorder. Thus a total of 33.5% of patients had a diagnosis of either anxiety or depressive disorder. Proportion of patients having delirium was 6.5%. Hypomania was seen in small (1.6%) of patients. Multivariate analysis for various parameters for psychiatric disorders showed that age, past history of chemotherapy, past history of radiotherapy, & surgical treatment of carcinomas are significant predictors of psychiatric disorders. Conclusions: Psychiatric disorders are seen in a significant proportion of Psychiatric patients. PMID:28066004

Predictors of violent behavior among acute psychiatric patients: clinical study.

Science.gov (United States)

Amore, Mario; Menchetti, Marco; Tonti, Cristina; Scarlatti, Fabiano; Lundgren, Eva; Esposito, William; Berardi, Domenico

2008-06-01

Violence risk prediction is a priority issue for clinicians working with mentally disordered offenders. The aim of the present study was to determine violence risk factors in acute psychiatric inpatients. The study was conducted in a locked, short-term psychiatric inpatient unit and involved 374 patients consecutively admitted in a 1-year period. Sociodemographic and clinical data were obtained through a review of the medical records and patient interviews. Psychiatric symptoms at admission were assessed using the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS). Psychiatric diagnosis was formulated using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV. Past aggressive behavior was evaluated by interviewing patients, caregivers or other collateral informants. Aggressive behaviors in the ward were assessed using the Overt Aggression Scale. Patients who perpetrated verbal and against-object aggression or physical aggression in the month before admission were compared to non-aggressive patients, moreover, aggressive behavior during hospitalization and persistence of physical violence after admission were evaluated. Violent behavior in the month before admission was associated with male sex, substance abuse and positive symptoms. The most significant risk factor for physical violence was a past history of physically aggressive behavior. The persistent physical assaultiveness before and during hospitalization was related to higher BPRS total scores and to more severe thought disturbances. Higher levels of hostility-suspiciousness BPRS scores predicted a change for the worse in violent behavior, from verbal to physical. A comprehensive evaluation of the history of past aggressive behavior and psychopathological variables has important implications for the prediction of violence in psychiatric settings.

[Investigation of problem solving skills among psychiatric patients].

Science.gov (United States)

Póos, Judit; Annus, Rita; Perczel Forintos, Dóra

2008-01-01

According to our present knowledge depression and hopelessness play an important role in attempted suicide and the development of hopelessness seems to be closely associated with poor problem solving skills. In the present study we have used the internationally well-known MEPS (Means-Ends Problem Solving Test; a measure of social problem solving ability) in Hungary for the first time and combined with other tests. We intended to explore the cognitive risk factors that potentially play a role in the suicidal behavior in clinical population. In our study we compared a group of individuals who had attempted suicide to a nonsuicidal psychiatric control group and a normal control group (61 subjects in each group). Our results confirm the findings of others that psychiatric patients have difficulties in social problem solving compared to normal controls. Moreover, they generate less and poorer solutions. According to our data problem solving skills of the two clinical groups were similar. A strong positive correlation was found between poor problem solving skills, depression and hopelessness which may suggest that the development of problem solving skills could help to reduce negative mood.

A study of suicide and attempted suicide by self-immolation in an Irish psychiatric population: an increasing problem.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

O'Donoghue, J M

2012-02-03

In the Western World self-immolation is an uncommon but dramatic method of attempting suicide. In-patients who attempt suicide by fire-setting tend to be female with severe psychopathology. In a previous study from the South of Ireland, seven cases from a psychiatric and prison population were identified in a five year period from 1984 to 1989. This would represent an annual rate of 1.07 per cent of burns treated in the burns unit at Cork University Hospital. In this study 12 cases were identified for the years 1994 and 1995. This represents an increase of 3.5 per cent from 1.07 to 4.6 per cent of all burns treated at the same institution. Ten of these patients had a previous psychiatric history and eight of them were resident on a psychiatric ward when they committed the act. Seven of the patients were found to have a high degree of suicide intent of whom four died of their injuries, which gives a mortality rate for this group of 33 per cent. Effective prevention policies are necessary if this increasing problem is to be curtailed.

[Prescription drug abuse in elderly psychiatric patients].

Science.gov (United States)

Wetterling, Tilman; Schneider, Barbara

2012-08-01

Due to demographic changes there will be a fraction of elderly patients with substance use disorders. However, only a few data have been published about elderly abusers of prescription drugs. Since substance abuse is frequently comorbid with psychiatric disorders, treatment in a psychiatric hospital is often needed. In this explorative study elderly people with prescription drug abuse who required psychiatric inpatient treatment should be characterized. This study was part of the gerontopsychiatry study Berlin (Gepsy-B), an investigation of the data of all older inpatients (≥ 65 years) admitted to a psychiatric hospital within a period of 3 years. Among 1266 documented admissions in 110 cases (8.7 %) (mean age: 75.7 ± 7.1 years) prescription drug abuse, mostly of benzodiazepines was diagnosed. Females showed benzodiazepine abuse more often than males. In only a small proportion of the cases the reason for admission was withdrawal of prescribed drugs. 85.5 % suffered from psychiatric comorbidity, mostly depression. As risk factors for abuse depressive symptoms (OR: 3.32) as well as concurrent nicotine (OR: 2.69) or alcohol abuse (OR: 2.14) were calculated. Psychiatric inpatient treatment was primarily not necessary because of prescription drug abuse but because of other psychopathological symptoms. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Characteristics of psychiatric patients for whom financial considerations affect optimal treatment provision.

Science.gov (United States)

West, Joyce C; Pingitore, David; Zarin, Deborah A

2002-12-01

This study assessed characteristics of psychiatric patients for whom financial considerations affected the provision of "optimal" treatment. Psychiatrists reported that for 33.8 percent of 1,228 patients from a national sample, financial considerations such as managed care limitations, the patient's personal finances, and limitations inherent in the public care system adversely affected the provision of optimal treatment. Patients were more likely to have their treatment adversely affected by financial considerations if they were more severely ill, had more than one behavioral health disorder or a psychosocial problem, or were receiving treatment under managed care arrangements. Patients for whom financial considerations affect the provision of optimal treatment represent a population for whom access to treatment may be particularly important.

Open Notes in Swedish Psychiatric Care (Part 1): Survey Among Psychiatric Care Professionals.

Science.gov (United States)

Petersson, Lena; Erlingsdóttir, Gudbjörg

2018-02-02

When the Swedish version of Open Notes, an electronic health record (EHR) service that allows patients online access, was introduced in hospitals, primary care, and specialized care in 2012, psychiatric care was exempt. This was because psychiatric notes were considered too sensitive for patient access. However, as the first region in Sweden, Region Skåne added adult psychiatry to its Open Notes service in 2015. This made it possible to carry out a unique baseline study to investigate how different health care professionals (HCPs) in adult psychiatric care in the region expect Open Notes to impact their patients and their practice. This is the first of two papers about the implementation of Open Notes in adult psychiatric care in Region Skåne. The objective of this study was to describe, compare, and discuss how different HCPs in adult psychiatric care in Region Skåne expect Open Notes to impact their patients and their own practice. A full population Web-based questionnaire was distributed to psychiatric care professionals in Region Skåne in late 2015. The response rate was 28.86% (871/3017). Analyses show that the respondents were representative of the staff as a whole. A statistical analysis examined the relationships between different professionals and attitudes to the Open Notes service. The results show that the psychiatric HCPs are generally of the opinion that the service would affect their own practice and their patients negatively. The most striking result was that more than 60% of both doctors (80/132, 60.6%) and psychologists (55/90, 61%) were concerned that they would be less candid in their documentation in the future. Open Notes can increase the transparency between patients and psychiatric HCPs because patients are able to access their EHRs online without delay and thus, can read notes that have not yet been approved by the responsible HCP. This may be one explanation as to why HCPs are concerned that the service will affect both their own work

Psychiatric morbidity among physically ill patients in a Ugandan ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

EB

2. Department of Psychiatry, Makerere University, College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda ... Objective: To determine the prevalence, types and associations of psychiatric ... Conclusion: The psychiatric disorders on the general medical and surgical wards are ..... patients with bipolar depression were female, on the.

Imagery rehearsal therapy in addition to treatment as usual for patients with diverse psychiatric diagnoses suffering from nightmares: a randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

van Schagen, Annette M; Lancee, Jaap; de Groot, Izaäk W; Spoormaker, Victor I; van den Bout, Jan

2015-09-01

Nightmares are associated with psychopathology and daily distress. They are highly prevalent in a psychiatric population (30%). Currently, imagery rehearsal therapy (IRT) is the treatment of choice for nightmares. With IRT, the script of the nightmare is changed into a new dream, which is imagined during the day. However, the effects of IRT in a psychiatric population remain unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of IRT in a heterogeneous psychiatric population. Between January 2006 and July 2010, 90 patients with psychiatric disorders (DSM-IV-TR) were randomized to IRT or treatment-as-usual conditions. IRT consisted of 6 individual sessions added to the treatment as usual. Nightmare frequency was assessed using daily nightmare logs and the Nightmare Frequency Questionnaire. Nightmare distress was assessed using the Nightmare Distress Questionnaire and the Nightmare Effects Survey. General psychiatric symptoms were assessed using the Symptom Checklist-90 and a PTSD symptom questionnaire. Assessments were administered at the start of the trial, after the IRT and at follow-up 3 months later. IRT showed a moderate effect (Cohen d = 0.5-0.7, P effects were largely sustained at the 3-month follow-up (Cohen d = 0.4-0.6, P effective treatment for nightmares among patients with comorbid psychiatric disorders and can be employed in addition to the on-going treatment. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00291031. © Copyright 2015 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.

EMTALA and patients with psychiatric emergencies: a review of relevant case law.

Science.gov (United States)

Lindor, Rachel A; Campbell, Ronna L; Pines, Jesse M; Melin, Gabrielle J; Schipper, Agnes M; Goyal, Deepi G; Sadosty, Annie T

2014-11-01

Emergency department (ED) care for patients with psychiatric complaints has become increasingly challenging given recent nationwide declines in available inpatient psychiatric beds. This creates pressure to manage psychiatric patients in the ED or as outpatients and may place providers and institutions at risk for liability under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA). We describe the patient characteristics, disposition, and legal outcomes of EMTALA cases involving patients with psychiatric complaints. Jury verdicts, settlements, and other litigation involving alleged EMTALA violations related to psychiatric patients between the law's enactment in 1986 and the end of 2012 were collected from 3 legal databases (Westlaw, Lexis, and Bloomberg Law). Details about the patient characteristics, disposition, and reasons for litigation were independently abstracted by 2 trained reviewers onto a standardized data form. Thirty-three relevant cases were identified. Two cases were decided in favor of the plaintiffs, 4 cases were settled, 10 cases had an unknown outcome, and 17 were decided in favor of the defendant institutions. Most patients in these 33 cases were men, had past psychiatric diagnoses, were not evaluated by a psychiatrist, and eventually committed or attempted suicide. The most frequently successful defense used by institutions was to demonstrate that their providers used a standard screening examination and did not detect an emergency medical condition that required stabilization. Lawsuits involving alleged EMTALA violations in the care of ED patients with psychiatric complaints are uncommon and rarely successful. Copyright © 2014 American College of Emergency Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Celiac Disease Is Associated with Childhood Psychiatric Disorders: A Population-Based Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Butwicka, Agnieszka; Lichtenstein, Paul; Frisén, Louise; Almqvist, Catarina; Larsson, Henrik; Ludvigsson, Jonas F

2017-05-01

To determine the risk of future childhood psychiatric disorders in celiac disease, assess the association between previous psychiatric disorders and celiac disease in children, and investigate the risk of childhood psychiatric disorders in siblings of celiac disease probands. This was a nationwide registry-based matched cohort study in Sweden with 10 903 children (aged celiac disease and 12 710 of their siblings. We assessed the risk of childhood psychiatric disorders (any psychiatric disorder, psychotic disorder, mood disorder, anxiety disorder, eating disorder, psychoactive substance misuse, behavioral disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder [ADHD], autism spectrum disorder [ASD], and intellectual disability). HRs of future psychiatric disorders in children with celiac disease and their siblings was estimated by Cox regression. The association between previous diagnosis of a psychiatric disorder and current celiac disease was assessed using logistic regression. Compared with the general population, children with celiac disease had a 1.4-fold greater risk of future psychiatric disorders. Childhood celiac disease was identified as a risk factor for mood disorders, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, behavioral disorders, ADHD, ASD, and intellectual disability. In addition, a previous diagnosis of a mood, eating, or behavioral disorder was more common before the diagnosis of celiac disease. In contrast, siblings of celiac disease probands were at no increased risk of any of the investigated psychiatric disorders. Children with celiac disease are at increased risk for most psychiatric disorders, apparently owing to the biological and/or psychological effects of celiac disease. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Suicide in a large population of former psychiatric inpatients.

Science.gov (United States)

Sani, Gabriele; Tondo, Leonardo; Koukopoulos, Athanasios; Reginaldi, Daniela; Kotzalidis, Giorgio D; Koukopoulos, Alexia E; Manfredi, Giovanni; Mazzarini, Lorenzo; Pacchiarotti, Isabella; Simonetti, Alessio; Ambrosi, Elisa; Angeletti, Gloria; Girardi, Paolo; Tatarelli, Roberto

2011-04-01

The aim of this study was to identify predictors of completed suicide in a wide sample of psychiatric inpatients receiving retrospective and prospective DSM-IV diagnoses. We followed up 4441 severe psychiatric patients who were hospitalized for some time during a 35-year period in a private hospital setting. We collected sociodemographic, clinical and temperamental data. Ninety-six patients from the sample committed suicide. There were no sex differences in suicide completion and no differences between major psychiatric disorders, but people who had been hospitalized for anxiety disorders did not commit suicide and people with bipolar disorders were more likely to commit suicide than people with unipolar major depression. Shorter-term treatment with lithium and anticonvulsants, longer-term treatment with antidepressants, history of suicide attempts, suicidal thinking, and single status positively predicted completed suicide. Suicide tended to occur after a mean period of about 14 years of duration of disease. Patients' symptoms during the period preceding suicide were assessed through interviewing patients' physicians or family members. Symptoms occurring in >10% of cases were, in decreasing order, inner tension, racing/crowded thoughts, aggressive behavior, guilt, psychomotor agitation, persecutory ideation, anxiety, and hallucinations. Surprisingly, cyclothymic temperament was less associated with completed suicide as compared to other temperaments. Suicide is likely to occur in a milieu of agitation, mixed anxiety and depression, and psychosis. Longer-term mood stabilizer treatment may reduce the rate of completed suicide. © 2011 The Authors. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences © 2011 Japanese Society of Psychiatry and Neurology.

Motivation for physical activity of psychiatric patients when physical activity was offered as part of treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Sørensen, M

2006-12-01

This study examined motivation variables, self-determination and self-schema, in relation to physical activity, among psychiatric patients with experience with physical activity as part of their treatment. Participants were patients (N=109) from 15 psychiatric hospitals or day-care institutions. Data were collected by questionnaires. A positive relationship between physical activity level, positive experiences of the activity and higher degree of self-determination and exercise self-schema was expected. Intrinsically regulated motives (motivated by the experience of the activity in itself) were positively and significantly related to physical activity level and the experience of decrease in symptoms during physical activity, and extrinsically regulated motives were negatively correlated with physical activity level. Intrinsically regulated motives gave an odds ratio of 20.0 for being physically active rather than inactive. Holding an exercise self-schema gave an odds ratio of 6.1 for being physically active. The majority of the patients (57.4%) reported that physical activity decreased their illness symptoms, but a few (11.9%) reported negative effects. The findings demonstrated that psychiatric patients do not differ from the normal population in relation to motivational mechanisms, even if they may experience more barriers to physical activities because of their illness. Therefore, in trying to motivate psychiatric patients, it is important to make physical activity as intrinsically motivating as possible by focusing on the positive experiences of the activity itself, as well as helping to develop an exercise self-schema.

[Psychiatric disturbances in five patients with MELAS syndrome].

Science.gov (United States)

Magner, Martin; Honzik, Tomas; Tesarova, Marketa; Dvorakova, Veronika; Hansiková, Hana; Raboch, Jiři; Zeman, Jiři

2014-01-01

Mitochondrial disorders of energetic metabolism (MD) represent a heterogeneous group of diseases manifesting at any age with a broad spectrum of clinical symptoms, including psychiatric disorders. The aim of the study was to characterize psychiatric symptoms and diagnoses in five patients with MELAS syndrome between the ages of 17 and 53 years. Four of MELAS patients them harbored the prevalent mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutation 3243A>G, and one patient had the mtDNA mutation 12706T>C. Three patients had positive family histories for MELAS syndrome. In one patient, depression was diagnosedas the first symptom ofMELAS syndrome. Depression also preceded a stroke-like episode in one patient. Four patients had disturbed cognitive functions, confusional states occurred in three patients. One patient manifested psychotic (schizophrenia-like) symptoms. Mitochondrial disorders deserve consideration as part of the differential diagnosis, especially, if there is suspected involvement of other organ groups or positive family history of MD.

[Alcohol consumption in patients with psychiatric disorders: assessment and treatment].

Science.gov (United States)

Lang, J-P; Bonnewitz, M-L; Kusterer, M; Lalanne-Tongio, L

2014-09-01

Alcohol consumption in France exceeds the European average (12.7L of pure alcohol/habitant/year in 2009 for an average of 12.5 L). This consumption has a major professional, social and health impact on the individuals and their families. The cost of such, estimated in Europe to be of 155.8 billion Euros in 2010, is the highest among the central nervous system diseases in Europe, far higher than that of depression or dementia. Patients suffering from psychiatric disorders are more frequently affected by problems related to alcohol use than the general population. They are also more vulnerable to the immediate and subsequent consequences of their consumption. The alcohol related disorders that are often accompanied by risk taking and other addictive behaviour require a global assessment of the addiction, with and without substance, and of the complications. These have a strong impact on risk taking, compliance with care, and the morbidity of somatic and psychiatric disorders, as well as access to optimal care and the life span of patients suffering from psychiatric disorders. The development of addictology care, with integrative treatment programs, is recommended in response to these public health issues. Nevertheless, specific addictology practices and partners with addictology care structures are still scarcely developed in psychiatry. Firstly, it would be necessary to set up such integrated treatments through the systematisation of an "addictology" checkup on admission, a global assessment of addictive behaviour and cognitive disorders, using pragmatic tools that are user-friendly for the care teams, maintain the reduction in risk taking, and apply prescriptions for addiction to psychotropic treatments, in liaison with the referring general practitioner. As early as possible, accompanied by specific training in addictology for the psychiatrists and the mental health nursing teams, such care could be enhanced by the development of liaison and advanced psychiatric

Prevalence of serum anti-neuronal autoantibodies in patients admitted to acute psychiatric care

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schou, M; Sæther, S G; Borowski, K

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: Autoimmune encephalitis associated with anti-neuronal antibodies may be challenging to distinguish from primary psychiatric disorders. The significance of anti-neuronal antibodies in psychiatric patients without clear evidence of autoimmune encephalitis is unknown. We investigated...... the serum prevalence of six anti-neuronal autoantibodies in a cohort of unselected patients admitted to acute psychiatric care. METHOD: Serum was drawn from 925 patients admitted to acute psychiatric in-patient care. Psychiatric diagnoses were set according to International Classification of Diseases (ICD......)-10 criteria. Antibody analysis was performed with an indirect immunofluorescence test for N-methyl d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antibodies and five other anti-neuronal autoantibodies of the immunoglobulin (Ig) classes IgA, IgG and IgM isotype. RESULTS: Anti-neuronal autoantibodies were found in 11...

Psychiatric patient disposition agreement between the emergency physician and the psychiatry consultant.

Science.gov (United States)

Chakravarthy, Bharath; Menchine, Michael; Thompson, Daniel E; Rajeev, Sindhya; Santos, Barbara-Jean

2013-01-01

Mental illness is prevalent, disabling, and costly. Emergency department (ED) visits for mental health-related reasons are on the increase. Determine the level of agreement between emergency physicians and psychiatrists regarding psychiatric patient disposition. We conducted a prospective, observational study at a private university hospital ED from October 2008-April 2009 using a convenience sample of patients of all ages with psychiatric complaints who received formal psychiatric consultation during their ED visit. The emergency physician completed a data sheet prior to psychiatric consultation, assessing the likelihood of admission for psychiatric evaluation. We evaluated the positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of the emergency physician admission decision for all patients before psychiatric consultation, compared with the patients' actual disposition as determined by the consulting psychiatrist. The study captured 230 subjects, 53% of whom were suicidal patients. 74% of patients were eventually admitted. The emergency physician decision to admit for inpatient psychiatric evaluation had a PPV of 87.3% (CI 81.4-91.9%) and an NPV of 66.7% (CI 52.9-78.6%) compared to the psychiatrist decision for the total sample, and a PPV of 90% (CI 82.4-95.1%) and an NPV of 69.6% (CI 47.1-86.8%) for suicidal patients. Additionally, the κ score, a measure of agreement between emergency physician disposition decision and psychiatrist disposition decision, was 0.530 (Cl 0.404-0.656). 95% of patients with an ED assessment of "definitely admit" were eventually admitted by the psychiatrist. Emergency physician disposition has a high PPV (87.3%) and a moderate NPV (66.7%) compared to psychiatrist disposition.

[Patients assaulted in psychiatric institutions: Literature review and clinical implications].

Science.gov (United States)

Ladois-Do Pilar Rei, A; Chraïbi, S

2018-02-01

The psychiatric ward is a place where all forms of violence are treated. Occasionally, this violence involves acts of aggression between patients in emergency psychiatric units or hospital wards. Such events can lead to the development or worsening of posttraumatic stress disorder. To establish the context, we first examined the epidemiology data concerning posttraumatic stress disorder in psychiatric patients who were frequently exposed to assaults. Secondly, we examined the issue of sexual and physical assaults between patients receiving treatment in a psychiatric ward. In this context, we studied possible occurrence of posttraumatic stress disorder associated with exposure to assaults of this kind. In certain cases, potentially traumatic exposure to violence was unknown to the medical staff or not taken into consideration. This would induce a risk of later development of posttraumatic stress disorder that would not be treated during the stay in psychiatry. To date, few scientific studies have focused on the proportion of patients assaulted by other patients during treatment in a psychiatric ward and the subsequent development of peritraumatic reactions and/or posttraumatic stress disorder associated with these assaults. We know that an insufficient number of public and private health institutions report the existence of such facts to the competent authorities. Also, a minority of clinicians and caregivers are trained in screening and management of trauma victims. Yet, these issues are particularly relevant in the scope of public health and health promotion. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

On the Moral Acceptability of Physician-Assisted Dying for Non-Autonomous Psychiatric Patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Varelius, Jukka

2016-05-01

Several authors have recently suggested that the suffering caused by mental illness could provide moral grounds for physician-assisted dying. Yet they typically require that psychiatric-assisted dying could come to question in the cases of autonomous, or rational, psychiatric patients only. Given that also non-autonomous psychiatric patients can sometimes suffer unbearably, this limitation appears questionable. In this article, I maintain that restricting psychiatric-assisted dying to autonomous, or rational, psychiatric patients would not be compatible with endorsing certain end-of-life practices commonly accepted in current medical ethics and law, practices often referred to as 'passive euthanasia'. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Metabolic syndrome and associated factors among psychiatric patients in Jimma University Specialized Hospital, South West Ethiopia.

Science.gov (United States)

Asaye, Sintayehu; Bekele, Shiferaw; Tolessa, Daniel; Cheneke, Waqtola

2018-04-24

Metabolic syndrome is a multisystem disorder which coined to describe the recognized clustering of metabolic and cardiovascular abnormalities including obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and abnormalities of glucose homeostasis. To assess the prevalence and associated factors of metabolic syndrome among psychiatric patients in Jimma University Specialized Hospital. This study was conducted at Jimma University Specialized hospital psychiatric ward from May 15 to July 16, 2015. A cross-sectional study design and consecutive sampling technique were used. A single population proportion formula was used to include a total of 360 psychiatric patients. An interview administered structured questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic and some clinical data. Anthropometric data were collected based on standard guild line for anthropometric measurement. Five milliliter of venous blood was collected from ante-cubital fossa after overnight fasting for 8 h. Semi-automated clinical chemistry analyzer (Temis Linear) was used for biochemical laboratory analysis. Data analysis was performed by using SPSS version-20 software. Binary and multiple logistic regressions were used to identify the association between dependent and independent variables. P value less than 0.05 was taken as statistically significant association. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome among psychiatric patients was 28.9%. Age greater than 30 years old (AOR: 5.2, CI: 2.3, 11.8, P. value metabolic syndrome among diabetic patients in the study area. The other independent variables such as family history of hypertension, chewing chat, Psychotropic drugs, duration of treatment, regularly eating fruits and vegetables had no statistically significant association with metabolic syndrome (P. value > 0.05). There was high prevalence of metabolic syndrome among the psychiatric patients. Therefore; close assessment, management and treatment of metabolic syndrome among patients with psychiatry problem is

"Boarding" Psychiatric Patients in Emergency Rooms: One Court Says "No More".

Science.gov (United States)

Appelbaum, Paul S

2015-07-01

"Boarding" involuntary psychiatric patients in medical emergency rooms is common in many parts of the United States. The practice, driven by a shortage of alternative resources, including limited inpatient capacity, can result in patients' being held for days without treatment or a hospital room, often in busy corridors or treatment rooms. A recent challenge to this practice led the Washington Supreme Court to declare it illegal and resulted in the appropriation of substantial funding to create new psychiatric beds. Centralized psychiatric crisis services, with appropriate payment models, may offer another approach to reducing the need for holding patients awaiting inpatient admission.

Prevalence of Cigarette Smoking in Schizophrenic Patients Compared to Other Hospital Admitted Psychiatric Patients

OpenAIRE

Ziaaddini, Hassan; Kheradmand, Ali; Vahabi, Mostafa

2009-01-01

Background: This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of cigarette smoking and some of the related factors among schizophrenic and other hospitalized psychiatric patients. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study on 120 patients hospitalized in Shahid Beheshti hospital in Kerman in 2005. Patients were equally devided in two groups of schizophrenia and other psychiatric disorders. Sampling was based on statistical census and data were collected using a questionnaire including 27 questions o...

Comparative utilization of pharmacotherapy for alcohol use disorder and other psychiatric disorders among U.S. Veterans Health Administration patients with dual diagnoses.

Science.gov (United States)

Rubinsky, Anna D; Chen, Cheng; Batki, Steven L; Williams, Emily C; Harris, Alex H S

2015-10-01

Patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD) and another co-occurring psychiatric disorder are a vulnerable population with high symptom severity. Such patients may benefit from a full arsenal of treatment options including pharmacotherapy. Receipt of AUD pharmacotherapy is generally very low despite recommendations that it be made available to every patient with AUD, including those with co-occurring disorders. Little is known about pharmacotherapy rates for AUD compared to other psychiatric disorders among patients with dual diagnoses. This study compared rates of pharmacotherapy for AUD to those for non-substance use psychiatric disorders and tobacco use disorder among patients with dual diagnoses in the U.S. Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare system. VA data were used to identify patients with AUD and another psychiatric disorder in fiscal year 2012, and to estimate the proportion receiving pharmacotherapy for AUD and for each comorbid condition. Among subsets of patients with AUD and co-occurring schizophrenic, bipolar, posttraumatic stress or major depressive disorder, receipt of medications for AUD ranged from 7% to 11%, whereas receipt of medications for the comorbid disorder ranged from 69% to 82%. Among patients with AUD and co-occurring tobacco use disorder, 6% received medication for their AUD and 34% for their tobacco use disorder. Among patients with dual diagnoses, rates of pharmacotherapy for AUD were far lower than those for the comorbid disorders and contrary to evidence that medications for AUD are effective. Additional system-wide implementation efforts to identify and address patient- and provider-level barriers are needed to increase AUD pharmacotherapy in this high-need population. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Abnormal regional cerebral blood flow in systemic lupus erythematosus patients with psychiatric symptoms.

Science.gov (United States)

Oda, Kenji; Matsushima, Eisuke; Okubo, Yoshiro; Ohta, Katsuya; Murata, Yuji; Koike, Ryuji; Miyasaka, Nobuyuki; Kato, Motoichiro

2005-07-01

Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) studies have demonstrated decreased regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. However, no study has done voxel-based analysis using statistical parametric mapping (SPM) that can evaluate rCBF objectively, and the relationship between rCBF and psychiatric symptoms has not been well investigated. Using L,L-ethyl cysteinate dimer (99mTc ECD) SPECT and SPM, we aimed to clarify the association of rCBF changes with psychiatric symptoms in SLE patients whose magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed no morphological abnormalities. Twenty SLE patients and 19 healthy volunteers underwent 99mTc ECD SPECT. Data were collected from August 2000 to March 2003. SLE was diagnosed according to American College of Rheumatology criteria, and psychiatric symptoms were diagnosed according to ICD-10 criteria. On the basis of the modified Carbotte, Denburg, and Denburg method, the patients were classified into 3 groups: a group with major psychiatric symptoms (hallucinosis, delusional disorder, and mood disorder), a group with minor psychiatric symptoms (anxiety disorder, dissociative disorder, and emotionally labile disorder), and a group without psychiatric symptoms. Gross organic lesions were ruled out by brain MRI. Group comparisons of rCBF were performed with analysis using SPM99. SLE patients without MRI lesions showed decreased rCBF in the posterior cingulate gyrus and thalamus. The reduction in rCBF was overt in patients with major psychiatric symptoms. Our study indicated that SLE patients may have dysfunction in the posterior cingulate gyrus and thalamus and that this may be associated with the severity of psychiatric symptoms.

Psychiatric disorders in long-term sickness absence -- a population-based cross-sectional study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Søgaard, Hans Jørgen; Bech, Per

2009-01-01

AIMS: The study estimates the incidence of psychiatric disorders in long-term sickness absence (LSA; more than eight weeks of continuous sickness absence) over one year. The study is the first accounting for everybody on LSA by linking a psychiatric assessment for all persons on LSA to public...... registers. METHODS: In a Danish population of 120,000 inhabitants all 2,414 incident persons on LSA within one year were posted a questionnaire, of whom 1,121 (46.4%) responded. In a two phase design the 1,121 sick-listed persons were screened for psychiatric disorders. Phase 2 consisted of 844 people...

Effects of neurofeedback on adult patients with psychiatric disorders in a naturalistic setting.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheon, Eun-Jin; Koo, Bon-Hoon; Seo, Wan-Seok; Lee, Jun-Yeob; Choi, Joong-Hyeon; Song, Shin-Ho

2015-03-01

Few well-controlled studies have considered neurofeedback treatment in adult psychiatric patients. In this regard, the present study investigates the characteristics and effects of neurofeedback on adult psychiatric patients in a naturalistic setting. A total of 77 adult patients with psychiatric disorders participated in this study. Demographic data and neurofeedback states were retrospectively analyzed, and the effects of neurofeedback were evaluated using clinical global impression (CGI) and subjective self-rating scales. Depressive disorders were the most common psychiatric disorders (19; 24.7 %), followed by anxiety disorders (18; 23.4 %). A total of 69 patients (89.6 %) took medicine, and the average frequency of neurofeedback was 17.39 ± 16.64. Neurofeedback was applied to a total of 39 patients (50.6 %) more than 10 times, and 48 patients (62.3 %) received both β/SMR and α/θ training. The discontinuation rate was 33.8 % (26 patients). There was significant difference between pretreatment and posttreatment CGI scores (neurofeedback as an effective complimentary treatment for adult patients with psychiatric disorders.

Dopamine transporter gene polymorphism and psychiatric symptoms seen in schizophrenic patients at their first episode

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Inada, Toshiya; Sugita, Tetsuyoshi; Dobashi, Izumi [National Institute of Mental Health, Chiba (Japan)] [and others

1996-07-26

To investigate the possible role of the dopamine transporter (DAT) gene in determining the phenotype in human subjects, allele frequencies for the 40-bp variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) polymorphism at this site were compared between 117 Japanese normal controls and 118 schizophrenic patients, including six subgroups: early-onset, those with a family history, and those suffering from one of the following psychiatric symptoms at their first episode: delusion and hallucination; disorganization; bizarre behavior; and negative symptoms. No significant differences were observed between the group as a whole or any subgroup of schizophrenic patients and controls. The results indicate that VNTR polymorphism in the DAT gene is unlikely to be a major contributor to any of the psychiatric parameters examined in the present population of schizophrenic subjects. 12 refs., 1 fig., 2 tabs.

Death of Dementia Patients in Psychiatric Hospitals and Regional Supply of Psychiatric Services: Study of the National Data from 1996 to 2014 in Japan.

Science.gov (United States)

Nakanishi, Miharu; Niimura, Junko; Yamasaki, Syudo; Nishida, Atsushi

2017-01-01

Japan designates psychiatric inpatient care for behavior management of individuals with dementia and for helping dementia patients discharge to home. However, there has been no examination of the effectiveness of this strategy. The present study investigated the association between dementia and the discharge destination of patients in psychiatric hospitals. Data from the National Patient Survey, which is a nationally representative cross-sectional survey of inpatient care, were used. The 96,420 patients with dementia or other mental illness who were discharged from psychiatric hospitals in September of every 3 years from 1996 to 2014 were included in analyses. Of the 96,420 discharged patients, 13,823 had dementia as the primary disease. Of the 13,823 dementia patients, 3,865 (28.0%) were discharged to home, 3,870 (28.0%) were admitted to a facility or other care settings, 3,574 (25.9%) were admitted to another hospital, and 2,514 (18.2%) died. Patients were more likely to die in psychiatric hospital if their primary disease was dementia, and they had resided in a region that provided fewer home visits for psychiatric nursing care or had available a larger number of psychiatric hospital beds per capita. Psychiatric inpatient care may be ineffective as a treatment for the challenging behaviors of dementia. A community mental health system for behavior management should be constructed in parallel with a reduction in the number of hospital beds allotted for psychiatric care.

Pharmacist's Role in Improving Medication Adherence in Transplant Recipients With Comorbid Psychiatric Disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Khorassani, Farah; Tellier, Shannon; Tsapepas, Demetra

2018-01-01

Medication nonadherence rates are high in both the transplant and psychiatric populations. The consequence of medication nonadherence posttransplant is graft rejection and psychiatric decompensation, highlighting the importance of optimizing adherence to medication regimens. Pharmacists may work with transplant patients with psychiatric comorbidity to improve medication adherence through identifying patient-specific barriers and recommending an appropriate intervention. Multiple evidence-based practices for improving nonadherence have been detailed in the transplant and psychiatric population. Medication adherence aids, medication management, patient education, and motivational interviewing are all strategies that may be used to improve adherence. Selecting which interventions to make will be based on the reasons for a patient's nonadherence. Most patients benefit from medication management, patient education, and medication adherence aids. Selection of medication adherence aids may be based on patient demographics, technology literacy, and preference. Motivational interviewing may be considered in patients with intentional nonadherence relating to a lack of insight into their illness or the importance of taking medication. Pharmacists may promote adherence and potentially improve patient outcomes in transplant recipients with comorbid psychiatric disorders through assisting patients with designing a tailored medication adherence plan.

Personality disorders in heart failure patients requiring psychiatric management: comorbidity detections from a routine depression and anxiety screening protocol.

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Tully, Phillip J; Selkow, Terina

2014-12-30

Several international guidelines recommend routine depression screening in cardiac disease populations. No previous study has determined the prevalence and comorbidities of personality disorders in patients presenting for psychiatric treatment after these screening initiatives. In the first stage 404 heart failure (HF) patients were routinely screened and 73 underwent structured interview when either of the following criteria were met: (a) Patient Health Questionnaire ≥10; (b) Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire ≥7); (c) Response to one item panic-screener. Or (d) Suicidality. Patients with personality disorders were compared to the positive-screen patients on psychiatric comorbidities. The most common personality disorders were avoidant (8.2%), borderline (6.8%) and obsessive compulsive (4.1%), other personality disorders were prevalent in less than patients. Personality disorder patients had significantly greater risk of major depression (risk ratio (RR) 1.2; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2-13.3), generalized anxiety disorder (RR 3.2; 95% CI 1.0-10.0), social phobia (RR 3.8; 95% CI 1.3-11.5) and alcohol abuse/dependence (RR 3.2; 95% 1.0-9.5). The findings that HF patients with personality disorders presented with complex psychiatric comorbidity suggest that pathways facilitating the integration of psychiatric services into cardiology settings are warranted when routine depression screening is in place. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Association of psychiatric co-morbidity and efficacy of treatment in chronic daily headache in Indian population

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Ajai Kumar Singh

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: To study the prevalence of psychiatric co-morbidity in patients of chronic daily headache (CDH and compare the efficacy of treatment between various type of headache associated with psychiatric co-morbidity. Materials and Methods: Prospective case control cohort study, 92 consecutive patients of CDH meeting eligibility criteria. The diagnosis of various subtypes of CDH was made according to the IHS criteria. Age, sex, educational, marital and socioeconomic status, matched controls were also selected. Patients were evaluated with the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI scale at the time of enrolment and at 3 months. Results: CDH accounted for 28% of all headache patients. The mean age of presentation was 30.2 ± 10.3 years, male: Female ratio of 28:64 and mean duration of 4.56 ± 0.56 years. Chronic migraine (CM accounted for 59 patients, chronic tension type headache (CTTH 22 patients, new daily persistent headache (NDPH 3 patients and miscellaneous 8 patients. Psychiatric co-morbidity was present in 53.3% patients with CDH, and was more common in CM (62.7% as compared to CTTH (36.4%. Single psychiatric co-morbidity was seen in 26 patients, while 23 patients had multiple co-morbidity. Major depressive episode, anxiety disorder, agoraphobia and dysthymia were significant psychiatric co-morbidities. Patients with CM were treated with topiramate or divalproex sodium ER and CTTH were treated with amitriptyline. 55 patients came for follow up at 3 months, improvement in headache was seen in 29 patients. Conclusion: Psychiatric co-morbidity was present in more than 50% patients with CDH and its presence along with a duration of ≥2 years was associated with a poor response to treatment.

How do patients perceive ambulatory psychiatric care and what are their needs?

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Małus, Aleksandra; Galińska-Skok, Beata; Konarzewska, Beata; Szulc, Agata

2018-03-14

The quality of a doctor-patient relationship plays a vital role in all fields of medicine. In the case of psychiatry, this role is special as it provides the foundation for the whole therapeutic process. The aim of this study was to investigate the patient's perspective on psychiatric visits: patient's attitudes towards the psychiatrist, patient's view of the patient-psychiatrist relationship, and the patient's needs and expectations from this relationship. 615 psychiatric outpatients responded to the anonymous questionnaires connected with their attitudes towards the psychiatrist, evaluation of the doctor, and expectations from psychiatric care. The study was conducted in 10 out of 30 public centres for psychiatric care in north-eastern Poland. Generally, the patients liked and positively evaluated their psychiatrists. Patient's liking for the doctor was connected with the feeling that the doctor also liked the patient, as well as with perceiving the doctor as competent and willing to meet the patient. The longer the treatment with a particular psychiatrist and the rarer need to consult the doctor, the more positive attitude and evaluation of the doctor patients had. According to the patients, the most significant expectations were associated with both conversation with the doctor and receiving emotional support. The key phase for forming the patient-psychiatrist relationship was the first stage of cooperation in which patients created their attitudes towards the doctor without modifying them at further stages. Thus, further studies on learning and developing the ability to establish the relationship with the patient, inspiring the patient's trust and making psychiatric appointments comfortable from the first meeting, will be highly valuable.

Psychiatric patients' preferences and experiences in clinical decision-making: examining concordance and correlates of patients' preferences.

Science.gov (United States)

De las Cuevas, Carlos; Peñate, Wenceslao; de Rivera, Luis

2014-08-01

To assess the concordance between patients' preferred role in clinical decision-making and the role they usually experience in their psychiatric consultations and to analyze the influence of socio-demographic, clinical and personality characteristics on patients' preferences. 677 consecutive psychiatric outpatients were invited to participate in a cross-sectional survey and 507 accepted. Patients completed Control Preference Scale twice consecutively before consultation, one for their preferences of participation and another for the style they usually experienced until then, and locus of control and self-efficacy scales. Sixty-three percent of psychiatric outpatients preferred a collaborative role in decision-making, 35% preferred a passive role and only a 2% an active one. A low concordance for preferred and experienced participation in medical decision-making was registered, with more than a half of patients wanting a more active role than they actually had. Age and doctors' health locus of control orientation were found to be the best correlates for participation preferences, while age and gender were for experienced. Psychiatric diagnoses registered significant differences in patients' preferences of participation but no concerning experiences. The limited concordance between preferred and experienced roles in psychiatric patients is indicative that clinicians need to raise their sensitivity regarding patient's participation. The assessment of patient's attribution style should be useful for psychiatrist to set objectives and priority in the communication with their patients. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A comprehensive payment model for short- and long-stay psychiatric patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Fries, B E; Durance, P W; Nerenz, D R; Ashcraft, M L

1993-01-01

In this article, a payment model is developed for a hospital system with both acute- and chronic-stay psychiatric patients. "Transition pricing" provides a balance between the incentives of an episode-based system and the necessity of per diem long-term payments. Payment is dependent on two new psychiatric resident classification systems for short- and long-term stays. Data on per diem cost of inpatient care, by day of stay, was computed from a sample of 2,968 patients from 100 psychiatric units in 51 Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Centers. Using a 9-month cohort of all VA psychiatric discharges nationwide (79,337 with non-chronic stays), profits and losses were simulated.

Epidemiological studies of suicide in patients with psychiatric illness

OpenAIRE

Reutfors, Johan

2010-01-01

A link between suicide and psychiatric illness is well recognized. However, knowledge is limited as to what characterizes suicide in different mental disorders. The overall aim of the work described in this thesis was to increase the understanding of suicide in psychiatric illness. Study I: In this population-based case-control study, all suicide cases 18 years and older in Sweden from 1991 to 2003 (14,501 men and 6,174 women) were individually matched to ten controls from t...

Cutaneous factitia in elderly patients: alarm signal for psychiatric disorders

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Chiriac A

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Anca Chiriac,1 Liliana Foia,2 Cristina Birsan,1 Ancuta Goriuc,2 Caius Solovan3 1Department of Dermatology, Nicolina Medical Center, Iaşi, Romania; 2Surgical Department, Grigore T Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iaşi, Romania; 3Department of Dermatology, Victor Babeş University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timişoara, Romania Background: The factitious disorders, more commonly known in daily practice as pathomimia, are expressed in dermatology units by skin lesions induced voluntarily by the patient, in order to draw attention of the medical staff and/or the family members. The disorder is often challenging to diagnose and even more difficult to document in front of the patient or relatives. It represents a challenge for the physician, and any attempt at treatment may be followed by recurrence of the self-mutilation. This paper describes two cases of pathomimia diagnosed by dermatologists and treated in a psychiatry unit, highlighting the importance of collaboration in these situations. Patients and methods: Two case reports, describing old female patients with pathomimia, hospitalized in a department of dermatology for bizarre skin lesions. Results: The first case was a 77-year-old female with unknown psychiatric problems and atrophic skin lesions on the face, self-induced for many months, with multiple hospitalizations in dermatology units, with no response to different therapeutic patterns, and full recovery after psychiatric treatment for a major depressive syndrome. The second case was a 61-year-old female patient with disseminated atrophic scars on the face, trunk, and limbs. She raised our interest because of possible psychiatric issues, as she had attempted to commit suicide. The prescription of antidepressants led to a significant clinical improvement. Conclusion: These cases indicate that a real psychiatric disease may be recorded in patients suffering from pathomimia. Therefore, complete psychiatric evaluation in order to

Sexual Attitude Reassessment for Psychiatric Patients.

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Dincin, Jerry; Wise, Shirley

1979-01-01

Sexuality programs are one part of the program at Thresholds, a rehabilitation center for psychiatric patients (17 to 50 years old). A 16 week sexuality group includes seven phases: initial interview; beginning group development (health care, contraception, reproduction, sexuality); masturbation; intercourse; homosexuality; coed group discussion;…

Psychiatric outcomes after pediatric sports-related concussion.

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Ellis, Michael J; Ritchie, Lesley J; Koltek, Mark; Hosain, Shahid; Cordingley, Dean; Chu, Stephanie; Selci, Erin; Leiter, Jeff; Russell, Kelly

2015-12-01

The objectives of this study were twofold: (1) to examine the prevalence of emotional symptoms among children and adolescents with a sports-related concussion (SRC) who were referred to a multidisciplinary pediatric concussion program and (2) to examine the prevalence, clinical features, risk factors, and management of postinjury psychiatric outcomes among those in this clinical population. The authors conducted a retrospective chart review of all patients with SRC referred to a multidisciplinary pediatric concussion program between September 2013 and October 2014. Clinical assessments carried out by a single neurosurgeon included clinical history, physical examination, and Post-Concussion Symptom Scale (PCSS) scoring. Postinjury psychiatric outcomes were defined as a subjective worsening of symptoms of a preinjury psychiatric disorder or new and isolated suicidal ideation or diagnosis of a novel psychiatric disorder (NPD). An NPD was defined as a newly diagnosed psychiatric disorder that occurred in a patient with or without a lifetime preinjury psychiatric disorder after a concussion. Clinical resources, therapeutic interventions, and clinical and return-to-play outcomes are summarized. One hundred seventy-four patients (mean age 14.2 years, 61.5% male) were included in the study. At least 1 emotional symptom was reported in 49.4% of the patients, and the median emotional PCSS subscore was 4 (interquartile range 1-8) among those who reported at least 1 emotional symptom. Overall, 20 (11.5%) of the patients met the study criteria for a postinjury psychiatric outcome, including 14 patients with an NPD, 2 patients with isolated suicidal ideation, and 4 patients with worsening symptoms of a preinjury psychiatric disorder. Female sex, a higher initial PCSS score, a higher emotional PCSS subscore, presence of a preinjury psychiatric history, and presence of a family history of psychiatric illness were significantly associated with postinjury psychiatric outcomes

Psychiatric morbidity and quality of life in vitiligo patients.

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Ramakrishna, Podaralla; Rajni, Tenali

2014-07-01

Vitiligo has underlying mental illness but mostly not diagnosed and never used psychiatric medication. Hence, the problem persists affecting mostly the individual's quality of life. Assessing the quality of life, level of depression, and self-esteem of patients with vitiligo and give psychiatric medication for underlying mental illness. The study conducted at Owaisi Hospital Research Centre, Hyderabad. The patients registered for dermatologist consultation were also registered for consultation with psychiatrist to rule out any mental illness after detailed evaluation using standardized scales. Patients suffering with vitiligo had depression and low self-esteem; their quality of life was disturbed. The findings provide the role of Mental Health Professionals involved in the field of dermatology for the patients suffering with vitiligo.

Patients with a psychiatric disorder in general practice: determinants of general practitioners' psychological diagnosis.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verhaak, P.F.M.; Schellevis, F.G.; Nuijen, J.; Volkers, A.

2006-01-01

BACKGROUND: Although psychiatric disorders are highly prevalent in the community, many patients with a psychiatric morbidity remain unidentified as such in primary care. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyze which clinical and sociodemographic characteristics of patients with psychiatric

The clinical differentiation of fronto-temporal dementia from psychiatric disease

OpenAIRE

Panegyres, Peter K; Graves, Angela; Frencham, Kate AR

2007-01-01

Objective Frontal and/or temporal lobar atrophy (F/TA) is sometimes detected on neuroimaging in patients with psychiatric disease. This observation leads to difficulty in distinguishing whether patients have fronto-temporal dementia (FTD) or psychiatric illness. This paper sets out to develop clinical profiles that might be useful at first presentation to distinguish these two populations. Methods 29 patients were selected from a database of 250 current patients attending young onset dementia...

Precipitants of elderly psychiatric patient assaults on staff: preliminary empirical inquiry.

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Flannery, Raymond B; Peterson, Brenda; Walker, Andrew P

2005-01-01

Although there have been several studies of the characteristics of psychiatric patient assailants, there have been only six comprehensive, empirical assessments of precipitants to these assaults and no precipitant study has focused solely on elderly psychiatric patient assailants. This one and one-half year, retrospective study continued the inquiry into the nature of patient assault precipitants and focused only on elderly assailants. Older, male patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia and histories of violence toward others and substance use disorder physically assaulted primarily male, mental health workers. These staff victims experienced disruptions in the domains of mastery, attachment, and meaning as well as the symptomatology associated with psychological trauma. The most common precipitants to these assaults were denial of services and acute psychosis. The findings and implications for health care providers in long-term care settings where elderly psychiatric patients reside are discussed.

Dose-specific adverse drug reaction identification in electronic patient records: temporal data mining in an inpatient psychiatric population.

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Eriksson, Robert; Werge, Thomas; Jensen, Lars Juhl; Brunak, Søren

2014-04-01

Data collected for medical, filing and administrative purposes in electronic patient records (EPRs) represent a rich source of individualised clinical data, which has great potential for improved detection of patients experiencing adverse drug reactions (ADRs), across all approved drugs and across all indication areas. The aim of this study was to take advantage of techniques for temporal data mining of EPRs in order to detect ADRs in a patient- and dose-specific manner. We used a psychiatric hospital's EPR system to investigate undesired drug effects. Within one workflow the method identified patient-specific adverse events (AEs) and links these to specific drugs and dosages in a temporal manner, based on integration of text mining results and structured data. The structured data contained precise information on drug identity, dosage and strength. When applying the method to the 3,394 patients in the cohort, we identified AEs linked with a drug in 2,402 patients (70.8 %). Of the 43,528 patient-specific drug substances prescribed, 14,736 (33.9 %) were linked with AEs. From these links we identified multiple ADRs (p patient population, larger doses were prescribed to sedated patients than non-sedated patients; five antipsychotics [corrected] exhibited a significant difference (p<0.05). Finally, we present two cases (p < 0.05) identified by the workflow. The method identified the potentially fatal AE QT prolongation caused by methadone, and a non-described likely ADR between levomepromazine and nightmares found among the hundreds of identified novel links between drugs and AEs (p < 0.05). The developed method can be used to extract dose-dependent ADR information from already collected EPR data. Large-scale AE extraction from EPRs may complement or even replace current drug safety monitoring methods in the future, reducing or eliminating manual reporting and enabling much faster ADR detection.

Communication elements supporting patient safety in psychiatric inpatient care.

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Kanerva, A; Kivinen, T; Lammintakanen, J

2015-06-01

Communication is important for safe and quality health care. The study provides needed insight on the communication elements that support patient safety from the psychiatric care view. Fluent information transfer between the health care professionals and care units is important for care planning and maintaining practices. Information should be documented and implemented accordingly. Communication should happen in an open communication culture that enables discussion, the opportunity to have debriefing discussions and the entire staff can feel they are heard. For effective communication, it is also important that staff are active themselves in information collecting about the essential information needed in patient care. In mental health nursing, it is important to pay attention to all elements of communication and to develop processes concerning communication in multidisciplinary teams and across unit boundaries. The study aims to describe which communication elements support patient safety in psychiatric inpatient care from the viewpoint of the nursing staff. Communication is an essential part of care and one of the core competencies of the psychiatric care. It enables safe and quality patient care. Errors in health care are often connected with poor communication. The study brings needed insight from the psychiatric care view to the topic. The data were gathered from semi-structured interviews in which 26 nurses were asked to describe the elements that constitute patient safety in psychiatric inpatient care. The data were analysed inductively from the viewpoint of communication. The descriptions connected with communication formed a main category of communication elements that support patient safety; this main category was made up of three subcategories: fluent information transfer, open communication culture and being active in information collecting. Fluent information transfer consists of the practical implementation of communication; open communication

Family functioning in the families of psychiatric patients: a comparison with nonclinical families.

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Trangkasombat, Umaporn

2006-11-01

To examine family functioning in the families of psychiatric patients. Families of psychiatric patients and nonclinical families were compared. There were 60 families in each group. The instrument included a semistructured interview of family functioning and the Chulalongkorn Family Inventory (CFI), a self-report questionnaire designed to assess the perception of one's family. From the assessment by semistructured interview, 83.3% of psychiatric families and 45.0% of nonclinical families were found to be dysfunctional in at least one dimension. The difference was statistically significant (p dysfunctional dimensions in the psychiatric families was significantly higher than in the nonclinical control group, 3.5 +/- 1.9 and 0.98 +/- 1.5 respectively, p families were significantly lower than the control group, reflecting poor family functioning. The dysfunctions were mostly in the following dimensions: problem-solving, communication, affective responsiveness, affective involvement, and behavior control. Psychiatric families faced more psychosocial stressors and the average number of stressors was higher than the control families, 88.3% vs. 56.7% and 4.2 +/- 2.7 vs. 1.3 +/- 1.47 stressors respectively, p < 0.0001. Family functioning of psychiatric patients was less healthy than the nonclinical control. The present study underlined the significance of family assessment and family intervention in the comprehensive care of psychiatric patients.

When unbearable suffering incites psychiatric patients to request euthanasia: qualitative study†

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Verhofstadt, Monica; Thienpont, Lieve; Peters, Gjalt-Jorn Ygram

2017-01-01

Background The concept of ‘unbearable suffering’ is central to legislation governing whether euthanasia requests may be granted, but remains insufficiently understood, especially in relation to psychiatric patients. Aims To provide insights into the suffering experiences of psychiatric patients who have made a request for euthanasia. Method Testimonials from 26 psychiatric patients who requested euthanasia were analysed using QualiCoder software. Results Five domains of suffering were identified: medical, intrapersonal, interpersonal, societal and existential. Hopelessness was confirmed to be an important contributor. The lengthy process of applying for euthanasia was a cause of suffering and added to experienced hopelessness, whereas encountering physicians who took requests seriously could offer new perspectives on treatment. Conclusions The development of measurement instruments to assess the nature and extent of suffering as experienced by psychiatric patients could help both patients and physicians to better navigate the complicated and sensitive process of evaluating requests in a humane and competent way. Some correlates of suffering (such as low income) indicate the need for a broad medical, societal and political debate on how to reduce the burden of financial and socioeconomic difficulties and inequalities in order to reduce patients' desire for euthanasia. Euthanasia should never be seen (or used) as a means of resolving societal failures. PMID:28970302

When unbearable suffering incites psychiatric patients to request euthanasia: qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Verhofstadt, Monica; Thienpont, Lieve; Peters, Gjalt-Jorn Ygram

2017-10-01

Background The concept of 'unbearable suffering' is central to legislation governing whether euthanasia requests may be granted, but remains insufficiently understood, especially in relation to psychiatric patients. Aims To provide insights into the suffering experiences of psychiatric patients who have made a request for euthanasia. Method Testimonials from 26 psychiatric patients who requested euthanasia were analysed using QualiCoder software. Results Five domains of suffering were identified: medical, intrapersonal, interpersonal, societal and existential. Hopelessness was confirmed to be an important contributor. The lengthy process of applying for euthanasia was a cause of suffering and added to experienced hopelessness, whereas encountering physicians who took requests seriously could offer new perspectives on treatment. Conclusions The development of measurement instruments to assess the nature and extent of suffering as experienced by psychiatric patients could help both patients and physicians to better navigate the complicated and sensitive process of evaluating requests in a humane and competent way. Some correlates of suffering (such as low income) indicate the need for a broad medical, societal and political debate on how to reduce the burden of financial and socioeconomic difficulties and inequalities in order to reduce patients' desire for euthanasia. Euthanasia should never be seen (or used) as a means of resolving societal failures. © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 2017.

Physical factors that influence patients' privacy perception toward a psychiatric behavioral monitoring system: a qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Zakaria, Nasriah; Ramli, Rusyaizila

2018-01-01

Psychiatric patients have privacy concerns when it comes to technology intervention in the hospital setting. In this paper, we present scenarios for psychiatric behavioral monitoring systems to be placed in psychiatric wards to understand patients' perception regarding privacy. Psychiatric behavioral monitoring refers to systems that are deemed useful in measuring clinical outcomes, but little research has been done on how these systems will impact patients' privacy. We conducted a case study in one teaching hospital in Malaysia. We investigated the physical factors that influence patients' perceived privacy with respect to a psychiatric monitoring system. The eight physical factors identified from the information system development privacy model, a comprehensive model for designing a privacy-sensitive information system, were adapted in this research. Scenario-based interviews were conducted with 25 patients in a psychiatric ward for 3 months. Psychiatric patients were able to share how physical factors influence their perception of privacy. Results show how patients responded to each of these dimensions in the context of a psychiatric behavioral monitoring system. Some subfactors under physical privacy are modified to reflect the data obtained in the interviews. We were able to capture the different physical factors that influence patient privacy.

Factors predicting adherence with psychiatric follow-up appointments for patients assessed by the liaison psychiatric team in the emergency department.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Agyapong, Vincent I O

2010-01-01

Several factors may predict adherence with psychiatric follow-up appointment for patients seen in the emergency department (ED) by liaison psychiatric teams. Awareness of these factors would allow for interventions targeted at vulnerable groups.

Psychometric Properties of the Problems Assessment for Substance Using Psychiatric Patients

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Sayed Hadi Sayed Alitabar

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Background and Objective: Today, substance use problem is an important and critical problem in the world. This study investigates the psychometric properties of the Problems Assessment for Substance Using Psychiatric Patients (PASUPP.Materials and Methods: Research was descriptive and correlational. The study population consisted of all psychiatry patients with drug addiction in Tehran. The sample consisted of 381 patients (143 women and 238 men were selected with a multi-stage cluster sampling of areas from drug rehabilitation centers in Tehran. The PASUPP, Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST and Relapse Prediction Scale (RPS were used as instrument. In order to assess the first order confirmatory factor, the weighted lowest squares (WLS and to assess the adequacy of the model to the data, the parameters of RMR, RMSEA, CFI, AGFI, GFI, c2، c2/ df & Dc2 were used.Results: The PASUPP was confirmed after the first time factor structure of using confirmatory factor analysis. The PASUPP had a good internal consistency (Cranach’s alpha, and the reliability of the test within a week, 88/0, 76/0. Also this scale had a positive correlation with Drug Abuse Screening Test and Relapse Prediction Scale which indicates its convergent validity.Conclusion: The overall results showed that the Problems Assessment for Substance Using Psychiatric Patients in Iranian society is valid. It can be said that self-report scale tool is useful for research purposes and addiction.  

Fetal growth and psychiatric and socioeconomic problems: population-based sibling comparison.

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Class, Quetzal A; Rickert, Martin E; Larsson, Henrik; Lichtenstein, Paul; D'Onofrio, Brian M

2014-11-01

It is unclear whether associations between fetal growth and psychiatric and socioeconomic problems are consistent with causal mechanisms. To estimate the extent to which associations are a result of unmeasured confounding factors using a sibling-comparison approach. We predicted outcomes from continuously measured birth weight in a Swedish population cohort (n = 3 291 773), while controlling for measured and unmeasured confounding. In the population, lower birth weight (⩽ 2500 g) increased the risk of all outcomes. Sibling-comparison models indicated that lower birth weight independently predicted increased risk for autism spectrum disorder (hazard ratio for low birth weight = 2.44, 95% CI 1.99-2.97) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Although attenuated, associations remained for psychotic or bipolar disorder and educational problems. Associations with suicide attempt, substance use problems and social welfare receipt, however, were fully attenuated in sibling comparisons. Results suggest that fetal growth, and factors that influence it, contribute to psychiatric and socioeconomic problems. Royal College of Psychiatrists.

Benzodiazepine prescription in relation to psychiatric diagnosis and patient characteristics: A pilot study

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Marić Nađa P.

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Benzodiazepines are widely used drugs which are often misused. Analysis of psychotropic drugs prescription in Serbia showed high prescription rate of benzodiazepines in the psychiatric patient population, with an increasing trend. Potential association between psychiatric diagnostic categories (organic brain syndrome, psychotic disorders, bipolar disorder, unipolar depression, anxiety disorder, personality disorder, or the sociodemographic characteristics of patients (gender, age, education, marital state and benzodiazepine prescribing practice was not thoroughly tested. Aim: By analyzing routine practice of the university clinic, the aim of this study was to examine whether there is an association between clinical or socio-demographic characteristics of the patients and benzodiazepine prescribing practice. Material and methods: This study was carried out by retrospective analysis of the patient's medical charts after hospital discharge (n=102. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, testing the difference between groups and correlation analysis. Results: At the discharge, 94.1% of patients had benzodiazepines prescribed, with an average dose of 4.6 ± 3.2mg lorazepam dose equivalents. It is shown that female patients were prescribed with higher doses of benzodiazepines than male patients (p=0.018, that the average dose was higher for patients treated with an overall larger number of psychiatric drugs (p = 0.013, as well as that hospital inpatients had higher doses compared to day hospital-treated patients (p = 0.011. Patients with a diagnosis of personality disorder had a slight upward trend of benzodiazepine dose (p=0.078. Conclusion: Current research provided a clear insight into the actual practice of benzodiazepine prescription at local university center. Similarly to our region, indications for prescribing benzodiazepines appear to be quite broad and not specific enough worldwide. This is why it is important to

Patterns Of Aggression Among Psychiatric In-Patients At The Jos ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Aggression in the form of violence has been reportedly associated with a variety of psychiatric diagnoses, and in some cases, serious consequences have resulted form such assault. The study was aimed at determining the ranges and target of aggressive behaviour among Psychiatric in-patients at Jos University Teaching ...

Felt stigma and self-esteem among psychiatric hospital outdoor and community camp attending patients

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Shantna Kumari

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Self-stigma of people with mental illness is a major obstacle to recovery, limiting opportunities and undermining self-esteem. Aim: The aim of this study is to compare felt stigma and self-esteem in psychiatric patients receiving treatment from hospital outdoor clinic or from Community Outreach Program (COP. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on psychiatric patients who were on outpatient treatment for at least 6 months, but had never been hospitalized. The study sample included 130 patients receiving outdoor treatment from a Psychiatric Hospital and a matched group of 140 patients receiving treatment from COP of the same hospital. Demographic and clinical details of the patients were recorded on a specially designed proforma. Modified felt stigma scale and Rosenberg self-esteem scale were used to assess stigma and self-esteem, respectively. Results: On the modified felt stigma scale, the mean (±standard deviation [SD] score of psychiatric hospital outpatients (31.89 ± 6.51 was significantly higher than the scores of patients attending COP (29.20 ± 6.80. On Rosenberg self-esteem scale, mean (±SD scores of patients with psychosis (17.98 ± 1.69 was significantly lower compared to scores of patients with epilepsy (21.83 ± 1.60. There was no significant correlation between stigma and self-esteem. Conclusion: As psychiatric hospital outpatients have significantly more self-stigma when compared to patients attending community outreach camps, the availability of more community outreach camps along with educating people about psychiatric illnesses may help in lowering stigma of psychiatric disorders.

Psyche at the end of life: Psychiatric symptoms are prevalent in patients admitted to a palliative care unit.

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Masel, Eva K; Berghoff, Anna S; Mladen, Aleksandra; Schur, Sophie; Maehr, Bruno; Kirchhoff, Magdalena; Simanek, Ralph; Bauer, Martin; Watzke, Herbert H; Amering, Michaela

2016-06-01

Our aim was to evaluate the frequency and treatment of psychiatric symptoms in patients at palliative care units (PCUs). Patients admitted to one of five participating PCUs in Austria were included. The short version of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-D) was used to evaluate their mental health status. Pain intensity was rated on a numeric rating scale (NRS) from 0 to 10 by patients and physicians. Patients with a previously diagnosed psychiatric disorder were compared to those without or with newly diagnosed psychiatric symptoms, based on PHQ-D results. Pain and psychopharmacological medication were assessed. Opioid doses were converted into oral morphine equivalents (OMEs). Some 68 patients were included. Previously undetected psychiatric symptoms were identified in 38% (26 of 68), preexisting psychiatric comorbidities were evident in 25% (17), and no psychiatric symptoms were observed in 37% (25). Patients with a preexisting psychiatric comorbidity received antidepressants and benzodiazepines significantly more often than patients without or with previously undetected psychiatric symptoms (p < 0.001). Patient and physician median NRS ratings of pain intensity correlated significantly (p = 0.001). Median NRS rating showed no significant difference between patients with preexisting, previously undetected, or without psychiatric symptoms. OMEs did not differ significantly between preexisting, without, or previously undetected psychiatric symptoms. Patients with undetected and preexisting psychiatric comorbidities had a greater impairment in their activities of daily living than patients without psychiatric symptoms (p = 0.003). Undetected psychiatric comorbidities are common in patients receiving palliative care. Screening for psychiatric symptoms should be integrated into standard palliative care to optimize treatment and reduce the psychosocial burden of the disease.

Homicide committed by psychiatric patients: Psychiatrists' liability in Italian law cases.

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Terranova, Claudio; Rocca, Gabriele

2016-01-01

Interest in psychiatrists' professional liability in Italy has increased in recent years because of the number of medical malpractice claims. Professional liability for failure to prevent violent behaviour by psychiatric patients is particularly debated. This study describes three Italian cases in which health professionals - physicians and nurses - were found guilty of manslaughter for murders committed by psychiatric patients. Examination of the cases focuses on claims of malpractice, patients' characteristics, the circumstances of the homicide and the reasons for the court's judgment. In particular, the predictability of violent behaviour and the concept of causal links are examined in detail. The cases provide an opportunity for a study of comparative jurisprudence. The topics discussed are relevant not only to practicing psychiatrists but also to experts assessing medical liability in cases of criminal acts committed by psychiatric patients. © The Author(s) 2015.

Evaluating DSM-5 Insomnia Disorder and the Treatment of Sleep Problems in a Psychiatric Population.

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Seow, Lee Seng Esmond; Verma, Swapna Kamal; Mok, Yee Ming; Kumar, Sunita; Chang, Sherilyn; Satghare, Pratika; Hombali, Aditi; Vaingankar, Janhavi; Chong, Siow Ann; Subramaniam, Mythily

2018-02-15

With the introduction of insomnia disorder in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), greater emphasis has been placed on the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorder even in the presence of a coexisting mental disorder. The current study seeks to explore the clinical picture of insomnia in the context of psychiatric disorders commonly associated with sleep complaints by assessing the prevalence and correlates of DSM-5 insomnia disorder, and examining the extent to which insomnia symptoms have been addressed in this population. Four hundred treatment-seeking outpatients suffering from depressive, bipolar affective, anxiety, and schizophrenia spectrum disorders were recruited. DSM-5 insomnia was established using the modified Brief Insomnia Questionnaire. Differences in sociodemographic factors, clinical status, impairment outcomes, and mental health services utilization were compared. Information on patients' help-seeking experiences for insomnia-related symptoms was collected to determine the treatment received and treatment effectiveness. Almost one-third of our sample (31.8%) had DSM-5 insomnia disorder. Those with insomnia disorder had significantly higher impairment outcomes than their counterparts but no group difference was observed for mental health services utilization. Findings based on past treatment contact for sleep problems suggest that diagnosis and treatment of insomnia is lacking in this population. With the new calling from DSM-5, clinicians treating psychiatric patients should view insomnia less as a symptom of their mental illnesses and treat clinical insomnia as a primary disorder. Patients should also be educated on the importance of reporting and treating their sleep complaints. Nonmedical (cognitive and behavioral) interventions for insomnia need to be further explored given their proven clinical effectiveness. © 2018 American Academy of Sleep Medicine

[The psychiatric comorbidity of anorexia nervosa: A comparative study in a population of French and Greek anorexic patients].

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Kountza, M; Garyfallos, G; Ploumpidis, D; Varsou, E; Gkiouzepas, I

2017-11-01

The current study had two objectives: (1) to access the psychiatric comorbidity in axis I and axis II (according to DSM-IV) of anorexia nervosa in a sample of 60 anorexic patients; (2) to compare the features of the psychiatric comorbidity between the two groups of French and Greek anorexic patients who participated in the study, as well as to compare some psychological and behavioral aspects of their anorectic psychopathology. Sixty anorexic patients, thirty French and thirty Greek, aged between 18 and 60 years, referred for evaluation and therapy at the unit of eating disorders at the "Institut national Marcel-Rivière of the MGEN" (hôpital de La Verrière, France) and at the unit of eating disorders of the First Department of Psychiatry of EGINITIO University Psychiatric Hospital in Athens (Greece), were accessed with the Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT26), Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI), Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL90R), Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview, Version 5.0.0 and the International Personality Disorder Examination. The comparison between the Greek and French patient populations did not show significant differences in age, socio-educational status, family status and BMI. French patients were hospitalized more regularly than Greek patients (χ 2 (1)=6.65, P=0.01) and psychotropic drug therapy was more common in French anorexic patients (χ 2 (1)=4.59, P=0.06). The results of the EAT 26 questionnaire in Greek and French patients show an average of 34.93 (±18.54) in total, with no statistically significant difference between the two groups. The results of EDI show a statistically significant difference between the two groups in the subscale 3 (body dissatisfaction) in which the Greeks scored on average at 9.40 and the French at 14.90 (t (58)=3.09, Panorexia nervosa and 47% had anorexia nervosa of binge-eating/purging type. The most frequent comorbid disorder was the major depressive episode (40%) and the obsessive compulsive disorder (18

Superficial mycoses among psychiatric patients in Mathari hospital ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Terbinafin was the most effective antifungal while ketoconazole was the least effective. Conclusion: All patients admitted at Mathari hospital should be screened for fungal infection and treated. Terbinafin can be used as first line treatment of dermatomycosis after screening all psychiatric patients in Mathari Mental hospital.

Forensic Index and Substance Abuse among Psychiatric Patients ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Although forensic index and substance use are crucial issues in clinical work among mentally ill patients, studies emanating from psychiatric facilities in nonwestern cultures have been relatively scarce. This paper examines this issue in a tertiary health institution. Participants were 259 mentally ill patients (124 inpatients ...

Psychiatric disorders are overlooked in patients with drug abuse

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kruckow, Line; Linnet, Kristian; Banner, Jytte

2016-01-01

Introduction: Psychiatric disease is overlooked in drug users. Patients with both drug abuse and a psychiatric disease – dual diagnosis – suffer decreased compliance to treatment and decreased life expectancy compared with single-diagnosis patients. Identifying the patients among ­either drug...... addicts or mentally ill patients is difficult. Methods: All drug addicts autopsied at the Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Denmark, in the years 1992, 2002 and 2012 were included. The group was divided into two subpopulations of possible dual diagnosis patients either according...... to police reports stating mental illness or to psychotropics found in the toxicology screening after autopsy. Results: We found a rise in possible mental illness in both subpopulations in the study period. Drug addicts with psychotropics in the blood at the time of death increased from 3.1% in 1992 to 48...

Potential risk factors for psychiatric disorders in patients with headache.

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Nimnuan, Chaichana; Asawavichienjinda, Thanin; Srikiatkhachorn, Anan

2012-01-01

Psychiatric comorbidities are common among patients with headache. These can compromise the quality of life of patients and may affect the result of treatment. No available systematic study concerning this problem has been conducted in Thailand. The study aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors of psychiatric disorders in patients with headache in tertiary care facility. The study was conducted at the Headache Clinic, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand. One hundred and thirteen patients were enrolled. Diagnosis of headache was made based on International Classification of Headache Disorders II system. Mental disorders were assessed using Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders. Other possible risk factors were extracted using significant physical symptoms count and accumulated risk for mental disorder. Of the 113 samples analyzed, the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and somatoform disorder was found to be 29.2%, 9.7%, and 27.4%, respectively. No definite relationship between headache types and mental disorders was observed. High number of significant physical complaints and health concerns significantly increased the risk for depression (OR = 4.6, 95% CI = 1.6 to 13.5) while the level of possible risk for mental disorder was associated with an increased risk for somatoform disorder (OR = 1.6, 95% CI = 1.2 to 2.2). The study confirmed high prevalence of psychiatric comorbidities in patients with headache. The results of this study will raise the awareness of physicians to possible underlying mental disorders in patients with headache and facilitate appropriate treatment or psychiatric referral. © 2011 American Headache Society.

[Mortality of psychiatric patients. A retrospective cohort study of in-patients at the Psychiatric Hospital of Reggio Emilia].

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Ballone, E; Contini, G

1992-03-01

The authors report the results of historical cohort study in long-term patients of psychiatric hospitals in Reggio Emilia. The cohort was formed by 790 patients hospitalized before 1978, and has been followed-up until 31/12/'89. The results of the study are: 269 subjects deceased (34%); 117 discharges (14.8%) and 411 (52.1%) still in hospital on 1/1/'90. An excess mortality was observed in the cohort. Mortality appears to be particularly high among young patient and females.

Headache complaints associated with psychiatric comorbidity in a population-based sample

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Benseñor I.M.

2003-01-01

Full Text Available The objective of the present study was to determine the frequency at which people complain of any type of headache, and its relationship with sociodemographic characteristics and psychiatric comorbidity in São Paulo, Brazil. A three-step cluster sampling method was used to select 1,464 subjects aged 18 years or older. They were mainly from families of middle and upper socioeconomic levels living in the catchment area of Instituto de Psiquiatria. However, this area also contains some slums and shantytowns. The subjects were interviewed using the Brazilian version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview version 1.1. (CIDI 1.1 by a lay trained interviewer. Answers to CIDI 1.1 questions allowed us to classify people according to their psychiatric condition and their headaches based on their own ideas about the nature of their illness. The lifetime prevalence of "a lot of problems with" headache was 37.4% (76.2% of which were attributed to use of medicines, drugs/alcohol, physical illness or trauma, and 23.8% attributed to nervousness, tension or mental illness. The odds ratio (OR for headache among participants with "nervousness, tension or mental illness" was elevated for depressive episodes (OR, 2.1; 95%CI, 1.4-3.4, dysthymia (OR, 3.4; 95%CI, 1.6-7.4 and generalized anxiety disorder (OR, 4.3; 95%CI, 2.1-8.6, when compared with patients without headache. For "a lot of problems with" headaches attributed to medicines, drugs/alcohol, physical illness or trauma, the risk was also increased for dysthymia but not for generalized anxiety disorder. These data show a high association between headache and chronic psychiatric disorders in this Brazilian population sample.

[Screening for psychiatric risk factors in a facial trauma patients. Validating a questionnaire].

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Foletti, J M; Bruneau, S; Farisse, J; Thiery, G; Chossegros, C; Guyot, L

2014-12-01

We recorded similarities between patients managed in the psychiatry department and in the maxillo-facial surgical unit. Our hypothesis was that some psychiatric conditions act as risk factors for facial trauma. We had for aim to test our hypothesis and to validate a simple and efficient questionnaire to identify these psychiatric disorders. Fifty-eight consenting patients with facial trauma, recruited prospectively in the 3 maxillo-facial surgery departments of the Marseille area during 3 months (December 2012-March 2013) completed a self-questionnaire based on the French version of 3 validated screening tests (Self Reported Psychopathy test, Rapid Alcohol Problem Screening test quantity-frequency, and Personal Health Questionnaire). This preliminary study confirmed that psychiatric conditions detected by our questionnaire, namely alcohol abuse and dependence, substance abuse, and depression, were risk factors for facial trauma. Maxillo-facial surgeons are often unaware of psychiatric disorders that may be the cause of facial trauma. The self-screening test we propose allows documenting the psychiatric history of patients and implementing earlier psychiatric care. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Underestimation of substance abuse in psychiatric patients by conventional hospital screening.

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Reidy, Lisa J; Junquera, Patricia; Van Dijck, Karolien; Steele, Bernard W; Nemeroff, Charles B

2014-12-01

Psychiatric diagnosis mainly relies on behavioral signs and symptoms. Substance abuse can mimic the clinical presentation of primary psychiatric disorders and can also complicate the management of psychiatric patients. The reliability and accuracy of urine toxicology is a vital tool in the optimal treatment of these patients. Current demographics of substance abuse suggest that in addition to the most conventional drugs of abuse (e.g. cocaine, cannabis) that are of concern to treating physicians, prescription medications and new designer drugs also should be when evaluating patients who present with symptoms of psychosis/drug addiction or altered mental status. Urine samples from 220 psychiatric inpatients admitted to either an acute drug and alcohol unit or acute psychiatric unit were analyzed for drugs by the standard hospital assay (KIMS) and by a more sensitive ELISA and GC-MS basic drug screening protocol. The standard hospital toxicology (KIMS) was inferior to the ELISA and GC-MS methods in terms of both assay sensitivity and in detecting a broader number of drugs. The KIMS tests failed to identify opiates and amphetamine/methamphetamine in 50% of the patients. The KIMS screen did not identify zolpidem, buprenorphine and a number of synthetic drugs of abuse including cathinone and tryptamines. In order to reliably identify substance abuse in patients with altered mental status in inpatient settings, analytical methodologies with adequate assay sensitivity and range to detect the vast majority of commonly abused illicit drugs and prescription medications are required for optimal clinical assessment and treatment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The measurement of social disablement and assessment of psychometric properties of the Social Behaviour Schedule (SBS-BR) in 881 Brazilian long-stay psychiatric patients.

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Lima, Lúcia Abelha; Gonçalves, Sylvia; Pereira, Basílio Bragança; Lovisi, Giovanni Marcos

2006-03-01

Data on the prevalence of social disablement in long-stay psychiatric patients, and the assessment of the psychometric properties of the instruments that evaluate social behaviour in this population are scarce in Brazil. Therefore, this cross-sectional study aimed to estimate the prevalence rates of social disablement in a population of long-stay psychiatric patients from the Rio de Janeiro metropolitan area, and assessed the psychometric properties of the Social Behaviour Schedule (SBS). Data were collected from a population of 881 psychiatric patients housed in the Municipal Mental Health Institute using the 21-item SBS. Most of the patients were women (59%), the mean age was 65.8 years (SD = 11) and the mean length of stay was 37.3 years (SD = 11.5). Of the population, 50.6% were scored as having poor self-care, 46% with little spontaneous communication, 41.1% with poor attention span, and 37.1% with underactivity. Comparing our data with international studies that used the same instrument, we found that our population was more disabled than the others, especially on the social withdrawal factor. Regarding psychometric properties, the inter-rater kappa was 0.709, the inter-informant kappa was 0.500, and the Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.766. The groups of patients in the six settings of the institute presented significant statistical differences in the total score (F = 11.447, p < 0.001). This study demonstrates the high rates of social disablement in this population. The precarious conditions of the institution where the patients have been living for decades and unmet individual care may have exacerbated their social disablement. Furthermore, the SBS-BR had satisfactory psychometric properties, particularly reliability, showing it to be an adequate instrument for measuring social disablement in Brazil.

Does varenicline worsen psychiatric symptoms in patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder? A review of published studies.

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Cerimele, Joseph M; Durango, Alejandra

2012-08-01

To review published cases and prospective studies describing the use of varenicline in patients with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder. PubMed, PsychINFO, and the Cochrane Database were searched in July 2011 using the key words schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, psychosis, positive symptoms, negative symptoms, aggression, hostility, suicidal ideation AND varenicline to identify reports published between January 2006 and July 2011 in English. Five case reports, 1 case series, 1 retrospective study, 10 prospective studies (17 publications), and 1 meeting abstract describing the use of varenicline in patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder were identified. Review articles and articles describing findings other than the use of varenicline in patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder were excluded. Thirteen reports were included in the final analysis. Information on each study's patient population, age, diagnosis, medication treatment, tobacco use history, adverse effects, and outcome was collected from the published reports. Of the 260 patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder who received varenicline in these published reports, 13 patients (5%) experienced the onset or worsening of any psychiatric symptom, although 3 of the 13 patients experienced a very brief negative effect after 1 dose. No patients experienced suicidal ideation or suicidal behaviors. Published reports suggest that, in most stable, closely monitored patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, varenicline treatment is not associated with worsening of psychiatric symptoms. Current, prospective studies are assessing effectiveness and further assessing safety in this population. © Copyright 2012 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.

Snapshot of the supports of communication used by patients at a French psychiatric hospital: a digital or social division?

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Girard, Murielle; Nubukpo, Philippe; Malauzat, Dominique

2017-02-01

The role of information and communications technology is becoming increasingly prevalent in daily life and in the organization of medical care: are some people being left out? To evaluate access to and the uses of communication resources by psychiatric patients, focusing on the means of communication (e.g. mobile phones and computers), access and frequency of internet use. A questionnaire was distributed, over a period of 1 week, to inpatients or day hospitalised patients aged over 12 years in all care units. Access to and the uses of modern communication resources were lower than in the general population. Among places and means of internet consultation, the personal computer was most often cited, but only by 34%, and the use of mobile phones is still not widespread. Finally, day hospitalised subjects, the elderly, or subjects being treated in the psychosis care sector use internet and technology the least. Some differences exist between this population with mental illness and the general population on the use of new communication technologies. The possibility of integrating these techniques in individualized psychiatric care requires prior equipment and/or updates.

Hope as determinant for psychiatric morbidity in family caregivers of advanced cancer patients.

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Rumpold, T; Schur, S; Amering, M; Ebert-Vogel, A; Kirchheiner, K; Masel, E; Watzke, H; Schrank, B

2017-05-01

Home care of advanced cancer patients often has adverse effects on physical and mental health of family caregivers. Little is known about the long-term effects of continuous caregiving on mental health as compared with the effects of bereavement. The objectives of this study were to describe the course of psychiatric morbidity in family caregivers over time, to identify the impact of the patients' death on caregivers, and to explore possible predictor variables for psychiatric morbidity. This multi-institutional, prospective study included 80 family caregivers of 80 advanced cancer patients for baseline and 9 months follow-up assessment. Possible psychiatric disorders (ie, depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, and alcohol abuse/dependence) as well as potentially predictive factors (ie, sociodemographic factors, burden, hope, and coping mechanisms) were assessed. Follow-up assessment was conducted on average 9.2 months (±2.9) after baseline assessment. Prevalence rates of anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder decreased significantly over time, whereas depression and alcoholism remained stable. Bereavement was experienced by 53% of caregivers in the follow-up period. The patients' death had no influence on psychiatric morbidity at follow-up. Predictors for the development of a psychiatric disorder varied according to condition, with hope and emotion-oriented coping identified as important influences, especially for anxiety and depression. Family caregivers with certain psychiatric disorders might need targeted psychosocial support to ensure their mental well-being and prevent long-term disability. Supporting hope and functional coping strategies early after the patient's diagnosis might limit development and extent of psychiatric morbidity. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A Comparative Study Of Psychiatric Morbidity In Dermatological Patients

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Sharma Neelu

2003-01-01

Full Text Available The psychiatric morbidity in five chronic and disfiguring diseases, namely psoriasis, chronic urticaria, leprosy, vitiligo and lichen simplex chronicus (LSC was assessed and compared using the standardized Hindi (Vernacular languages version of General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-H. Thirty new untreated patients of each of the above skin diseases between the age group of 18-60 years were included in the study. The overall prevalence of the psychiatric morbidity was found to be 39%, depression and anxiety were present in 13% and 10.66% of the patients and suicidal ideations and somatisation in 16% and 13% of the patients respectively. Prevalence of interpersonal conflict and suicidal attempt were 10% and 2.6% respectively. On comparative analysis of psychiatric morbidity, significant difference was observed between vitiligo and other disorders (p=0.0028, i.e., chronic urticaria (p=0.0242 and psoriasis and other disorders (p=0.0028, however no significant difference could be elicited between psoriasis and leprosy or leprosy and vitiligo. Comparative analysis of anxiety revealed statistically significant difference between the patients of LSC and vitiligo (p=0.02 or vitiligo and chronic urticaria (p=0.04 but no significant difference was observed for vitiligo and leprosy of psoriasis and leprosy. The prevalence of somatic complaints showed significant difference between the patients of LSC and Leprosy.

Focusing on psychiatric patients' strengths: A new vision on mental health care in Iran.

Science.gov (United States)

Zargham-Boroujeni, Ali; Maghsoudi, Jahangir; Oreyzi, Hamid Reza

2015-01-01

Identifying and using the strengths of patients, in practice, is a new territory. Today, the need to educate nurses and psychiatric patients about positive psychology in practice and the importance of understanding and focusing on strengths is clear. However, little is known about the strengths the psychiatric patients use and experience. Thus, this study has been designed and conducted in order to understand how people with psychiatric disorders demonstrate their strengths. In the present study, 13 semi-structured, qualitative interviews with patients and 2 focus groups with nurses were carried out. In addition, a qualitative content analysis was used to identify significant strengths. Based on the results, the four main strengths consisted of: Finding a meaning in daily living, work as enduring strength, entertaining activities, and positive relationship. Patients also reported that health care providers rarely focused on patients' strengths, and experts confirmed these findings. Our findings indicate that patients' own strengths are a pivotal factor in getting through their illness from their perspective. Despite the enduring legacy of pessimism regarding psychiatric patients, these people have a repertoire of strengths. Nurses should, therefore, have a greater focus on eliciting and nourishing psychiatric patients' strengths in their care. It is suggested that the theoretical and practical aspects of patients' strengths be incorporated in nursing school curricula.

Association between childhood abuse and psychiatric morbidities among hospitalized patients

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Kshirod Kumar Mishra

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Childhood abuse has been linked with increased risk of adult psychiatric disorders including major depression, substance abuse, anxiety disorders, posttraumatic stress disorder, and personality disorders. However, only a few from India attempted to study long-term consequences of childhood abuse. Our study aimed to understand the role of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse along with psychiatric co-morbidities in hospitalized patients. Materials and Methods: Patients admitted to psychiatric inpatient services in the age group of 14-45 years for the 1 st time were evaluated for a history of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse on the basis of retrospective chart review. Semi-structured Performa was used to evaluate the patient with a history of child abuse, and they were diagnosed according to International Classification of Diseases-10 diagnostic criteria. Result: The prevalence of child abuse in our inpatient services was 43.29%; emotional abuse (61.9% was most commonly reported among patient followed by physical (21.43% and sexual abuse (16.67%. We observed a significant difference in terms of length of hospital stay between abuse (10.29 ± 6.01 days and nonabuse group (5.90 ± 2.43 days (t = 4.902, df = 95, P < 0.0001. The boys experienced physical abuse at a younger age (7.43 ± 2.50 years than girls (13.50 ± 0.70 years. The sexual abuse and emotional abuse were reported at a younger age in girls than boys. We found high prevalence of substance use disorders (40.47%, psychosis (19.04%, and mood disorder (28.57% among abuse group. Conclusions: The study findings highlight the developing importance of the different forms of abuse on adult psychiatric diagnosis in India. The abused patients are at high risk of the development of psychiatric disorder than the nonabuse group. The increased length of hospitalization among abused group reflects severity and complexity of child abuse. The early detection of social factors

Dose-Specific Adverse Drug Reaction Identification in Electronic Patient Records: Temporal Data Mining in an Inpatient Psychiatric Population

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Eriksson, Robert; Werge, Thomas; Jensen, Lars Juhl

2014-01-01

patient-specific adverse events (AEs) and links these to specific drugs and dosages in a temporal manner, based on integration of text mining results and structured data. The structured data contained precise information on drug identity, dosage and strength.When applying the method to the 3,394 patients...... all indication areas.The aim of this study was to take advantage of techniques for temporal data mining of EPRs in order to detect ADRs in a patient- and dose-specific manner.We used a psychiatric hospital’s EPR system to investigate undesired drug effects. Within one workflow the method identified...

Psychiatric disorders in patients with multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB in Sardjito Hospital, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

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Irwan Supriyanto

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Tuberculosis has become a chronic debilitating disease in developing countries, particularly after the emergence of multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB. Second line treatments for the disease which were subsequently developed were associated with psychiatric disorders among patients. Psychiatric disorder can either be induced by treatment regiments or psychosocial factors. Cycloserine administration is frequently reported to be associated with psychiatric disorders. In this study, we examined the prevalence and characteristics of psychiatric disorders among MDR-TB patients in Sardjito Hospital, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Methods: In this descriptive study, we studied medical records of MDR-TB patients admitted for MDR-TB treatments to Sardjito Hospital from January 2014 to July 2016 and screened for psychiatric disorders. Results: We found that 32.8% of the patients had psychiatric disorders, some of which had multiple psychiatric diagnoses (14.1%. The diagnoses were medication induced delirium, substance/medication induced psychotic disorder, substance/medication use depressive disorder, depressive type schizoaffective disorder, bipolar I disorder current episode severe manic with psychotic features, mild depression, moderate depression, major depression without psychotic features, major depression with psychotic features, adjustment disorders with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, adjustment disorder with anxiety, acute stress disorder, and insomnia. Psychiatric disorders were significantly associated with cycloserine dose and sex. Psychotic symptoms were significantly associated with sex and level of education. Conclusion: The presence of psychiatric disorders might disturb MDR-TB treatment resulting in poor outcomes. Precaution and prompt managements are required for psychiatric disorders in patients receiving MDR-TB treatment regiments.

[How to cope with psychiatric illness in patients with epilepsy].

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Kanemoto, Kousuke; Tadokoro, Yukari; Oshima, Tomohiro

2012-01-01

Almost every kind of psychiatric problems are associated with epilepsy such as psychotic states, manic as well as depressive states and anxiety attacks. Overall, the prevalence of psychiatric comorbidities in patients with epilepsy amounts to as high as 20-30% of all cases. Acute and chronic interictal psychoses, as well as postictal psychosis (or more precisely periictal psychosis), comprise 95% of psychosis in patients with epilepsy. Prevalence of depressive states in patients with yet active epilepsy ranges from 20-55%. Prevalence in patients with controlled epilepsy ranges from 3-9%. Depressive states comprise 50-80% of psychiatric co-morbidities in patients with epilepsy. Several studies reported that PNES amounted to as high as 30% among patients considered as candidates for epilepsy surgery due to intractable epilepsy. It is of clinical use that PNES is divided into 3 groups: The first group belongs to PNES without either intellectual disability nor epilepsy; The second group suffers from intellectual disability in addition to PNES; The third group shows both epileptic seizure and PNES. These groups need to be differently treated. After temporal lobectomy for controlling pharmacoresistant TLE, severe but transient depression possibly leading to suicide can appear, especially within the first few months after surgery.

Care systematization in psychiatric nursing within the psychiatric reform context.

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Hirdes, A; Kantorski, L P

2002-02-01

The aim of this study was to approach care systematization in psychiatric nursing in two psychiatric disorder patients who attended 'Nossa Casa', São Lourenço do Sul, RS, Brazil. Nossa Casa services psychiatric patients in the community, focussing on: (i) permanence in their environment, allowing patients to remain close to their families and social spheres; (ii) integral attendance to meet individual needs; (iii) respecting individual differences; (iv) rehabilitation practices; and (v) social reinsertion. Concepts and assumptions of the psychiatric reform and the Irving's nursing process were used as theoretical-methodological references to elaborate this systematization. A therapeutic project for the psychiatric patient was elaborated, in accordance with the interdisciplinary proposal accepted by Nossa Casa. Interdisciplinary team intervention, guided by a previously discussed common orientation and defined through an individualized therapeutic project, allowed for an effective process of psychosocial rehabilitation. The authors concluded that a therapeutic project based on the mentioned premises leads to consistent, comprehensive, dialectical and ethical assistance in mental health, thereby reinstating the citizenship of psychiatric patients.

Subjective sleep quality and sleep duration of patients in a psychiatric hospital

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Matthias J. Müller

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Sleep complaints and sleep disturbances are highly prevalent in patients with psychiatric disorders. During hospitalization the patients’ condition may be even worse but little is known about the subjective sleep quality in psychiatric hospitals. Thus, we have investigated subjective sleep quality and mean sleep duration in patients with different psychiatric disorders at the end of hospitalization. For a period of one year, inpatients of a psychiatric hospital with diagnosis of substance use disorder (SUD, schizophrenia (SCZ, or anxiety/depressive disorders (AND were routinely asked to fill in an easily comprehensible sleep quality questionnaire at the end of their hospitalization. Age, gender, subjective sleep quality, and sleep duration were analyzed; sleep duration was classified according to age-specific recommendations. Data of n=309 patients (age 52.1±17.9y, 56.1% women were analyzed (n=63 SUD, n=50 SCZ, n=196 AND. Mean sleep duration was 7.0±2.0 h; 20.7% of patients had sleep durations below and 4.5% above age-specific recommendations. Non-restorative sleep during hospitalization was reported “almost always” in 38.2% (n=118, and “occasionally” in 30.1% (n=93. Subjective sleep quality was significantly associated with sleep duration (rs=−0.31, P<0.0005, but not with age, gender or diagnostic subgroup. The study showed that a great proportion of patients reported poor subjective sleep quality during hospitalization, regardless of age, gender and psychiatric diagnosis. As sleep quality was significantly associated with short sleep duration, a first step could be to take care to achieve recommended age-specific sleep durations in psychiatric hospitals.

Preliminary Turkish study of psychiatric in-patients' competence to make treatment decisions.

Science.gov (United States)

Aydin Er, Rahime; Sehiralti, Mine; Aker, Ahmet Tamer

2013-03-01

Competence is a prerequisite for informed consent. Patients who are found to be competent are entitled to accept or refuse the proposed treatment. In recent years, there has been an increased interest in studies examining competence for treatment in psychiatric patients. In this study, we aimed to investigate the decision-making competencies of inpatients with a range of psychiatric diseases. This study was carried out at the psychiatry clinic of Kocaeli University Hospital in Turkey from June 2007 to February 2008. Decision-making competence was assessed in 83 patients using the MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool-Treatment (MacCAT-T). The study groups consisted of patients with mood (39.8%), psychotic (27.7%) and anxiety disorders (18.1%), and alcohol/substance addiction (14.5%). There was a significant relation between decision-making competence and demographic and clinical characteristics. Appreciation of the given information was more impaired in psychotic disorder patients than in other patients, but understanding and reasoning of the given information was similar in all groups. These results reveal the importance of evaluating decision-making competencies of psychiatric patients before any treatment or intervention is carried out to ascertain their ability to give informed consent to treatment. Institutional and national policies need to be determined and put into practice relating to the assessment and management of competence in patients with psychiatric disorders. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Gender Differences in Psychiatric Comorbidity: Population-based study of 40,000 Adults with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

OpenAIRE

Solberg, Berit Skretting; Halmøy, Anne; Engeland, Anders; Igland, Jannicke; Haavik, Jan; Klungsøyr, Kari

2017-01-01

OBJECTIVE: We aimed at determining whether gender modified associations between ADHD and psychiatric comorbidities in adults. METHOD: We identified adults with ADHD by linking Norwegian national registries and compared them with the remaining adult population (born 1967-1997, ADHD and bipolar during 2004-2015, other psychiatric disorders 2008-2015). Prevalence differences (PDs) and prevalence ratios (PRs) of psychiatric disorders were determined by Poisson regression. Interaction by gender wa...

Psychiatric diagnoses and psychoactive medication use among nonsurgical critically ill patients receiving mechanical ventilation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wunsch, Hannah; Christiansen, Christian Fynbo; Johansen, Martin B

2014-01-01

IMPORTANCE: The relationship between critical illness and psychiatric illness is unclear. OBJECTIVE: To assess psychiatric diagnoses and medication prescriptions before and after critical illness. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Population-based cohort study in Denmark of critically ill patien...

Patient casemix classification for medicare psychiatric prospective payment.

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Drozd, Edward M; Cromwell, Jerry; Gage, Barbara; Maier, Jan; Greenwald, Leslie M; Goldman, Howard H

2006-04-01

For a proposed Medicare prospective payment system for inpatient psychiatric facility treatment, the authors developed a casemix classification to capture differences in patients' real daily resource use. Primary data on patient characteristics and daily time spent in various activities were collected in a survey of 696 patients from 40 inpatient psychiatric facilities. Survey data were combined with Medicare claims data to estimate intensity-adjusted daily cost. Classification and Regression Trees (CART) analysis of average daily routine and ancillary costs yielded several hierarchical classification groupings. Regression analysis was used to control for facility and day-of-stay effects in order to compare hierarchical models with models based on the recently proposed payment system of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. CART analysis identified a small set of patient characteristics strongly associated with higher daily costs, including age, psychiatric diagnosis, deficits in daily living activities, and detox or ECT use. A parsimonious, 16-group, fully interactive model that used five major DSM-IV categories and stratified by age, illness severity, deficits in daily living activities, dangerousness, and use of ECT explained 40% (out of a possible 76%) of daily cost variation not attributable to idiosyncratic daily changes within patients. A noninteractive model based on diagnosis-related groups, age, and medical comorbidity had explanatory power of only 32%. A regression model with 16 casemix groups restricted to using "appropriate" payment variables (i.e., those with clinical face validity and low administrative burden that are easily validated and provide proper care incentives) produced more efficient and equitable payments than did a noninteractive system based on diagnosis-related groups.

Psychiatric comorbidity and quality of life in patients with alcohol dependence syndrome

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Sidharth Arya

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Context: There is a lack of literature on the relation between psychiatric comorbidities and their influence on quality of life in patients with alcohol dependence syndrome in the Indian settings. Aims: To study the relation between psychiatric comorbidity with quality of life in patients with alcohol dependence. Settings and Design: The study was carried out in a de-addiction centre of a tertiary care hospital upon randomly selected inpatients of alcohol dependence syndrome. Patients with other substance abuse except tobacco or those with severe physical impairment were excluded. Materials and Methods: Hundred in-patients were assessed between the period of August 2013 to July 2014, using a number of instruments including specially designed proforma for clinical and drinking variables, CIWA-Ar, SADD, M.I.N.I 5.0 and WHO QoL Bref. Statistics used: SPSS 19.0 was used for analysis. Significance was calculated using t-test for continuous variables and chi-square test for categorical variables. Results: Prevalence of psychiatric disorder was found to be 32% across all the tested patients, with anxiety (n = 13 and depressive disorder (n = 12 being most common. Presence of psychiatric comorbidity lead to significant lowering in overall quality, perception of general health, physical (42.12 vs 57.78, P = 0.001, psychological (40.19 vs 53.29, P = 0.002, social (43.97 vs 66.90, P = 0.000, and environment (50.47 vs 62.71, P = 0.001 domains. Conclusion: Comorbid psychiatric disorders have a significant negative impact on the quality of life in patients with alcohol dependence syndrome.

Medication compliance behavior in psychiatric out‑patients with ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2014-10-24

Oct 24, 2014 ... No statistically significant relationship was found between substance use ... Access this article online ... Medication compliance in psychiatric patients in Nigeria. 372 ... had seen their physician until the sample size of 208 was.

Assesment of psychiatric symptoms and co-morbidities in patients with irritable bowel syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Sertbas, Y; Belli, H; Piskinpasa, N; Ural, C; Akbudak, M; Sertbas, M; Oncu, F

2012-08-01

To determine the psychiatric symptom assessment of patients seeking treatment for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and to demonstrate the presence of more complicated psychiatric disorders. The participants were recruited from patients who were attending internal medicine and gastroenterology clinics and who fullfilled the Rome III criteria for IBS. Fifty patients with IBS (IBS group) and 50 patients with complaints other than gastrointestinal symptoms (control group) were randomly selected. All participants were screened by the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID-I), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Symptom Check list - 90 (Revised) [SCL-90-R]. Seventeen patients (34%) and three control subjects (6%) had at least one psychiatric diagnosis (p = 0.001). Global severity index (GSI) total scores and SCL-90-R items were significantly higher in the IBS group than the control group (0.92 +/- 0.46 vs 0.358 +/- 0.19, p IBS group than the control group (p disorders diagnosed with SCID-I were significantly higher in the IBS group (34% vs 6%) [p = 0.001]. Among the Axis-I disorders, somatoform and anxiety disorders were higher in the patient group than in the control subjects (p = 0.002 and p = 0.0057) whereas there was no difference for mood disorders (p = 0.204). Seven (14%) of the patients and two (4%) of the control subjects had at least one Axis-II psychiatric disorder diagnosed with SCID-II without any significance (p = 0.159). These findings suggest that except for mood and personality disorders, almost all psychiatric symptoms and disease co-morbities with IBS are higher than in the sample without IBS. We can easily use SCL-90-R, BAI and BDI in internal medicine and gastroenterology clinics to detect psychiatric symptom levels and then to refer patients to a psychiatrist for further evaluation and treatment.

Insight and its relationship with stigma in psychiatric patients

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Deepak K Mishra

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Background: The literature on insight has paid insufficient attention to the social experiences that are associated with receiving and endorsing a diagnosis of mental illness. The psychological and behavioral commitments associated with insight extend beyond agreeing with a diagnosis and accepting treatment to include taking on the identity of an individual diagnosed with mental illness. This study sought to examine the relationship between insight and stigma in psychiatric patients. Materials and Methods: Cross-sectional assessment of insight and stigma was done using the system adopted by Kaplan and Sadock in their comprehensive textbook of psychiatry and Felt Stigma Scale in 100 psychiatric patients (40 patients suffering from Bipolar affective disorder, 30 Schizophrenics, 20 Substance dependents and 10 with Obsessive Compulsive disorder. Results: It was found that the level of stigma felt by patients with insight was significantly higher than that felt by patients without insight. Conclusion: Though there is a certain extent of stigma present in patients without insight, as is expected, the level of stigma increases as the patients develop insight.

[Use of social media by psychiatric in-patients : Case report and further perspectives].

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Czech, O M; Podoll, K; Schneider, F

2017-08-03

Communication by means of social networks and messenger programs as well as the use of smartphones have rapidly increased during recent years and are constantly present in everyday life. We report about a 25-year-old patient with a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder who posted photographs of acute self-injuries to a group of fellow patients by means of a messenger app while on weekend leave during psychiatric hospital treatment. The implications about possible effects of the use of social media by psychiatric in-patients on treatment and group dynamics are discussed. Furthermore, social media communication by patients is focused on in general and potential consequences for psychiatric, psychotherapeutic and psychosomatic treatment are discussed.

An observational study in psychiatric acute patients admitted to General Hospital Psychiatric Wards in Italy

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Margari Francesco

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Objectives this Italian observational study was aimed at collecting data of psychiatric patients with acute episodes entering General Hospital Psychiatric Wards (GHPWs. Information was focused on diagnosis (DSM-IV, reasons of hospitalisation, prescribed treatment, outcome of aggressive episodes, evolution of the acute episode. Methods assessments were performed at admission and discharge. Used psychometric scales were the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS, the Modified Overt Aggression Scale (MOAS and the Nurses' Observation Scale for Inpatient Evaluation (NOSIE-30. Results 864 adult patients were enrolled in 15 GHPWs: 728 (320 M; mean age 43.6 yrs completed both admission and discharge visits. A severe psychotic episode with (19.1% or without (47.7% aggressive behaviour was the main reason of admission. Schizophrenia (42.8% at admission and 40.1% at discharge and depression (12.9% at admission and 14.7% at discharge were the predominant diagnoses. The mean hospital stay was 12 days. The mean (± SD total score of MOAS at admission, day 7 and discharge was, respectively, 2.53 ± 5.1, 0.38 ± 2.2, and 0.21 ± 1.5. Forty-four (6.0% patients had episodes of aggressiveness at admission and 8 (1.7% at day 7. A progressive improvement in each domain/item vs. admission was observed for MOAS and BPRS, while NOSIE-30 did not change from day 4 onwards. The number of patients with al least one psychotic drug taken at admission, in the first 7 days of hospitalisation, and prescribed at discharge, was, respectively: 472 (64.8%, 686 (94.2% and 676 (92.9%. The respective most frequently psychotic drugs were: BDZs (60.6%, 85.7%, 69.5%, typical anti-psychotics (48.3%, 57.0%, 49.6%, atypical anti-psychotics (35.6%, 41.8%, 39.8% and antidepressants (40.9%, 48.8%, 43.2%. Rates of patients with one, two or > 2 psychotic drugs taken at admission and day 7, and prescribed at discharge, were, respectively: 24.8%, 8.2% and 13.5% in mono-therapy; 22.0%, 20

Problems in psychiatric care of 'difficult patients': a Delphi-study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Koekkoek, Bauke; van Meijel, Berno; Schene, Aart; Hutschemaekers, Giel

2009-01-01

'difficult patients' may evoke strong feelings in health professionals. The ambivalent attitude of, especially, non-psychotic chronic patients towards psychiatric care may be frustrating and burdensome to professionals. Many of these patients are cared for in non-specialized services, where

Problems in psychiatric care of 'difficult patients': a Delphi-study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Koekkoek, B.W.; Meijel, B.K.G. van; Schene, A.H.; Hutschemaekers, G.J.M.

2009-01-01

Aims - 'difficult patients' may evoke strong feelings in health professionals. The ambivalent attitude of, especially, non-psychotic chronic patients towards psychiatric care may be frustrating and burdensome to professionals. Many of these patients are cared for in non-specialized services, where

Men and masculinities in forensic psychiatric care: an interview study concerning male nurses' experiences of working with male caregivers and male patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumpula, Esa; Ekstrand, Per

2009-09-01

Forensic psychiatric care is largely populated by men--as patients, caregivers, and nurses. Previous research has not focused on the meaning of gender in this context. The aim of this study is to analyse male nurses' experiences of working with male caregivers and attending to male patients in forensic psychiatric care. Data were collected through interviews with six male nurses. The results consist of five themes. Protection and defence are key aspects of care and male caregivers gain status and authority through their physical strength. This could hamper caring and provide male caregivers with a superior position in the department.

Patients who leave the hospital against medical advice: the role of the psychiatric consultant.

Science.gov (United States)

Holden, P; Vogtsberger, K N; Mohl, P C; Fuller, D S

1989-01-01

Previous studies have identified characteristics of patients who threaten to leave non-psychiatric units against medical advice, but few have described the role of the psychiatric consultant in the patient's decision. This study compared the medical records of 31 patients who threatened to leave the hospital against medical advice (AMA) and who were seen in consultation with the records of AMA-discharged patients who were not seen by a psychiatric consultant. Most patients who received consultations remained hospitalized or were discharged in regular fashion. Those seen soon after admission were most likely to stay. Patients were more likely to remain hospitalized if the consultant's recommendations had a practical, rather than a psychological, orientation.

Gender differences in psychiatric comorbidity: a population-based study of 40 000 adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Solberg, B S; Halmøy, A; Engeland, A; Igland, J; Haavik, J; Klungsøyr, K

2018-03-01

We aimed at determining whether gender modified associations between ADHD and psychiatric comorbidities in adults. We identified adults with ADHD by linking Norwegian national registries and compared them with the remaining adult population (born 1967-1997, ADHD and bipolar during 2004-2015, other psychiatric disorders 2008-2015). Prevalence differences (PDs) and prevalence ratios (PRs) of psychiatric disorders were determined by Poisson regression. Interaction by gender was evaluated on additive (PDs) and multiplicative (PRs) scales. Proportions of psychiatric disorders attributable to ADHD were calculated. We identified 40 103 adults with ADHD (44% women) and 1 661 103 adults (49% women) in the remaining population. PDs associated with ADHD were significantly larger in women than in men for anxiety, depression, bipolar and personality disorders, for example depression in women: 24.4 (95% CI, 23.8-24.9) vs. in men: 13.1 (12.8-13.4). PDs were significantly larger in men for schizophrenia and substance use disorder (SUD), for example SUD in men: 23.0 (22.5-23.5) vs. in women: 13.7 (13.3-14.0). Between 5.6 and 16.5% of psychiatric disorders in the population were attributable to ADHD. The association between ADHD and psychiatric comorbidities differed significantly among men and women. Clinicians treating adults with ADHD should be aware of these frequent and gender-specific comorbidities, such that early treatment can be offered. © 2017 The Authors. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

American Psychiatric Nurses Association-Transitions in Practice Certificate Program: Bridging the Knowledge Gap in Caring for Psychiatric Patients Within the General Nursing Workforce.

Science.gov (United States)

Adams, Susie M; Black, Patricia

2016-01-01

The purpose of this article is to publicize an important new Web-based educational program. Recognizing the growing gap in psychiatric-mental health knowledge and the need to better prepare new graduates and nurses transitioning from other service lines into psychiatric inpatient nursing settings, the American Psychiatric Nurses Association developed a 15-hour, modularized curriculum to provide foundational psychiatric-mental health knowledge. This modularized curriculum, called American Psychiatric Nurses Association Transitions in Practice (ATP) focuses on the knowledge and skills to insure the success of nurses new to psychiatric-mental health nursing settings and to improve the overall care for persons with mental health and substance use disorders. The ATP program is also proving to be useful content for nurses in emergency departments, hospitals, and other health settings to improve their care of patients with psychiatric and mental health needs. A summary of the program modules and a toolkit with suggested measures for nurses, patients, and agency outcomes is described. Feedback from participants completing the ATP program within the first 6 months is overwhelmingly positive and holds promise for widespread application across a variety of health care settings.

Intriguing model significantly reduces boarding of psychiatric patients, need for inpatient hospitalization.

Science.gov (United States)

2015-01-01

As new approaches to the care of psychiatric emergencies emerge, one solution is gaining particular traction. Under the Alameda model, which has been put into practice in Alameda County, CA, patients who are brought to regional EDs with emergency psychiatric issues are quickly transferred to a designated emergency psychiatric facility as soon as they are medically stabilized. This alleviates boarding problems in area EDs while also quickly connecting patients with specialized care. With data in hand on the model's effectiveness, developers believe the approach could alleviate boarding problems in other communities as well. The model is funded by through a billing code established by California's Medicaid program for crisis stabilization services. Currently, only 22% of the patients brought to the emergency psychiatric facility ultimately need to be hospitalized; the other 78% are able to go home or to an alternative situation. In a 30-day study of the model, involving five community hospitals in Alameda County, CA, researchers found that ED boarding times were as much as 80% lower than comparable ED averages, and that patients were stabilized at least 75% of the time, significantly reducing the need for inpatient hospitalization.

A study of skin disorders in patients with primary psychiatric conditions

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Kuruvila Maria

2004-09-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The skin occupies a powerful position as an organ of communication and plays an important role in socialization throughout life. The interface between dermatology and psychiatry is complex and of clinical importance. AIMS: To document the incidence of cutaneous disorders in patients with primary psychiatric conditions. METHODS: Three hundred patients with a primary psychiatric condition who had cutaneous disease were entered into the study group. The patients were classified appropriately based on the classification of psychocutaneous disorders. The control group included 300 patients presenting with a skin disorder and without any known psychiatric complaint. RESULTS: The majority of the cases in the study group were in the 3rd-5th decade. In this study, the most common primary psychiatric conditions were manic depressive psychosis (53.33%, depression (36.33%, schizophrenia (8.33% and anxiety (2%. Of the study group, 68.66% patients had infective dermatoses and the rest had non-infective dermatoses. A high incidence of pityriasis versicolor and dermatophyte infections was noted in males from the study group. Among non-infective dermatoses, 8% had eczema, and psychogenic skin disorders were seen in 4.67% of the study group. Of these, delusions of parasitosis were the commonest (2% followed by venereophobia (1%. CONCLUSIONS: A statistically significant higher incidence of tinea versicolor and dermatophyte infections was seen in the study group. Delusion of parasitosis was the most common psychogenic skin disorder seen in the study group, followed by venereophobia.

Novel Psychoactive Substances in Young Adults with and without Psychiatric Comorbidities

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Giovanni Martinotti

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. Comorbidities between psychiatric diseases and consumption of traditional substances of abuse (alcohol, cannabis, opioids, and cocaine are common. Nevertheless, there is no data regarding the use of novel psychoactive substances (NPS in the psychiatric population. The purpose of this multicentre survey is to investigate the consumption of a wide variety of psychoactive substances in a young psychiatric sample and in a paired sample of healthy subjects. Methods. A questionnaire has been administered, in different Italian cities, to 206 psychiatric patients aged 18 to 26 years and to a sample of 2615 healthy subjects matched for sex, gender, and living status. Results. Alcohol consumption was more frequent in the healthy young population compared to age-matched subjects suffering from mental illness (79.5% versus 70.7%; P<0.003. Conversely, cocaine and NPS use was significantly more common in the psychiatric population (cocaine 8.7% versus 4.6%; P=0.002 (NPS 9.8% versus 3%; P<0.001. Conclusions. The use of novel psychoactive substances in a young psychiatric population appears to be a frequent phenomenon, probably still underestimated. Therefore, careful and constant monitoring and accurate evaluations of possible clinical effects related to their use are necessary.

Psychiatric comorbidity in patients with conversion disorder and prevalence of dissociative symptoms.

Science.gov (United States)

Yayla, Sinan; Bakım, Bahadır; Tankaya, Onur; Ozer, Omer Akil; Karamustafalioglu, Oguz; Ertekin, Hulya; Tekin, Atilla

2015-01-01

The 1st objective of the current study was to investigate the frequency and types of dissociative symptoms in patients with conversion disorder (CD). The 2nd objective of the current study was to determine psychiatric comorbidity in patients with and without dissociative symptoms. A total of 54 consecutive consenting patients primarily diagnosed with CD according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision, criteria who were admitted to the psychiatric emergency outpatient clinic of Sisli Etfal Research and Teaching Hospital (Istanbul, Turkey) were included in the study. The Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders, Structured Interview for DSM-IV Dissociative Disorders, and Dissociative Experiences Scale were administered. Study groups consisted of 20 patients with a dissociative disorder and 34 patients without a diagnosis of any dissociative disorder. A total of 37% of patients with CD had any dissociative diagnosis. The prevalence of dissociative disorders was as follows: 18.5% dissociative disorder not otherwise specified, 14.8% dissociative amnesia, and 3.7% depersonalization disorder. Significant differences were found between the study groups with respect to comorbidity of bipolar disorder, past hypomania, and current and past posttraumatic stress disorder (ps = .001, .028, .015, and .028, respectively). Overall comorbidity of bipolar disorder was 27.8%. Psychiatric comorbidity was higher and age at onset was earlier among dissociative patients compared to patients without dissociative symptoms. The increased psychiatric comorbidity and early onset of conversion disorder found in patients with dissociative symptoms suggest that these patients may have had a more severe form of conversion disorder.

Impact of child maltreatment on meaning in life in psychiatric patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Weibel, Sébastien; Vidal, Sonia; Olié, Emilie; Hasler, Roland; Torriani, Catherine; Prada, Paco; Courtet, Philippe; Guillaume, Sébastien; Perroud, Nader; Huguelet, Philippe

2017-05-01

Child maltreatment (CM) worsens prognosis and quality of life in several psychiatric conditions. Meaning in life is a construct which relates to the sense of purpose that one can perceive in life, and is a key aspect of recovery in psychiatric patients. The lasting impact of CM on meaning in life and its mediating variables have not been studied in patients with chronic persistent psychiatric conditions. One hundred and sixty-six patients with bipolar disorder (N=35), psychotic disorder (N=73), anorexia nervosa (N=30) or borderline personality disorder (N=28) were assessed for meaning in life (revised version of the Life Regard Index (LRI-R)), for CM (Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ)) and for internalized/externalized psychopathology. CM was associated with a lower LRI score. Structural Equation Modeling showed that internalized psychopathology (depression, hopelessness and low self-esteem) was the main mediator of the impact of CM on meaning in life. The direct effect of CM on meaning in life was not significant. Having suffered from negligence or abuse during childhood is associated with lower meaning in life in adults with persistent and pervasive psychiatric disorders. Treating depressive symptoms and improving self-esteem may improve meaning in life in patients with severe mental disorders who were affected by CM. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The importance of the patients deemed not guilty by reason of insanity for the psychiatric reform.

Science.gov (United States)

Douzenis, Athanasios

2016-01-01

According to the Greek Penal Law if someone "because of a morbid disturbance of his mental functioning" (article 34) is acquitted of a crime or misdemeanour that the law punishes with more than 6 months imprisonment, then the court orders that this individual should be kept in a public psychiatric institution if the court reaches the conclusion that this person poses a threat to public safety.1 Individuals who have broken the law and deemed "not guilty by reason of insanity" are treated in psychiatric units of Psychiatric Hospitals according to the article 69 of the Penal Code. In Athens, in the Psychiatric Hospital of Athens and the Dromokaiteion Psychiatric Hospital, and in Thessaloniki in the Unit for "Not guilty by reason of insanity (NGRI)". The person who is deemed not guilty by reason of insanity following a crime is facing double stigmatisation and marginalisation from both the legal and the health system. He/she is usually treated initially with fear and later since there is no therapeutic aim but only the court instruction for "guardianship", with indifference. The patient who is committed by the courts in a psychiatric unit for being "NGRI" is facing a unique legal and psychiatric status.2 In this respect he/she is disadvantaged when compared to either convicted criminals or psychiatric inpatients. If the patient was not found "NGRI" (ie innocent as far as sentencing is concerned) he would have been punished with loss of liberty for a certain (specific) amount of time, and like all individuals convicted in court he/she would have the right to appeal and reduce his/her sentence in a higher court and maybe released from prison earlier for good behaviour etc. In this respect the individual found to be "NGRI" is disadvantaged when compared to a convicted felon since he/she is kept for an undefined period of time. Additionally, he/she will be allowed to leave the psychiatric unit following a subjective assessment of a judge with no psychiatric knowledge who

Psychiatric symptoms are present in most of the patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus

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Matheus F. Oliveira

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH is characterized by gait disturbance, dementia and/or urinary incontinence associated with dilation of ventricular system with normal opening cerebrospinal fluid pressure. Wide scientifical evidence confirms association between NPH and psychiatric symptoms. We selected 35 patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus from January 2010 to January 2012 in a Brazilian tertiary hospital and performed a formal psychiatric evaluation to identify psychiatric disorders. Psychiatric disorders were present in 71% of these patients, especially anxiety, depression and psychotic syndromes. NPH patients may develop symptoms with frontal dominance, such as personality changes, anxiety, depression, psychotic syndromes, obsessive compulsive disorder, Othello syndrome; shoplifting and mania. Unusual appearances of NPH symptoms may hinder early diagnosis and consequently proper treatment.

Adverse life events increase risk for postpartum psychiatric episodes: A population-based epidemiologic study.

Science.gov (United States)

Meltzer-Brody, S; Larsen, J T; Petersen, L; Guintivano, J; Florio, A Di; Miller, W C; Sullivan, P F; Munk-Olsen, T

2018-02-01

Trauma histories may increase risk of perinatal psychiatric episodes. We designed an epidemiological population-based cohort study to explore if adverse childhood experiences (ACE) in girls increases risk of later postpartum psychiatric episodes. Using Danish registers, we identified women born in Denmark between January 1980 and December 1998 (129,439 childbirths). Exposure variables were ACE between ages 0 and 15 including: (1) family disruption, (2) parental somatic illness, (3) parental labor market exclusion, (4) parental criminality, (5) parental death, (6) placement in out-of-home care, (7) parental psychopathology excluding substance use, and (8) parental substance use disorder. Primary outcome was first occurrence of in- or outpatient contact 0-6 months postpartum at a psychiatric treatment facility with any psychiatric diagnoses, ICD-10, F00-F99 (N = 651). We conducted survival analyses using Cox proportional hazard regressions of postpartum psychiatric episodes. Approximately 52% of the sample experienced ACE, significantly increasing risk of any postpartum psychiatric diagnosis. Highest risks were observed among women who experienced out-of-home placement, hazard ratio (HR) 2.57 (95% CI: 1.90-3.48). Women experiencing two adverse life events had higher risks of postpartum psychiatric diagnosis HR: 1.88 (95% CI: 1.51-2.36), compared to those with one ACE, HR: 1.24 (95% CI: 1.03-49) and no ACE, HR: 1.00 (reference group). ACE primarily due to parental psychopathology and disability contributes to increased risk of postpartum psychiatric episodes; and greater numbers of ACE increases risk for postpartum psychiatric illness with an observed dose-response effect. Future work should explore genetic and environmental factors that increase risk and/or confer resilience. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Stress load during childhood affects psychopathology in psychiatric patients

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Popov Tzvetan

2008-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Childhood stress and trauma have been related to adult psychopathology in different psychiatric disorders. The present study aimed at verifying this relationship for stressful experiences during developmental periods by screening stress load across life in adult psychiatric inpatients with different diagnoses compared to healthy subjects. In addition, a relationship between the amount of adverse experiences and the severity of pathology, which has been described as a 'building block' effect in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD, was explored for non-traumatic events in psychiatric disorders other than PTSD. Methods 96 patients with diagnoses of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD, schizophrenia, drug addiction, or personality disorders (PD and 31 subjects without psychiatric diagnosis were screened for adverse experiences in childhood (before the age of six years, before onset of puberty, and in adulthood using the Early Trauma Inventory and the Posttraumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale. Effects of stress load on psychopathology were examined for affective symptoms, PTSD, and severity of illness by regression analyses and comparison of subgroups with high and low stress load. Results High stress load in childhood and before puberty, but not in adulthood, was related to negative affect in all participants. In patients, high stress load was related to depressive and posttraumatic symptoms, severity of disorder, and the diagnoses of MDD and PD. Conclusion Results support the hypothesis of stress-sensitive periods during development, which may interact with genetic and other vulnerability factors in their influence on the progress of psychiatric disorders. A 'dose' effect of stress load on the severity of psychopathology is not restricted to the relationship between traumata and PTSD.

Death and suicide among former child and adolescent psychiatric patients

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Rydelius Per-Anders

2006-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Increased mortality rates among previous child and adolescent psychiatry (CAP patients have been found in Scandinavian studies up to the 1980s. The suicide risk in this group has been estimated to be almost five times higher than expected. This article addresses two questions: Do Swedish CAP patients continue to risk premature death and what kind of information related to psychiatric symptoms and/or behavior problems can predict later suicide? Methods Hospital files, Sweden's census databases (including immigration and emigration and administrative databases (including the Swedish Hospital Discharge register and the Persons Convicted of Offences register, and the Cause of Death register were examined to determine the mortality rate in a group of 1,400 former CAP inpatients and outpatients over a period of 12–33 years. Observed and expected numbers of deceased were calculated with the prospective method and the standardized mortality ratio (SMR method. The relative risk or the risk ratio (RR is presented with 95% confidence intervals (CIs. Significance level tests were made using two-by-two tables and chi-square tests. The Cox proportional-hazards regression model was used for survival analysis. Results Twenty-four males and 14 females died. Compared with the general population, the standardized mortality ratio in this group of CAP patients was significantly higher in both sexes. Behavioral problems, school problems, and co-morbid alcohol or drug abuse and criminality (including alcohol-related crimes were found to be important predictors. Thirty-two deaths were attributed to suicide, intoxication, drug overdose, or accident; one patient died of an alcohol abuse-related disorder, and five patients died of natural causes. Suicide was the most common cause of death, but only 2 of these 19 cases were initially admitted for attempted suicide. Conclusion We suggest that suicide and death prevention among CAP patients may not be a

A Psychiatric Residency Curriculum on the Care of African American Patients

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, Herbert W.; Felder, Diane; Clark, Michelle O.

2004-01-01

Training psychiatric residents to address cross-cultural issues in their practice of psychiatry is a necessary objective of contemporary psychiatric education. Cultural issues play a critical role in the formation and expression of a patient's personality. In addition, they are a major determinant of the context in which mental illness develops.…

Oral hygiene and oral flora evaluation in psychiatric patients in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2015-03-02

Mar 2, 2015 ... Key words: Bacteria types, oral and dental illnesses, psychiatric patients. Date of Acceptance: .... patients, and difficulties such as insufficient sedation.[7]. This study .... Despite the general notion that stress triggers bruxism ...

Psychiatric comorbidities in patients with major depressive disorder

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Thaipisuttikul P

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Papan Thaipisuttikul, Pichai Ittasakul, Punjaporn Waleeprakhon, Pattarabhorn Wisajun, Sudawan Jullagate Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand Background: Psychiatric comorbidities are common in major depressive disorder (MDD. They may worsen outcome and cause economic burden. The primary objective was to examine the prevalence of psychiatric comorbidities in MDD. The secondary objectives were to compare the presence of comorbidities between currently active and past MDD, and between patients with and without suicidal risk.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. A total of 250 patients with lifetime MDD and age ≥18 years were enrolled. The Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI, Thai version, was used to confirm MDD diagnosis and classify comorbidities. MDD diagnosis was confirmed in 190, and 60 patients were excluded due to diagnosis of bipolar disorder.Results: Of the 190 MDD patients, 25.8% had current MDD and 74.2% had past MDD. Eighty percent were women. The mean age at enrollment was 50 years, and at MDD onset was 41 years. Most patients were married (53.2%, employed (54.8%, and had ≥12 years of education (66.9%. There were 67 patients (35.3% with one or more psychiatric comorbidities. Comorbidities included dysthymia (19.5%, any anxiety disorders (21.1% (panic disorder [6.8%], agoraphobia [5.8%], social phobia [3.7%], obsessive–compulsive disorder [OCD] [4.7%], generalized anxiety disorder [5.3%], and post-traumatic stress disorder [4.2%], alcohol dependence (0.5%, psychotic disorder (1.6%, antisocial personality (1.1%, and eating disorders (0%. Compared with past MDD, the current MDD group had significantly higher OCD (P<0.001, psychotic disorder (P=0.048, past panic disorder (P=0.017, and suicidal risk (P<0.001. Suicidal risk was found in 32.1% of patients. Patients with suicidal risk had more comorbid anxiety disorder of any type (P=0.019 and

STUDY ON PSYCHIATRIC CO - MORBIDITY IN PSORIASIS

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Shrikant B.

2015-06-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Psoriasis is relatively common , chronic inflammatory and hyper - proliferative skin disease that affects 1.4% to 2.0% of the population. Presence of itching , chronic recurrent course of disease and incomplete cure may contribute to great deal of psychiatric co - morbidity in these patients. the most persuasive indications of a link between stress and psoriasis comes from patients themselves , with studies illustrating that the majority of patients believe that stress or psychological distress is a factor in the manifestations of their condition . Depression and anxiety are the most common disorders that are associated with psoriasis , but the proportion of patient also having other psychiatric co - morbid diseases which include social phobia , generalize anxiety disorder , panic disorder , psychotic diso rder , etc. Moreover , symptoms of psoriasis , especially pruritus , are related to depression. OBJECTIVES : To evaluate different psychiatric illnesses their prevalence and severity in psoriasis patients. METHODOLOGY : This was cross - sectional observational stu dy comprised of 70 consecutive patients of psoriasis attending the out - patient department of Dermatology. All the patients were subjected to detailed examinations including the elicitation of dermatological and psychiatric profile after getting written con sent for study . Data was collected using self - developed , pre tested , semi structured Pro format by interview method. RESULTS : The profile of psychiatric diagnoses obtained in the present study depressive disorder 31.4% {18.57% depression , 12.85% Depression with anxiety symptoms} , anxiety disorder 25.7% (7.14% GAD , 8.17% panic disorder , 5.71% social phobia , 4.28 specific phobia. Severity of major depressive disorder was determined with HAM - D score 53.8% had mild depression , 30.7% moderate depression and 15. 5% severe depression. Similarly when HAM - A scale was used to determined severity of generalized

Psychiatric illness and facebook: a case report.

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Veretilo, Pavel; Billick, Stephen Bates

2012-09-01

There is relatively little content available addressing the use of social media, such as Facebook in psychiatric populations. There has been significant growth of various social media websites in the last 10 years, such as Facebook, and yet little is written about their overall impact on this population. There are articles in the scientific literature about the use of social media in adolescents and young adults and also about its use among physicians and medical students. This article reviews the literature addressing social media and describes a therapeutic interaction with a patient with significant psychiatric comorbities and his use of social media. Furthermore, this is a unique example in current literature of an overall positive interaction and social improvement of this patient in large degree due to his use of Facebook. Physicians themselves must be very cautious in their interaction with patients online and especially via social media, while acknowledging that social media can serve as a spring board for more reclusive patients into greater societal integration.

Clinical features and therapeutic management of patients admitted to Italian acute hospital psychiatric units: the PERSEO (psychiatric emergency study and epidemiology survey

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Russo Federico

2007-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The PERSEO study (psychiatric emergency study and epidemiology is a naturalistic, observational clinical survey in Italian acute hospital psychiatric units, called SPDCs (Servizio Psichiatrico Diagnosi e Cura; in English, the psychiatric service for diagnosis and management. The aims of this paper are: (i to describe the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of patients, including sociodemographic features, risk factors, life habits and psychiatric diagnoses; and (ii to assess the clinical management, subjective wellbeing and attitudes toward medications. Methods A total of 62 SPDCs distributed throughout Italy participated in the study and 2521 patients were enrolled over the 5-month study period. Results Almost half of patients (46% showed an aggressive behaviour at admission to ward, but they engaged more commonly in verbal aggression (38%, than in aggression toward other people (20%. A total of 78% of patients had a psychiatric diagnosis at admission, most frequently schizophrenia (36%, followed by depression (16% and personality disorders (14%, and no relevant changes in the diagnoses pattern were observed during hospital stay. Benzodiazepines were the most commonly prescribed drugs, regardless of diagnosis, at all time points. Overall, up to 83% of patients were treated with neuroleptic drugs and up to 27% received more than one neuroleptic either during hospital stay or at discharge. Atypical and conventional antipsychotics were equally prescribed for schizophrenia (59 vs 65% during stay and 59 vs 60% at discharge, while atypical drugs were preferred in schizoaffective psychoses (72 vs 49% during stay and 70 vs 46% at discharge and depression (41 vs 32% during stay and 44 vs 25% at discharge. Atypical neuroleptics were slightly preferred to conventional ones at hospital discharge (52 vs 44%. Polypharmacy was in general widely used. Patient attitudes toward medications were on average positive and self

Correlates of Length of Stay and Boarding in Florida Emergency Departments for Patients With Psychiatric Diagnoses.

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Smith, Joseph L; De Nadai, Alessandro S; Storch, Eric A; Langland-Orban, Barbara; Pracht, Etienne; Petrila, John

2016-11-01

Length of stay (LOS) and boarding in the emergency department (ED) for psychiatric patients have been the subject of concern, given the problems with crowding and excessive wait times in EDs. This investigation examined correlates of LOS and boarding in Florida EDs for patients presenting with psychiatric complaints from 2010 to 2013. Utilizing the Florida ED discharge database, the authors examined the association of LOS and boarding with hospital and encounter factors for adult patients presenting with a primary psychiatric diagnosis (N=597,541). The mean LOS was 7.77 hours. Anxiety disorders were the most frequent psychiatric complaint and were associated with the lowest mean LOS compared with other diagnoses (pboarding (a stay of more than six or more hours in the ED). Extended LOS was endemic for psychiatric patients in Florida EDs.

Screening of alcohol use disorders in psychiatric outpatients: influence of gender, age, and psychiatric diagnosis.

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Sánchez Autet, Mónica; Garriga, Marina; Zamora, Francisco Javier; González, Idilio; Usall, Judith; Tolosa, Leticia; Benítez, Concepción; Puertas, Raquel; Arranz, Belén

2017-07-14

Alcohol use disorders (AUD) are 2 times higher among psychiatric patients than in the general population. The under-recognition of this dual diagnosis can entail several negative outcomes. Early assessment with a screening tool like the CAGE questionnaire could be an opportunity to improve patients' prognoses. The objective of this study is to assess AUD risk in an outpatient psychiatric sample with a modified CAGE, considering the influence of age, gender and clinical psychiatric diagnosis. An observational, multicentric, descriptive study was carried out. The 4-item CAGE scale, camouflaged in a healthy lifestyle questionnaire, was implemented, using a cut-off point of one. 559 outpatients were assessed. 54% were female and the average age was 50.07 years. 182 patients presented a CAGE score ≥1 (45.1% of men and 21.9% of women). Gender was the strongest predictor of a positive result in CAGE, as men were 3.03 times more likely to score ≥1 on the CAGE questionnaire (p < .001, 95% CI: 0.22-0.49). Patients with bipolar and personality disorders had the highest rates of CAGE scores ≥1 (45.2 and 44.9%, respectively), with a significant association between diagnosis and a positive score (p = .002). Patients above 60 years were 2.5 times less likely to score ≥1 on the CAGE (p = .017, 95% CI: 0.19-0.85). Specific screening questionnaires, like the CAGE scale, can be an easy and useful tool in the assessment of AUD risk in psychiatric outpatients. Male patients with a bipolar or personality disorder present a higher risk of AUD.

Risk of psychiatric disorders following polycystic ovary syndrome: a nationwide population-based cohort study.

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Jeng-Hsiu Hung

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS is one of the most common endocrine disorders among women of reproductive age. A higher prevalence of psychiatric comorbidities, including depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, and bipolar disorder has been proved in patients with PCOS. However, a clear temporal causal relationship between PCOS and psychiatric disorders has not been well established. OBJECTIVE: We explored the relationship between PCOS and the subsequent development of psychiatric disorders including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, and sleep disorder. METHODS: We identified patients who were diagnosed with PCOS by an obstetrician-gynecologist in the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. A comparison cohort was constructed of patients without PCOS who were matched according to age and sex. The occurrence of subsequent new-onset psychiatric disorders was evaluated in both cohorts based on diagnoses made by psychiatrists. RESULTS: The PCOS cohort consisted of 5431 patients, and the comparison cohort consisted of 21,724 matched control patients without PCOS. The incidence of depressive disorder (hazard ratio [HR] 1.296, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.084-.550, anxiety disorder (HR 1.392, 95% CI 1.121-1.729, and sleep disorder (HR 1.495, 95% CI 1.176-1.899 were higher among the PCOS patients than among the patients in the comparison cohort. In addition, a higher incidence of newly diagnosed depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, and sleep disorder remained significantly increased in all of the stratified follow-up durations (0-1, 1-5, ≥5 y. CONCLUSIONS: PCOS might increase the risk of subsequent newly diagnosed depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, and sleep disorder. The risk of newly diagnosed bipolar disorder, which has often been reported in the literature to be comorbid with PCOS, was not significantly elevated.

Psychiatric comorbidity among patients with hypochondriasis.

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Noyes, R; Kathol, R G; Fisher, M M; Phillips, B M; Suelzer, M T; Woodman, C L

1994-03-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the nature and extent of comorbidity among patients with DSM-III-R hypochondriasis and to examine the relationships between this disorder and coexisting psychiatric illness. For this purpose, patients seen in a general medicine clinic were screened using measures of hypochondriacal attitudes and somatic symptoms. Those scoring above an established cutoff were given a structured diagnostic interview. In this manner, 50 patients who met DSM-III-R criteria for hypochondriasis and 50 age- and sex-matched controls were identified. The presence of other psychiatric disorders (current and past) was determined by means of the same diagnostic interview. More hypochondriacal subjects (62.0%) had lifetime comorbidity than did controls (30.0%). Major depression, the most frequent comorbid disturbance, was usually current and most often had an onset after that of hypochondriasis. Panic disorder with agoraphobia, the most frequent anxiety disorder, was also current but often began before or at the same time as hypochondriasis. Few subjects met criteria for somatization disorder but a third qualified for a subsyndromal form of this disorder. The data show that, in medical outpatients with hypochondriasis, mood and anxiety disorders frequently coexist. This comorbidity is subject to varying interpretations including overlap of symptom criteria, treatment-seeking bias, and the possibility that hypochondriasis predisposes to or causes the comorbid disorder, as seems likely in the case of depression. In some instances hypochondriasis may be an associated feature of another illness.

Cultural Issues in Psychiatric Administration and Leadership.

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Aggarwal, Neil Krishan

2015-09-01

This paper addresses cultural issues in psychiatric administration and leadership through two issues: (1) the changing culture of psychiatric practice based on new clinician performance metrics and (2) the culture of psychiatric administration and leadership in light of organizational cultural competence. Regarding the first issue, some observers have discussed the challenges of creating novel practice environments that balance business values of efficient performance with fiduciary values of treatment competence. This paper expands upon this discussion, demonstrating that some metrics from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the nation's largest funder of postgraduate medical training, may penalize clinicians for patient medication behaviors that are unrelated to clinician performance. A focus on pharmacotherapy over psychotherapy in these metrics has unclear consequences for the future of psychiatric training. Regarding the second issue, studies of psychiatric administration and leadership reveal a disproportionate influence of older men in positions of power despite efforts to recruit women, minorities, and immigrants who increasingly constitute the psychiatric workforce. Organizational cultural competence initiatives can diversify institutional cultures so that psychiatric leaders better reflect the populations they serve. In both cases, psychiatric administrators and leaders play critical roles in ensuring that their organizations respond to social challenges.

Patient safety on psychiatric wards: A cross-sectional, multilevel study of factors influencing nurses' willingness to share power and responsibility with patients.

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Vandewalle, Joeri; Malfait, Simon; Eeckloo, Kristof; Colman, Roos; Beeckman, Dimitri; Verhaeghe, Sofie; Van Hecke, Ann

2018-04-01

The World Health Organization highlights the need for more patient participation in patient safety. In mental health care, psychiatric nurses are in a frontline position to support this evolution. The aim of the present study was to investigate the demographic and contextual factors that influence the willingness of psychiatric nurses to share power and responsibility with patients concerning patient safety. The patient participation culture tool for inpatient psychiatric wards was completed by 705 nurses employed in 173 psychiatric wards within 37 hospitals. Multilevel modelling was used to analyse the self-reported data. The acceptance of a role wherein nurses share power and responsibility with patients concerning patient safety is influenced by the nurses' sex, age, perceived competence, perceived support, and type of ward. To support nurses in fulfilling their role in patient participation, patient participation-specific basic and continuing education should be provided. Managers and supervisors should recognize and fulfil their facilitating role in patient participation by offering support to nurses. Special attention is needed for young nurses and nurses on closed psychiatric wards, because these particular groups report being less willing to accept a new role. Ward characteristics that restrict patient participation should be challenged so that these become more patient participation stimulating. More research is needed to explore the willingness and ability of psychiatric nurses to engage in collaborative safety management with patients who have specific conditions, such as suicidal ideation and emotional harm. © 2017 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.

Psychiatric Nurses' Views on Caring: Patients and Canine Companions.

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King, Camille

2017-03-01

Psychiatric nurses are expert care providers for individuals with mental health needs. The art of caring spans across multiple species, is important to understand, and is universal whether intentions are toward individuals or animals. Pets are often cared for and viewed as family members. The current research examined psychiatric nurses' views on the similarities and differences of caring for patients and their pet dogs. Twenty-five nurses were interviewed. Similarities of caring for patients and canines included trusting relationships, companionship, daily basic needs, and improved communication through monitored body language. Differences in caring included personal expectations, unconditional love, and professional boundaries. Understanding the concepts of caring for patients and pet dogs will provide the opportunity for insight into familial versus professional relationships, improve communication with others, and strengthen the human-animal bond. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 55(3), 46-52.]. Copyright 2017, SLACK Incorporated.

Psychiatric Symptoms in Patients with Alopecia Areata

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Burak

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Background and Design: Alopecia areata is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by sudden hair loss. Existing evidence suggests that alopecia areata may be associated with personality traits altering the susceptibility to stress and psychiatric conditions associated with stress. The aim of this study was to compare the intensity of depressive and anxiety symptoms and the level of alexithymia in patients with alopecia areata and healthy control subjects.Materials and methods: Fifty patients with the diagnosis of alopecia areata and 30 healthy volunteers were compared in terms of scores of Beck depression inventory, Beck anxiety inventory, and Toronto alexithymia scale.Results: There were no statistically significant differences between alopecia areata cases and healthy controls regarding intensity of anxiety and level of alexythimia (p=0.053 and p=0.120, respectively. The intensity of depressive symptoms exhibited by alopecia areata patients was found to be significantly higher than that in healthy controls (p=0.010 and there was no statistically significant relationship between intensity of depressive symptoms and duration of the current alopecia areata episode (p=0.873.Conclusion: It is suggested that psychiatric evaluation should also be performed in all alopecia areata cases during the clinical follow-up period. (Turk­derm 2011; 45: 203-5

PSYCHIATRIC EVALUATION OF LIMB FRACTURE PATIENTS

OpenAIRE

CHAUDHURY, S; JOHN, TR; KUMAR, A; SINGH, HARCHARAN

2002-01-01

The study included 70 consecutive patients with fracture of the lower and upper limbs each and an equal number of age and sex matched normal control subjects. All the subjects were screened using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (MAST), Carroll Rating Scale for Depression (CRSD), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Impact of Events Scale (IES), Fatigue Scale (FS) and the Perceived Stress Questionnaire (PSQ). Probable “Psychiatric cases” identifi...

Variables influencing presenting symptoms of patients with eating disorders at psychiatric outpatient clinics.

Science.gov (United States)

Tseng, Mei-Chih Meg; Chen, Kuan-Yu; Chang, Chin-Hao; Liao, Shih-Cheng; Chen, Hsi-Chung

2016-04-30

Eating disorders (EDs) have been underdiagnosed in many clinical settings. This study investigates the influence of clinical characteristics on presenting symptoms of patients with EDs. Psychiatric outpatients, aged 18-45, were enrolled sequentially and received a two-phase survey for EDs in August 2010-January 2013. Their primary reasons for seeking psychiatric help were obtained at their first encounter with outpatient psychiatrists. Patients' clinical and demographic characteristics were compared according to presenting symptoms with or without eating/weight problems. Of 2140 patients, 348 (16.3%) were diagnosed with an ED (22.6% of women and 6.3% of men). The three most common reasons for seeking psychiatric help were eating/weight problems (46.0%), emotional problems (41.3%), and sleep disturbances (19.3%). The multivariate analyses suggest that when patients with EDs presented symptoms that were less related to eating/weight problems, they were significantly more likely to be those having diagnoses other than anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa and less severe degree of binge-eating. Further, patients with EDs who demonstrated more impulsive behaviors and poorer functioning were less likely to report their eating problems when visiting psychiatric clinics. Thus, ED should be assessed routinely in patients with complex psychopathology to facilitate comprehensive treatment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of psychiatric morbidity in patients with irritable bowel syndrome and non-ulcer dyspepsia

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Susanta Kumar Padhy

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Background and Aims: The present study aimed to find psychiatric morbidity, stress, anxiety, and depression in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS and compare it with patients having non-ulcer dyspepsia (NUD. Methods: This case NUD study compared 50 patients each with IBS and NUD. The two groups were compared on demographic data, psychiatric diagnosis using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis 1 disorders, anxiety levels using the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A, and depression using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D. The Presumptive Stressful Life Events Scale (PSLES was used to measure stress. Results: The cases of IBS were more likely to be of female gender (P = 0.012, married (P = 0.009, and employed (P < 0.001. Psychiatric diagnoses were more common in the cases of IBS than NUDs (88% vs. 30%, P< 0.001, the most common being major depression and somatization disorder. Symptoms of anxiety and depression were more common in patients with IBS (P < 0.001 for HAM-A and HAM-D. Logistic regression revealed that having IBS and increased age were independent predictors of having a psychiatric diagnosis. Conclusions: IBS is associated with the considerable degree of psychiatric morbidity. Adequate attention should be paid toward comorbid psychiatric illnesses, and prompt treatment should be instituted.

Interventions to promote psychiatric patients' compliance to mental ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Method: A systematic review was chosen as a design to identify primary studies that answered the following research question: What is the current evidence on interventions to promote psychiatric patients' compliance to mental health treatment? Selected electronic databases were thoroughly searched. Studies were ...

Psychiatric comorbidity as predictor of costs in back pain patients undergoing disc surgery: a longitudinal observational study

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Konnopka Alexander

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Psychiatric comorbidity is common in back pain patients undergoing disc surgery and increases economic costs in many areas of health. The objective of this study was to analyse psychiatric comorbidity as predictor of direct and indirect costs in back pain patients undergoing disc surgery in a longitudinal study design. Methods A sample of 531 back pain patients was interviewed after an initial disc surgery (T0, 3 months (T1 and 15 months (T2 using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview to assess psychiatric comorbidity and a modified version of the Client Sociodemographic and Service Receipt Inventory to assess resource utilization and lost productivity for a 3-month period prior interview. Health care utilization was monetarily valued by unit costs and productivity by labour costs. Costs were analysed using random coefficient models and bootstrap techniques. Results Psychiatric comorbidity was associated with significantly (p  Conclusion Psychiatric comorbidity presents an important predictor of direct and indirect costs in back pain patients undergoing disc surgery, even if patients do not utilize mental health care. This effect seems to be stable over time. More attention should be given to psychiatric comorbidity and cost-effective treatments should be applied to treat psychiatric comorbidity in back pain patients undergoing disc surgery to reduce health care utilization and costs associated with psychiatric comorbidity.

The relationship between self-esteem and psychiatric disorders in adolescents.

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Guillon, M S; Crocq, Marc-Antoine; Bailey, P E

2003-03-01

To examine the relationship between self-esteem and psychiatric disorders in adolescents. Seventy-six adolescents (mean age: 16.02 years; range: 12-20) treated in an inpatient unit and presenting with DSM-IV psychotic disorder, depressive disorder, anxious disorder, anorexia nervosa, personality disorder, or conduct disorder were compared with a control group of 119 adolescents drawn from a normal population. All the subjects were assessed with the French translation of the Coopersmith self-esteem inventory (SEI). Self-esteem was significantly higher in the control than in the clinical population (P = 0.0001). Female patients showed significantly lower SEI scores than male patients. Self-esteem increased significantly after 12 weeks in patients with a first psychotic episode who responded successfully to antipsychotic drug treatment. In the clinical group, a history of suicide attempts and sexual abuse was associated with significantly lower SEI scores. Lack of boy- or girlfriend, dropping out of school, and social withdrawal were also associated with lower self-esteem. The presence of a psychiatric disorder in adolescents is associated with decreased self-esteem. This decrease in self-esteem varies according to the psychiatric disorder. Appropriate treatment can enhance self-esteem in adolescent patients.

Religiousness, religious coping methods and distress level among psychiatric patients in Malaysia.

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Nurasikin, M S; Khatijah, L A; Aini, A; Ramli, M; Aida, S A; Zainal, N Z; Ng, C G

2013-06-01

Patients having psychiatric diagnoses often experience high level of distress. Religiousness is often used by them as part of their coping mechanism and problem-solving strategies. To determine the level of religious commitment and coping methods in psychiatric patients and its relationship with distress level. Religious commitment and coping patterns were measured with the Duke University Religious Index (DUREL) and Brief RCOPE, respectively. Psychopathology was assessed using the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and distress level was assessed with the Depressive, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS). Social support and experiences of recent threatening events were measured with the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) and Life Threatening Events (LTE). A total of 228 patients were included in this study with a mean age of 40.2 years. The majority were male, Malay, Muslim, single and with psychotic disorder. The subjects had a high level of religious commitment and had used more positive coping methods. Negative religious coping, psychiatric symptoms and diagnosis of anxiety disorder or major depression were significantly associated with high distress level. Higher religious commitment was significantly associated with lower distress (p depression were associated with higher distress.

A review and meta-analysis of the patient factors associated with psychiatric in-patient aggression.

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Dack, C; Ross, J; Papadopoulos, C; Stewart, D; Bowers, L

2013-04-01

To combine the results of earlier comparison studies of in-patient aggression to quantitatively assess the strength of the association between patient factors and i) aggressive behaviour,ii) repetitive aggressive behaviour. A systematic review and meta-analysis of empirical articles and reports of comparison studies of aggression and non-aggression within adult psychiatric in-patient settings. Factors that were significantly associated with in-patient aggression included being younger, male, involuntary admissions, not being married, a diagnosis of schizophrenia, a greater number of previous admissions, a history of violence, a history of self-destructive behaviour and a history of substance abuse. The only factors associated with repeated in-patient aggression were not being male, a history of violence and a history of substance abuse. By comparing aggressive with non-aggressive patients, important differences between the two populations may be highlighted. These differences may help staff improve predictions of which patients might become aggressive and enable steps to be taken to reduce an aggressive incident occurring using actuarial judgements. However, the associations found between these actuarial factors and aggression were small. It is therefore important for staff to consider dynamic factors such as a patient's current state and the context to reduce in-patient aggression. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Prevalence of child abuse in child and adolescent clinical population referred to psychiatric facilities in Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Iran

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Seyyed Gholamreza Nourazar

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The present study was ‎designed to evaluate the prevalence of child abuse in a child and adolescent psychiatric clinical population. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in a clinical population of children and adolescents aged 8-18 years. 80 out-patients and 94 in-patients were selected according to probability proportional to size sampling. Kiddie schedule for affective disorder and schizophrenia questionnaire, a demographic questionnaire, and child abuse self-report scale were filled for each subject. Data were analyzed by using Stata software. Results: Among the out-patient subjects, 50 were male (62.5% and 30 were female (37.5%; for in-patient these subjects numbers were 76 (80.9% and 18 (19.1%, respectively. The mean age of subjects was 15.2 years in the in-patient group and 11.7 years in the out-patient group. In 66.1% of abuse cases the perpetrators were parents, 5.2% siblings, and 28.7% someone else. Among in-patient subjects, summed up prevalence rates of severe and very severe psychological abuse, neglect, physical abuse, and sexual abuse were 11.7, 33.0, 2.1, and 0.0%, respectively; for out-patient subjects these values were 3.8, 11.2, 3.8, and 0.0%, respectively. Moreover, among in-patient subjects, prevalence rates of moderate psychological abuse, neglect, physical abuse, and sexual abuse were 27.7, 27.7, 24.5, and 4.3%, respectively; and for out-patient subjects these values were 30.0, 27.5, 11.2, and 0.0%, respectively. Subjects with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD suffered a higher rate of physical abuse, whereas, subjects with bipolar mood disorder (BMD suffered a higher rate of sexual abuse. Conclusion: The prevalence of child abuse is highly prevalent in children and adolescents with psychiatric disorders. It is recommended that this population be screened routinely for child abuse.

Developing Family Psychoeducational Treatments for Patients with Bipolar and Other Severe Psychiatric Disorders: A Pathway from Basic Research to Clinical Trials.

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Miklowitz, David J.; Hooley, Jill M.

1998-01-01

Describes the development pathway of family treatments for patients with severe and persistent psychiatric disorders in a population for whom family attributes have prognostic importance. The methodological complexities of psychosocial treatment studies are many. Moreover, the results of these studies often reflect interactions between treatment,…

Patient Experienced Continuity of Care in the Psychiatric Healthcare System

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Natasja Koitzsch; Johansen, Katrine Schepelern; Kastrup, Marianne

2014-01-01

Aim: The purpose of this study was to investigate continuity of care in the psychiatric healthcare system from the perspective of patients, including vulnerable groups such as immigrants and refugees. Method: The study is based on 19 narrative interviews conducted with 15 patients with diverse...... migration backgrounds (immigrants, descendents, refugees, and ethnic Danes). Patients were recruited from a community psychiatric centre situated in an area with a high proportion of immigrants and refugees. Data were analysed through the lens of a theoretical framework of continuity of care in psychiatry......, developed in 2004 by Joyce et al., which encompasses four domains: accessibility, individualised care, relationship base and service delivery. Results: Investigating continuity of care, we found issues of specific concern to immigrants and refugees, but also commonalities across the groups...

Psychiatric morbidity in the community: A population based-study from Kerala.

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Shaji, K S; Raju, D; Sathesh, V; Krishnakumar, P; Punnoose, Varghese P; Kiran, P S; Mini, B S; Kumar, Shibu; Anish, P K; Kaimal, Ganga G; Gupthan, Lekshmy; Sumesh, T P; Nikhil, U G; Cyriac, Nisha; Vinod, M D; Kumar, R Prasad; Chandran, Ramesh; Rejani, P P; Amrutha, R; Mahesh; Anand, T N

2017-01-01

Estimates of psychiatric morbidity in the community will help service development. Participation of trained nonspecialist health-care providers will facilitate scaling up of services in resource-limited settings. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of priority mental health problems in populations served by the District Mental Health Program (DMHP). This is a population-based cross-sectional survey. We did stratified cluster sampling of households in five districts of Kerala. Trained Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) identified people who had symptoms suggestive of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Clinicians evaluated the information collected by the ASHAs and designated individuals as probable cases of psychosis or noncases. Screening instruments such as General Health Questionnaire-12, CAGE questionnaire, and Everyday Abilities Scale for India were used for identifying common mental disorders (CMDs), clinically significant alcohol-related problems, and functional impairment. We found 12.43% of the adult population affected by mental health conditions. We found CMD as most common with a prevalence of 9%. The prevalence of psychosis was 0.71%, clinically significant alcohol-related problems was 1.46%, and dementia and other cognitive impairments was 1.26%. We found informant-based case finding to be useful in the identification of psychosis. Mental health problems are common. Nonspecialist health-care providers can be trained to identify psychiatric morbidity in the community. Their participation will help in narrowing the treatment gap. Embedding operational research to DMHP will make scaling up more efficient.

Theophylline toxicity leading to suicidal ideation in a patient with no prior psychiatric illness

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sumit Kapoor

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Suicidal behavior is a common psychiatric emergency and is associated with psychiatric illness and history of prior suicide attempts. Neuropsychiatric manifestations related to theophylline toxicity are well described in literature. We report a case of theophylline toxicity manifesting as suicidal ideation in a patient with no prior psychiatric illness.

[Involuntary psychiatric care for inmates in France: Only for "dangerous" patients?

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Fovet, T; Bertrand, M; Horn, M; Si Mohammed, W; Dandelot, D; Dalle, M-C; Thomas, P; Amad, A

2017-11-27

The unités hospitalières spécialement aménagées (UHSA) are full-time inpatient psychiatric units for inmates in France. Their creation has been associated with several advances in access to psychiatric care for inmates in recent years. However, there is still only one means of involuntary hospitalization for prisoners in France: care by decision of a representative of the state (les soins sur décision d'un représentant de l'état [SDRE]). Interestingly, for SDRE to be recognized as legal by the French judge, the patient must be "a danger to himself or to the others". Thus, there is a major difference with involuntary hospitalization outside the prison, and there are specific criteria for involuntary psychiatric hospitalization for inmates in France. This situation questions the general framework of involuntary psychiatric care and is very inconsistent with French law. Indeed, the goal of the loi n o  94-43 du 18 janvier 1994 relating to public health and social protection is to ensure equivalent care for all patients, incarcerated or not. Copyright © 2017 L'Encéphale, Paris. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Newly identified psychiatric illness in one general practice: 12-month outcome and the influence of patients' personality.

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Wright, A F; Anderson, A J

1995-01-01

BACKGROUND. Relatively little is known about the natural history and outcome of psychological problems in patients who present to general practitioners. Only a small proportion of such patients are seen by specialists. Clinical experience suggests that patient personality is one of the factors influencing outcome in patients diagnosed as having psychiatric illness. AIM. This study set out to examine prospectively the progress and 12-month outcome of patients with newly identified psychiatric illness, and the association of patients' personality with outcome. METHOD. One hundred and seventy one patients with clinically significant psychiatric illness attending one practice in a Scottish new town were followed up prospectively (96 presented with psychological symptoms and 75 with somatic symptoms), and were compared with a group of 127 patients with chronic physical illness. Patients were assessed in terms of psychiatric state, social problems and personality using both computer-based and pencil and paper tests in addition to clinical assessments at each consultation during the follow-up year and structured interview one year after recruitment. RESULTS. Most of the improvement in psychiatric state scores on the 28-item general health questionnaire occurred in the first six months of the illness. Of the 171 patients with psychiatric illness 34% improved quickly and remained well, 54% had an intermittent course but had improved at 12-month follow up while 12% pursued a chronic course without improvement. The mean number of consultations in the follow-up year was 8.4 for patients presenting with psychological symptoms, 7.2 for those presenting with somatic symptoms and 6.6 for patients with chronic physical illness. The Eysenck N score proved a strong predictor of the outcome of new psychiatric illness. CONCLUSION. Only one in three patients with newly identified psychiatric illness improved quickly and and remained well, reflecting the importance of continuing care of

Patient aggression in psychiatric services: the experience of a ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

aggression is often the focus of many research reports.1-4. Attitudes are ... Objective: Aggression is a common feature in psychiatric in-patient units in Africa. The attitudes ..... qualitative study focusing on the characterization and perception of.

Cultural Issues in Psychiatric Administration and Leadership

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Aggarwal, Neil Krishan

2016-01-01

This paper addresses cultural issues in psychiatric administration and leadership through two issues: (1) the changing culture of psychiatric practice based on new clinician performance metrics and (2) the culture of psychiatric administration and leadership in light of organizational cultural competence. Regarding the first issue, some observers have discussed the challenges of creating novel practice environments that balance business values of efficient performance with fiduciary values of treatment competence. This paper expands upon this discussion, demonstrating that some metrics from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the nation’s largest funder of postgraduate medical training, may penalize clinicians for patient medication behaviors that are unrelated to clinician performance. A focus on pharmacotherapy over psychotherapy in these metrics has unclear consequences for the future of psychiatric training. Regarding the second issue, studies of psychiatric administration and leadership reveal a disproportionate influence of older men in positions of power despite efforts to recruit women, minorities, and immigrants who increasingly constitute the psychiatric workforce. Organizational cultural competence initiatives can diversify institutional cultures so that psychiatric leaders better reflect the populations they serve. In both cases, psychiatric administrators and leaders play critical roles in ensuring that their organizations respond to social challenges. PMID:26071640

Pattern of psychiatric illnesses among elderly patients receiving ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

More than half (57.5%) were married while about a third (36.3%) were widowed. Children of subjects constituted the largest percentage (78.2%) of caregivers. The three most common psychiatric illnesses were Depression (41%), Dementia (27%) and Schizophrenia (15%). A large proportion (61.8%) of the patients attended ...

Do electronic health records affect the patient-psychiatrist relationship? A before & after study of psychiatric outpatients

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Schuyler Mark

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background A growing body of literature shows that patients accept the use of computers in clinical care. Nonetheless, studies have shown that computers unequivocally change both verbal and non-verbal communication style and increase patients' concerns about the privacy of their records. We found no studies which evaluated the use of Electronic Health Records (EHRs specifically on psychiatric patient satisfaction, nor any that took place exclusively in a psychiatric treatment setting. Due to the special reliance on communication for psychiatric diagnosis and evaluation, and the emphasis on confidentiality of psychiatric records, the results of previous studies may not apply equally to psychiatric patients. Method We examined the association between EHR use and changes to the patient-psychiatrist relationship. A patient satisfaction survey was administered to psychiatric patient volunteers prior to and following implementation of an EHR. All subjects were adult outpatients with chronic mental illness. Results Survey responses were grouped into categories of "Overall," "Technical," "Interpersonal," "Communication & Education,," "Time," "Confidentiality," "Anxiety," and "Computer Use." Multiple, unpaired, two-tailed t-tests comparing pre- and post-implementation groups showed no significant differences (at the 0.05 level to any questionnaire category for all subjects combined or when subjects were stratified by primary diagnosis category. Conclusions While many barriers to the adoption of electronic health records do exist, concerns about disruption to the patient-psychiatrist relationship need not be a prominent focus. Attention to communication style, interpersonal manner, and computer proficiency may help maintain the quality of the patient-psychiatrist relationship following EHR implementation.

Persistency of Cannabis Use Predicts Violence following Acute Psychiatric Discharge

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Jules R. Dugré

2017-09-01

Full Text Available BackgroundViolence is a major concern and is prevalent across several mental disorders. The use of substances has been associated with an exacerbation of psychiatric symptoms as well as with violence. Compared to other substances such as alcohol and cocaine, existing literature on the cannabis–violence relationship has been more limited, with most studies being conducted in the general population, and has shown controversial results. Evidence has suggested a stronger relationship when examining the effects of the persistency of cannabis use on future violent behaviors. Though, while cannabis use is highly prevalent amid psychiatric patients, far less literature on the subject has been conducted in this population. Hence, the present prospective study aims to investigate the persistency of cannabis use in psychiatric patients.MethodThe sample comprised of 1,136 recently discharged psychiatric patients provided by the MacArthur Risk Assessment Study. A multi-wave (five-assessment follow-up design was employed to allow temporal sequencing between substance use and violent behaviors. Generalized estimating equations (GEE were used to examine the effect of persistency of cannabis use on violence, while controlling for potential confounding factors. Potential bidirectional association was also investigated using the same statistical approach.ResultsOur results suggest a unidirectional association between cannabis use and violence. GEE model revealed that the continuity of cannabis use across more than one time wave was associated with increased risks of future violent behavior. Patients who reported having used cannabis at each follow-up periods were 2.44 times more likely to display violent behaviors (OR = 2.44, 95% CI: 1.06–5.63, p < 0.05.ConclusionThese findings are particularly relevant as they suggest that the longer individuals report having used cannabis after a psychiatric discharge, the more likely they are of being violent in the

Conditions of life and death of psychiatric patients in France during World War II: euthanasia or collateral casualties?

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Lemoine, Patrick; Stahl, Stephen M

2018-04-01

Between 1940 and 1944, an estimated 48,588 patients resident in French psychiatric hospitals died of starvation. Standard prisons, while facing similar problems, did not experience the same number of deaths by starvation, partly due to their ability to develop a black market for food and rations. Patients in psychiatric hospitals, on the other hand, were completely at the mercy of their doctors and the personnel in charge. At Hôpital du Vinatier, a psychiatric facility in Lyon, the mortality rate increased sharply from 1940 to 1944. In 1942, the worst year, 42% of patients died of hunger and exposure. In the end, more than 2,000 patients died at Vinatier. Was this due to a supposed lack of rations, or was it something more sinister? In Germany at the same time, tens of thousands of psychiatric patients died of purposeful starvation in psychiatric hospitals as part of the Nazi program of psychiatric euthanasia. Was the same thing occurring in Lyon?

Psychiatric disorders are overlooked in patients with drug abuse.

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Kruckow, Line; Linnet, Kristian; Banner, Jytte

2016-03-01

Psychiatric disease is overlooked in drug users. Patients with both drug abuse and a psychiatric disease - dual diagnosis - suffer decreased compliance to treatment and decreased life expectancy compared with single-diagnosis patients. Identifying the patients among either drug addicts or mentally ill patients is difficult. All drug addicts autopsied at the Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Denmark, in the years 1992, 2002 and 2012 were included. The group was divided into two subpopulations of possible dual diagnosis patients either according to police reports stating mental illness or to psychotropics found in the toxicology screening after autopsy. We found a rise in possible mental illness in both subpopulations in the study period. Drug addicts with psychotropics in the blood at the time of death increased from 3.1% in 1992 to 48.1% in 2012, and this group was significantly younger at the time of death than those without psychotropics in the blood. Suspected dual diagnosis patients have increased in number. They die earlier than their drug addict counterparts. Methadone remains the leading cause of death in all subpopulations. Possible causes are misuse of treatment and/or illegally bought methadone, wrongly assigned cause of death due to unknown tolerance and/or polydrug toxicity in combination with psychotropic medicine. none. not relevant.

Co-aggregation of major psychiatric disorders in individuals with first-degree relatives with schizophrenia: a nationwide population-based study.

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Cheng, C-M; Chang, W-H; Chen, M-H; Tsai, C-F; Su, T-P; Li, C-T; Tsai, S-J; Hsu, J-W; Huang, K-L; Lin, W-C; Chen, T-J; Bai, Y-M

2017-11-07

A previous genetic study has suggested that schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) share common disease-associated genes. However, whether individuals with first-degree relatives (FDRs) with schizophrenia have a higher risk of these major psychiatric disorders requires further investigation. This study used Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database and identified 151 650 patients with schizophrenia and 227 967 individuals with FDRs with schizophrenia. The relative risks (RRs) of schizophrenia and other major psychiatric disorders were assessed in individuals with FDRs with schizophrenia. The individuals with FDRs with schizophrenia exhibited higher RRs (95% confidence interval) of major psychiatric disorders, namely schizophrenia (4.76, 4.65-4.88), bipolar disorder (3.23, 3.12-3.35), major depressive disorder (2.05, 2.00-2.10), ASD (2.55, 2.35-2.77) and ADHD (1.31, 1.25-1.37) than were found in the total population. Several sensitivity analyses were conducted to confirm these results. A dose-dependent relationship was observed between the risks of major psychiatric disorders and the numbers of FDRs with schizophrenia. The increased risks of major psychiatric disorders were consistent in different family relationships, namely among parents, offspring, siblings and twins. Our study supports the familial dose-dependent co-aggregation of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, ASD and ADHD, and our results may prompt governmental public health departments and psychiatrists to focus on the mental health of individuals with FDRs with schizophrenia.Molecular Psychiatry advance online publication, 7 November 2017; doi:10.1038/mp.2017.217.

Reactions of psychiatric patients to telepsychiatry

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Robbie Campbell

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Telepsychiatry could offer a viable medical service to remote or isolated social communities if it does not generate adverse reactions such as delusional ideation, particularly in patients in settlements without adequate exposure to mainstream culture and internet. We examined subjective reactions to telepsychiatry of randomly selected 84 psychiatric patients from remote locations in Ontario, Canada. They rated the quality of their teleconferencing sessions via 10 item questionnaire and were asked about advantages and disadvantages of telepsychiatry. The majority of patients indicated that they were able to communicate as if physically present (92.9% and were comfortable with telepsychiatric service (95.2%. They found the sessions as beneficial as direct meetings with their psychiatrist (84.5% and would use this service again (98.8%. There were no instances of telepsychiatry being associated with adverse reactions in patients from remote communities with inadequate exposure to modern mainstream culture and internet.

Patterns of caffeine consumption in psychiatric patients. An Italian study.

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Ciapparelli, A; Paggini, R; Carmassi, C; Taponecco, C; Consoli, G; Ciampa, G; Ramacciotti, C E; Marazziti, D; Dell'Osso, L

2010-05-01

The aim of the present study was to explore and compare the caffeine intake, intoxication, withdrawal and dependence prevalence in Italian psychiatric patients and healthy subjects. Three hundred and sixty-nine out- and inpatients, suffering from different psychiatric disorders, and 104 healthy subjects were included in the study. They were assessed by the SCID and by a structured interview for caffeine intoxication and withdrawal and for substance dependence applied to caffeine use. Patients and healthy subjects did not differ in terms of current caffeine intake (mg/day, mean+/-SD: 281+/-325 vs. 288+/-148, respectively), while the maximum lifetime intake of caffeine was significantly higher in the first group (mg/day, mean SD: 630+/-549 vs. 504+/-344, respectively; F=4.897, p=.03) where it was significantly related to the CGI severity item scores (rho=.107; p=.04). In both patients and healthy subjects, a lower age was related to a higher current caffeine intake, while both current and maximum lifetime caffeine intake in the healthy subjects were significantly higher in men than in women. The patients suffering from eating disorders reported higher current caffeine intake than those with anxiety or mood disorders. The prevalence of dependence and intoxication was significantly higher in the patients than in the healthy subjects, without inter-group differences. Healthy subjects showed a trend towards a higher prevalence of withdrawal. Our study highlights the need that a more accurate attention should be paid to the caffeine use which seems to be strongly, although generically, related to different psychiatric disorders. (c) 2009 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Psychiatric in-patients' experience of being secluded in a specific ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual study was undertaken to explore and describe the experiences of psychiatric in-patients who are secluded in a specific hospital in Lesotho. Evidence about the rationale and appropriate use of seclusion as well as promotion of mental health in secluded patients has ...

Euthanasia requests, procedures and outcomes for 100 Belgian patients suffering from psychiatric disorders: a retrospective, descriptive study

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Thienpont, Lieve; Verhofstadt, Monica; Van Loon, Tony; Distelmans, Wim; Audenaert, Kurt; De Deyn, Peter P

2015-01-01

Objectives To identify patterns in euthanasia requests and practices relating to psychiatric patients; to generate recommendations for future research. Design Retrospective analysis of data obtained through medical file review. Setting Outpatient psychiatric clinical setting in the Dutch-speaking region of Belgium, between October 2007 and December 2011; follow-up at the end of December 2012. Participants 100 consecutive psychiatric patients requesting euthanasia based on psychological suffering associated with psychiatric disorders (77 women, 23 men; mean age 47 years; age range 21–80 years). Main outcome measures Patient sociodemographic characteristics; diagnoses; decisions on euthanasia requests; circumstances of euthanasia procedures; patient outcomes at follow-up. Results Most patients had been referred for psychiatric counselling by their physician (n=55) or by LEIF (Life End Information Forum) (n=36). 90 patients had >1 disorder; the most frequent diagnoses were depression (n=58) and personality disorder (n=50). 38 patients required further testing and/or treatment, including 13 specifically tested for autism spectrum disorder (ASD); 12 received an ASD diagnosis (all Asperger syndrome). In total, 48 of the euthanasia requests were accepted and 35 were carried out. Of the 13 remaining patients whose requests were accepted, 8 postponed or cancelled the procedure, because simply having this option gave them enough peace of mind to continue living. In December 2012, 43 patients had died, including 35 by euthanasia; others died by suicide (6), palliative sedation (1) and anorexia nervosa (1). Conclusions Depression and personality disorders are the most common diagnoses in psychiatric patients requesting euthanasia, with Asperger syndrome representing a neglected disease burden. Further research is needed, especially prospective quantitative and qualitative studies, to obtain a better understanding of patients with psychiatric disorders who request

Processes of In-Hospital Psychiatric Care and Subsequent Criminal Behaviour Among Patients With Schizophrenia: A National Population-Based, Follow-Up Study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, C. G.; Jensen, S. O. W.; Johnsen, S. P.

2013-01-01

Objectives: It is unknown whether evidence-based, in-hospital processes of care may influence the risk of criminal behaviour among patients with schizophrenia. Our study aimed to examine the association between guideline recommended in-hospital psychiatric care and criminal behaviour among patients...... patients receiving the most processes of in hospital care (top quartile of received recommended care, compared with bottom quartiles, adjusted hazard ratio = 0.86, 95% CI 0.75 to 0.99). The individual processes of care associated with the lowest risk of criminal behaviour were antipsychotic treatment...

Psychiatric morbidity in the community: A population based-study from Kerala

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Shaji, K. S.; Raju, D.; Sathesh, V; Krishnakumar, P.; Punnoose, Varghese P.; Kiran, P. S; Mini, B. S.; Kumar, Shibu; Anish, P. K; Kaimal, Ganga G.; Gupthan, Lekshmy; Sumesh, T. P.; Nikhil, U. G; Cyriac, Nisha; Vinod, M. D.; Kumar, R. Prasad; Chandran, Ramesh; Rejani, P. P; Amrutha, R; Mahesh; Anand, TN

2017-01-01

Background: Estimates of psychiatric morbidity in the community will help service development. Participation of trained nonspecialist health-care providers will facilitate scaling up of services in resource-limited settings. Aims: This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of priority mental health problems in populations served by the District Mental Health Program (DMHP). Settings and Design: This is a population-based cross-sectional survey. Materials and Methods: We did stratified cluster sampling of households in five districts of Kerala. Trained Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) identified people who had symptoms suggestive of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Clinicians evaluated the information collected by the ASHAs and designated individuals as probable cases of psychosis or noncases. Screening instruments such as General Health Questionnaire-12, CAGE questionnaire, and Everyday Abilities Scale for India were used for identifying common mental disorders (CMDs), clinically significant alcohol-related problems, and functional impairment. Results: We found 12.43% of the adult population affected by mental health conditions. We found CMD as most common with a prevalence of 9%. The prevalence of psychosis was 0.71%, clinically significant alcohol-related problems was 1.46%, and dementia and other cognitive impairments was 1.26%. We found informant-based case finding to be useful in the identification of psychosis. Conclusions: Mental health problems are common. Nonspecialist health-care providers can be trained to identify psychiatric morbidity in the community. Their participation will help in narrowing the treatment gap. Embedding operational research to DMHP will make scaling up more efficient. PMID:28827860

An audit of patient aggression in an adult psychiatric unit: 2013-2014.

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Ewing, Claire; Phillipou, Andrea; Castle, David

2018-02-01

The aim of this study was to determine the rates of patient aggression in a psychiatric unit over 12 months and to determine underlying causes, notably the role of substances. A retrospective file audit was undertaken of all patients admitted to St Vincent's psychiatric unit (Melbourne, Australia) in the first half of 2013 and 2014 involved in an aggressive incident. Patient information included demographics, psychiatric, substance and aggression history. The setting and context of aggression and associated mental state findings were also reviewed. There were 26 aggressive incidents in 2013 and 63 in 2014, perpetrated by 11 and 34 patients respectively. No significant differences were found between the groups' baseline demographics. The 2014 cohort was significantly more likely to have substance use history (odds ratio (OR) 4.83) and have made threats to staff (OR 4.07) but significantly less likely to be distracted by internal stimuli (OR 0.05). There were also (not statistically significant) trends for the 2014 cohort; they were more likely to report a history of alcohol use (OR 3.9); be accompanied to emergency department by police (OR 2.95) and have leave prior to aggression ( χ 2 = 7.37). Aggressive incidents more than doubled over 12 months. Substance use appeared to be a major factor associated with aggression. These findings have implications for service provision and training. Further research is needed to better understand and manage substances in psychiatric settings.

Patients’ experiences of patient education on psychiatric inpatient wards; a systematic review

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kristiansen, Sanne Toft; Videbech, Poul; Kragh, Mette

2018-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To synthesize the evidence on how patients with serious mental disorders perceived patient education on psychiatric wards and to learn more about the patient perceived benefits and limitations related to patient education and how well patient education meets the perceived needs of inpa...

Understanding Design Vulnerabilities in the Physical Environment Relating to Patient Fall Patterns in a Psychiatric Hospital: Seven Years of Sentinel Events.

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Bayramzadeh, Sara; Portillo, Margaret; Carmel-Gilfilen, Candy

2018-05-01

The influence of the physical environment on patient falls has not been fully explored in psychiatric units, despite this patient population's vulnerability and the critical role of the physical environment in patient safety. The research objective is to describe the spatial and temporal pattern of falls occurrences and their location in relation to the levels of safety continuum model. This article presents an exploratory case study design. Seven years of retrospective data on patient falls, yielding 818 sentinel events, in an 81-bed psychiatric hospital in the United States were collected and analyzed. Data focused on extrinsic factors for falls, emphasizing the physical environment. Through a content analysis of the sentinel event narratives, recorded by the hospital staff, this study explored patient falls related to location and elements of the physical environment. The analysis revealed that 15% of recorded falls were attributed to some aspect of or element within the physical environment. The most typical locations of falls were patient rooms (39%), patient bathrooms (22%), and dayrooms (20%). Also, the results identified patterns of environmental factors that appeared linked to increasing patients' susceptibility to falls. Risk factors included poor nighttime lighting, flooring surfaces that were uneven, and spaces that inadvertently limited visual access and supervision. The physical environment plays an often-unexamined role in fall events and specific locations. These results are deserving of further research on design strategies and applications to reduce patient falls in psychiatric hospital settings.

Leisure Activity and Hospital Readmission of Short-Term Psychiatric Patients.

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McMinn, Sheri B.; Lay, C. Marvin

William Menninger (1948) reported research results indicating a significant relationship in a former patient's ability to stay well and his participation in recreation. J. Bates (1963) indicated one reason patients return to psychiatric facilities was the lack of skills that center around recreation. This study was conducted to investigate the…

Sleep disturbances in a clinical forensic psychiatric population

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kamphuis, Jeanine; Karsten, Julie; de Weerd, Al; Lancel, Marike

2013-01-01

Objective: Poor sleep is known to cause detrimental effects on the course of diverse psychiatric disorders and is a putative risk factor for hostility and aggression. Thus, sleep may be crucial in forensic psychiatric practice. However, little is known about the prevalence of sleep disturbances in

Psychiatric and neurological symptoms in patients with Niemann-Pick disease type C (NP-C): Findings from the International NPC Registry.

Science.gov (United States)

Bonnot, Olivier; Gama, Clarissa S; Mengel, Eugen; Pineda, Mercè; Vanier, Marie T; Watson, Louise; Watissée, Marie; Schwierin, Barbara; Patterson, Marc C

2017-10-09

Niemann-Pick disease type C (NP-C) is a rare inherited neurovisceral disease that should be recognised by psychiatrists as a possible underlying cause of psychiatric abnormalities. This study describes NP-C patients who had psychiatric manifestations at enrolment in the international NPC Registry, a unique multicentre, prospective, observational disease registry. Treating physicians' data entries describing psychiatric manifestations in NPC patients were coded and grouped by expert psychiatrists. Out of 386 NP-C patients included in the registry as of October 2015, psychiatric abnormalities were reported to be present in 34% (94/280) of those with available data. Forty-four patients were confirmed to have identifiable psychiatric manifestations, with text describing these psychiatric manifestations. In these 44 patients, the median (range) age at onset of psychiatric manifestations was 17.9 years (2.5-67.9; n = 15), while the median (range) age at NP-C diagnosis was 23.7 years (0.2-69.8; n = 34). Almost all patients (43/44; 98%) had an occurrence of ≥1 neurological manifestation at enrolment. These data show that substantial delays in diagnosis of NP-C are long among patients with psychiatric symptoms and, moreover, patients presenting with psychiatric features and at least one of cognitive impairment, neurological manifestations, and/or visceral symptoms should be screened for NP-C.

Evaluation Of The Overload Of Care In Families Of Psychiatric Patients In Psychosocial Care Center

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Mayron Morais Almeida

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The burden of care in family refers to the weight caused by the primary caregiver role to psychiatric patients and the difficulties encountered in performing this function in daily life. Objectives: Assessing the objective and subjective overload of family members who live with the reality of psychiatric disorder in a child day-care psychosocial care center. Methods: Cross-sectional study, descriptive-exploratory, of quantitative approach, with non-probabilistic samples of accidental type with 80 families of psychiatric patients held in a Psychosocial Care Center. For overload evaluation, the subscales "B" and "D" of the Family Overload Rating Scale (FBIS-BR were used. Results: The study was conducted with 80 families of psychiatric patients. The average age of female caregivers was 39,6 years old, and 40,7 years old for male caregivers, with female predominance (87,5% compared to men (12,5%, with low education for both genres. Family caregivers presented high objective burden due to excessive demand attention (p<0,001, heteroaggressiveness (p<0,001 and perplexing behavior of psychiatric patients regarding the supervision of problematic behaviors (p<0,001. The items on the impact on the family's daily routine have not helped to generate objective overload for the family members. On subjective overload, it was clear to observe familiar members with high degree of disturbance in all the dimensions assessed (p < 0,001. Conclusion: The high degree of care overload observed in family members indicates the need to develop contacts with the family of the psychiatric patient to answer questions, offer support and assistance to the family caregiver. Keywords: Caregivers. Patients. Mental Health Services.

Increase in sickness absence with psychiatric diagnosis in Norway: a general population-based epidemiologic study of age, gender and regional distribution

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Brage Sören

2006-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The aim of this study was to assess the incidence of sickness absence with psychiatric diagnoses from 1994–2000, and the distribution across gender, age groups, diagnostic groups and regions in a general population. Methods The population at risk was defined as all individuals aged 16–66 years who were entitled to sickness benefits in 1994, 1996, 1998 and 2000 (n = 2,282,761 in 2000. All individuals with a full-time disability pension were excluded. The study included approximately 77% of the Norwegian population aged 16–66 years. For each year, the study base started on 1 January and ended on 31 December. Individuals that were sick-listed for more than 14/16 consecutive days with a psychiatric diagnosis on their medical certificate were selected as cases. Included in this study were data for Norway, the capital city Oslo and five regions in the southeast of the country. Results Sickness absence with psychiatric diagnoses increased in all age groups, in women and men, and in all regions. At the national level, the cumulative incidence increased in women from 1.7% in 1994 to 4.6% in 2000, and in men from 0.8% in 1994 to 2.2% in 2000. The highest cumulative incidence was found in middle-aged women and men (30–59 years. Women had a higher incidence than men in all stratification groups. The cumulative incidences in 2000 varied between 4.6% to 5.6% in women in the different regions, and for men the corresponding figures were 2.1% to 3.2%. Throughout the four years studied, women in Oslo had more than twice as high incidence levels of sickness absence with alcohol and drug diagnoses as the country as a whole. There were some differences between regions in sickness absence with specific psychiatric diagnoses, but they were small and most comparisons were non-significant. Conclusion Sickness absence with psychiatric diagnoses increased between 1994 and 2000 in Norway. The increase was highest in the middle-aged, and in women

Psychiatric characterization of children with genetic causes of hyperandrogenism.

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Mueller, Sven C; Ng, Pamela; Sinaii, Ninet; Leschek, Ellen W; Green-Golan, Liza; VanRyzin, Carol; Ernst, Monique; Merke, Deborah P

2010-11-01

Very little is known about the mental health status in children with genetic causes of hyperandrogenism. This study sought to characterize psychiatric morbidity in this group. Children (8-18 years) with the diagnosis of classic congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) or familial male precocious puberty (FMPP) underwent a semi-structured psychiatric interview, the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia-Present and Lifetime Version. According to sex and the literature, incidence of identified psychopathology was compared between the two endocrinological groups. We evaluated 72 patients: 54 CAH (21 females) and 18 FMPP. Twenty-four (44.4%) CAH patients and 10 (55.6%) FMPP patients met the criteria for at least one lifetime psychiatric diagnosis. Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was present in 18.2% of CAH males, 44.4% of FMPP males, and one case (4.8%) in CAH females. A high rate of anxiety disorders was also found in all the three groups (17-21%). Relative to females with CAH, the FMPP patients exhibited higher rates of ADHD. Age at diagnosis and the treatment modalities were not associated with psychopathology. Rates of psychiatric disorder, specifically ADHD and anxiety disorders, were higher than in the general population. Although anxiety disorders may occur at an increased rate in children with chronic illness, androgens may contribute to higher risk for psychopathology in pediatric patients with genetic cause of excess androgen. Early diagnosis and treatment of childhood hyperandrogenism is essential for optimal development. The results suggest that assessment for psychiatric disorders should be part of the routine evaluation of these patients.

Child and adolescent psychiatric patients and later criminality

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Rydelius Per-Anders

2007-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Sweden has an extensive child and adolescent psychiatric (CAP research tradition in which longitudinal methods are used to study juvenile delinquency. Up to the 1980s, results from descriptions and follow-ups of cohorts of CAP patients showed that children's behavioural disturbances or disorders and school problems, together with dysfunctional family situations, were the main reasons for families, children, and youth to seek help from CAP units. Such factors were also related to registered criminality and registered alcohol and drug abuse in former CAP patients as adults. This study investigated the risk for patients treated 1975–1990 to be registered as criminals until the end of 2003. Methods A regional sample of 1,400 former CAP patients, whose treatment occurred between 1975 and 1990, was followed to 2003, using database-record links to the Register of Persons Convicted of Offences at the National Council for Crime Prevention (NCCP. Results Every third CAP patient treated between 1975 and 1990 (every second man and every fifth woman had entered the Register of Persons Convicted of Offences during the observation period, which is a significantly higher rate than the general population. Conclusion Results were compared to published results for CAP patients who were treated between 1953 and 1955 and followed over 20 years. Compared to the group of CAP patients from the 1950s, the results indicate that the risk for boys to enter the register for criminality has doubled and for girls, the risk seems to have increased sevenfold. The reasons for this change are discussed. Although hypothetical and perhaps speculative this higher risk of later criminality may be the result of lack of social control due to (1 rising consumption of alcohol, (2 changes in organisation of child social welfare work, (3 the school system, and (4 CAP methods that were implemented since 1970.

Treatment needs, diagnoses and use of services for acutely admitted psychiatric patients in northwest Russia and northern Norway

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Sørgaard Knut W

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background We compared demography, diagnoses and clinical needs in acutely admitted psychiatric hospital patients in northwest Russia and northern Norway. Method All acutely admitted psychiatric patients in 1 psychiatric hospital in north-west Russia and 2 in northern Norway were in a three months period assessed with HoNOS and a Norwegian form developed to study acute psychiatric services (MAP. Data from a total of 841 patients were analysed (377 Norwegian, 464 Russian with univariate and multivariate statistics. Results Russian patients were more often males who had paid work. 2/3 were diagnosed with alcohol and organic disorders, and 70% reported problems related to sleep. Depression was widespread, as were problems associated with occupation. Many more Norwegian patients were on various forms of social security and lived in community supported homes. They had a clinical profile of affective disorders, use of drugs, suicidality and problems with activities involved of daily life. Slightly more Norwegian patients were involuntary admitted. Conclusion Acutely admitted psychiatric patients in North West Russia and Northern Norwegian showed different clinical profiles: alcohol, depression and organic disorders characterised Russian patients, affective disorders, suicidality and use of drugs characterised the Norwegians. Whereas Norwegian patients are mainly referred from GPs the Russians come via 1.line psychiatric services (“dispensaries”. Average length of stay for Russian patients was 2.5 times longer than that of the Norwegian.

Psychopathology of the General Population Referred by Primary Care Physicians for Urgent Assessment in Psychiatric Hospitals

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Judith McLenan

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the type, severity and progression of psychiatric pathologies in a sample of 372 outpatients (age range 18–65 years referred by their primary general practitioners (GPs to an Urgent Referral Team (URT based in a psychiatric hospital in Aberdeen, Scotland. This team offers immediate appointments (1- to 7-day delays for rapid assessments and early interventions to the outpatients referred by their primary family doctors.Method: One-sample t-test and z statistic were used for data analysis. From the total population, a convenience sample of 40 people was selected and assessed to evaluate whether follow-up appointments after the first visit could reduce the severity of suicidal ideation, depression and anxiety in the outpatients seen by the URT. A two-sample t-test and a Wilcoxon signed-rank test were used to assess the variations in the scores during the follow-up visits.Results: We found a statistically significant prevalence of depressive disorders, comorbid with anxiety at first presentation in people who were females, white, never married, living with a partner, not studying and not in paid employment. The common presentation of borderline personality disorder and dysthymia in this population underscores its vulnerability to major socioeconomic challenges.Conclusion: The data confirmed the impact that primary care cooperation with psychiatric hospitals can have on the psychiatric system, and as a reflection, on the population’s mental health and well-being. In fact, active cooperation and early diagnosis and intervention will help detect cases at risk in the general population and reduce admissions into hospitals.

Patient Smartphone Ownership and Interest in Mobile Apps to Monitor Symptoms of Mental Health Conditions: A Survey in Four Geographically Distinct Psychiatric Clinics.

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Torous, John; Chan, Steven Richard; Yee-Marie Tan, Shih; Behrens, Jacob; Mathew, Ian; Conrad, Erich J; Hinton, Ladson; Yellowlees, Peter; Keshavan, Matcheri

2014-01-01

Despite growing interest in mobile mental health and utilization of smartphone technology to monitor psychiatric symptoms, there remains a lack of knowledge both regarding patient ownership of smartphones and their interest in using such to monitor their mental health. To provide data on psychiatric outpatients' prevalence of smartphone ownership and interest in using their smartphones to run applications to monitor their mental health. We surveyed 320 psychiatric outpatients from four clinics around the United States in order to capture a geographically and socioeconomically diverse patient population. These comprised a state clinic in Massachusetts (n=108), a county clinic in California (n=56), a hybrid public and private clinic in Louisiana (n=50), and a private/university clinic in Wisconsin (n=106). Smartphone ownership and interest in utilizing such to monitor mental health varied by both clinic type and age with overall ownership of 62.5% (200/320), which is slightly higher than the average United States' rate of ownership of 58% in January 2014. Overall patient interest in utilizing smartphones to monitor symptoms was 70.6% (226/320). These results suggest that psychiatric outpatients are interested in using their smartphones to monitor their mental health and own the smartphones capable of running mental healthcare related mobile applications.

What do bodily symptoms in African psychiatric patients mean ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Objective: To review the various bodily symptoms presented by African psychiatric patients and attempt to understand them. Method: The literature on bodily (somatic) symptoms is surveyed with special reference to Africans and examples are drawn from a focused group discussion in one African rural community.

Psychiatric morbidity in spouses of patients with alcohol related disorders

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Aruna Dandu

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Context: Alcohol dependence is on rise world over, especially in developing countries such as India. According to the World Health Organization, about 30% of Indians consume alcohol, out of which 4%–13% are daily consumers and up to 50% of them, fall under the category of hazardous drinking. Another worrying trend from India is that the average age of initiation of alcohol use has reduced from 28 years during the 1980s to 17 years in 2007. In India, alcohol abuse also amounts to huge annual losses due to alcohol-related problems in workplaces. This was a cross-sectional, noninterventional study which was carried out at the Department of Psychiatry, Sri Venkateswara Ramnaraian Ruia Government General Hospital (SVRRGGH, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the frequency and nature of psychiatric morbidity in spouses of patients with alcohol-related disorders (ARDs. Methods: Study design - Hospital-based cross-sectional study. Study setting - Psychiatry Department of SVRRGGH, Sri Venkateswara Medical College, Tirupati. Study period - October 1, 2014 to September 30, 2015. Study units - the spouses of adult patients attending the Department of Psychiatry, with a diagnosis of ARDs. After the ethical clearance from the Institutional Ethical Committee, the spouses of adult patients attending the Department of Psychiatry with a diagnosis of ARDs according to the International Classification of Diseases-10 classification of mental and behavioral disorders constitute the population for the investigation. After obtaining written informed consent from each of the concerned subjects, demographic details and history of psychiatric illness were noted as per the structured pro forma. Results: The age of the alcohol-dependent men and spouses of men with ADS ranged from 23 to 67 years (mean ± standard deviation [SD] 41.24 ± 10.101 and 21–60 years (mean ± SD 35.04 ± 8.98, respectively. Among the study population, 36.6% of

The opinion of patients with mental disorder about tobacco and its prohibition in psychiatric hospitalization

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Renata Marques de Oliveira

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Objective: To identify the opinion of patients with mental disorder about tobacco and its prohibition during psychiatric hospitalization. Method: An exploratory study with 96 patients smokers with mental disorders hospitalized in a psychiatric ward of a general hospital. The interviews were conducted individually, using an instrument designed for this study. The content from the interviews was recorded, transcribed and submitted to a thematic content analysis. Results: The patients with mental disorder were identified as perceiving smoking during the psychiatric hospitalization as a help to support the difficulties in socialization and in the lack of activities. The permission for smoking is seen as a signal of respect to their needs. The subjects mentioned to not accept the total smoking prohibition. Conclusion: Tobacco helps to face difficulties and conflicts in the psychiatric hospitalization. There is resistance regarding the possibility to totally withdraw the smoking permission during hospitalization.

Factors influencing adherence to psychopharmacological medications in psychiatric patients: a structural equation modeling approach.

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De Las Cuevas, Carlos; de Leon, Jose; Peñate, Wenceslao; Betancort, Moisés

2017-01-01

To evaluate pathways through which sociodemographic, clinical, attitudinal, and perceived health control variables impact psychiatric patients' adherence to psychopharmacological medications. A sample of 966 consecutive psychiatric outpatients was studied. The variables were sociodemographic (age, gender, and education), clinical (diagnoses, drug treatment, and treatment duration), attitudinal (attitudes toward psychopharmacological medication and preferences regarding participation in decision-making), perception of control over health (health locus of control, self-efficacy, and psychological reactance), and level of adherence to psychopharmacological medications. Structural equation modeling was applied to examine the nonstraightforward relationships and the interactive effects among the analyzed variables. Structural equation modeling demonstrated that psychiatric patients' treatment adherence was associated: 1) negatively with cognitive psychological reactance (adherence decreased as cognitive psychological reactance increased), 2) positively with patients' trust in their psychiatrists (doctors' subscale), 3) negatively with patients' belief that they are in control of their mental health and that their mental health depends on their own actions (internal subscale), and 4) positively (although weakly) with age. Self-efficacy indirectly influenced treatment adherence through internal health locus of control. This study provides support for the hypothesis that perceived health control variables play a relevant role in psychiatric patients' adherence to psychopharmacological medications. The findings highlight the importance of considering prospective studies of patients' psychological reactance and health locus of control as they may be clinically relevant factors contributing to adherence to psychopharmacological medications.

Sodium pentothal hypnosis: a procedure for evaluating medical patients with suspected psychiatric co-morbidity.

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Russo, M B; Brooks, F R; Fontenot, J P; Dopler, B M; Neely, E T; Halliday, A W

1997-03-01

The cases presented here were patients referred for neurologic disability evaluations. They met the three selection criteria presented and underwent the four-phase pentothal hypnosis procedure described and at the conclusion were diagnosed as having psychiatric morbidity. We recommend that the sodium pentothal hypnosis procedure be considered for use whenever there is concern for psychiatric co-morbidity in a patient with presumed physiologic disease.

Social class, social mobility and risk of psychiatric disorder--a population-based longitudinal study.

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Tiikkaja, Sanna; Sandin, Sven; Malki, Ninoa; Modin, Bitte; Sparén, Pär; Hultman, Christina M

2013-01-01

This study explored how adult social class and social mobility between parental and own adult social class is related to psychiatric disorder. In this prospective cohort study, over 1 million employed Swedes born in 1949-1959 were included. Information on parental class (1960) and own mid-life social class (1980 and 1990) was retrieved from the censuses and categorised as High Non-manual, Low Non-manual, High Manual, Low Manual and Self-employed. After identifying adult class, individuals were followed for psychiatric disorder by first admission of schizophrenia, alcoholism and drug dependency, affective psychosis and neurosis or personality disorder (N=24,659) from the Swedish Patient Register. We used Poisson regression analysis to estimate first admission rates of psychiatric disorder per 100,000 person-years and relative risks (RR) by adult social class (treated as a time-varying covariate). The RRs of psychiatric disorder among the Non-manual and Manual classes were also estimated by magnitude of social mobility. The rate of psychiatric disorder was significantly higher among individuals belonging to the Low manual class as compared with the High Non-manual class. Compared to High Non-manual class, the risk for psychiatric disorder ranged from 2.07 (Low Manual class) to 1.38 (Low Non-manual class). Parental class had a minor impact on these estimates. Among the Non-manual and Manual classes, downward mobility was associated with increased risk and upward mobility with decreased risk of psychiatric disorder. In addition, downward mobility was inversely associated with the magnitude of social mobility, independent of parental class. Independently of parental social class, the risk of psychiatric disorder increases with increased downward social mobility and decreases with increased upward mobility.

Understanding psychiatric nursing care with nonsuicidal self-harming patients in acute psychiatric admission units: the views of psychiatric nurses.

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O'Donovan, Aine; Gijbels, Harry

2006-08-01

Self-harm in the absence of suicidal intent is an underexplored area in psychiatric nursing research. This article reports on findings of a study undertaken in two acute psychiatric admission units in Ireland. The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of the practices of psychiatric nurses in relation to people who self-harm but who are not considered suicidal. Semistructured interviews were held with eight psychiatric nurses. Content analysis revealed several themes, some of which will be presented and discussed in this article, namely, the participants' understanding of self-harm, their approach to care, and factors in the acute psychiatric admission setting, which impacted on their care. Recommendations for further research are offered.

Zinc deficiency is common in several psychiatric disorders.

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Ole Grønli

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Mounting evidence suggests a link between low zinc levels and depression. There is, however, little knowledge about zinc levels in older persons with other psychiatric diagnoses. Therefore, we explore the zinc status of elderly patients suffering from a wide range of psychiatric disorders. METHODS: Clinical data and blood samples for zinc analyzes were collected from 100 psychogeriatric patients over 64 of age. Psychiatric and cognitive symptoms were assessed using the Montgomery and Aasberg Depression Rating Scale, the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia, the Mini-Mental State Examination, the Clockdrawing Test, clinical interviews and a review of medical records. In addition, a diagnostic interview was conducted using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview instrument. The prevalence of zinc deficiency in patients with depression was compared with the prevalence in patients without depression, and the prevalence in a control group of 882 older persons sampled from a population study. RESULTS: There was a significant difference in zinc deficiency prevalence between the control group (14.4% and the patient group (41.0% (χ(2 = 44.81, df = 1, p<0.001. In a logistic model with relevant predictors, zinc deficiency was positively associated with gender and with serum albumin level. The prevalence of zinc deficiency in the patient group was significantly higher in patients without depression (i.e. with other diagnoses than in patients with depression as a main diagnosis or comorbid depression (χ(2 = 4.36, df = 1, p = 0.037. CONCLUSIONS: Zinc deficiency is quite common among psychogeriatric patients and appears to be even more prominent in patients suffering from other psychiatric disorders than depression. LIMITATIONS: This study does not provide a clear answer as to whether the observed differences represent a causal relationship between zinc deficiency and psychiatric symptoms. The blood sample collection time points

[Differences in access to Internet and Internet-based information seeking according to the type of psychiatric disorder].

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Brunault, P; Bray, A; Rerolle, C; Cognet, S; Gaillard, P; El-Hage, W

2017-04-01

Internet has become a major tool for patients to search for health-related information and to communicate on health. We currently lack data on how patients with psychiatric disorders access and use Internet to search for information on their mental health. This study aimed to assess, in patients followed for a psychiatric disorder (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, mood and anxiety disorder, substance-related and addictive disorders and eating disorders), prevalence of Internet access and use, and patient expectations and needs regarding the use of Internet to search for mental-health information depending on the psychiatric disorder. We conducted this cross-sectional study between May 2013 and July 2013 in 648 patients receiving psychiatric care in 8 hospitals from the Region Centre, France. We used multivariate logistic regression adjusted for age, gender, socio-educational level and professional status to compare use, expectations and needs regarding Internet-based information about the patient's psychiatric disorder (65-items self-administered questionnaires) as a function of the psychiatric disorders. We identified patients clusters with multiple correspondence analysis and ascending hierarchical classification. Although 65.6% of our population accessed Internet at home, prevalence for Internet access varied depending on the type of psychiatric disorder and was much more related to limited access to a computer and low income than to a lack of interest in the Internet. Most of the patients who used Internet were interested in having access to reliable Internet-based information on their health (76.8%), and most used Internet to search for Internet based health-information about their psychiatric disorder (58.8%). We found important differences in terms of expectations and needs depending on the patient's psychiatric disorder (e.g., higher interest in Internet-based information among patients with bipolar disorder, substance-related and addictive disorders

Non-fatal suicide attempt by intentional stab wound: Clinical management, psychiatric assessment, and multidisciplinary considerations

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James M Badger

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Suicide by means of self-inflicted stab wounds is relatively uncommon and little is known about this population and their management. Materials and Methods: Retrospective review of adult trauma patients admitted to our Level-1 trauma center between January 2005 and October 2009 for management of non-fatal, self-inflicted stab wounds. Results: Fifty-eight patients were evaluated with self-inflicted stab wounds. Four patients died due to their injuries (mortality, 7%. Of the non-fatal stab wounds, 78% were male ranging in age from 19-82 (mean: 45 years. The most common injury sites were the abdomen (46%, neck (33%, and chest (20%. In terms of operative interventions, 56% of abdominal operations were therapeutic, whereas 100% of neck and chest operations were therapeutic. When assessing for suicidal ideation, 44 patients (81% admitted to suicidal intentions whereas 10 patients (19% described "accidental" circumstances. Following psychiatric evaluation, 8 of the 10 patients with "accidental injuries" were found to be suicidal. Overall, 54 patients (98% met criteria for a formal psychiatric diagnosis with 48 patients (89% necessitating inpatient or outpatient psychiatric assistance at discharge. Conclusions: Compared to previous reports of stab wounds among trauma patients, patients with self- inflicted stab wounds may have a higher incidence of operative interventions and significant injuries depending on the stab location. When circumstances surrounding a self-inflicted stabbing are suspicious, additional interviews by psychiatric care providers may uncover a suicidal basis to the event. Given the increased incidence of psychiatric illness in this population, it is imperative to approach the suicidal patient in a multidisciplinary fashion.

Short-term prediction of threatening and violent behaviour in an Acute Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit based on patient and environment characteristics

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Morken Gunnar

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The aims of the present study were to investigate clinically relevant patient and environment-related predictive factors for threats and violent incidents the first three days in a PICU population based on evaluations done at admittance. Methods In 2000 and 2001 all 118 consecutive patients were assessed at admittance to a Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU. Patient-related conditions as actuarial data from present admission, global clinical evaluations by physician at admittance and clinical nurses first day, a single rating with an observer rated scale scoring behaviours that predict short-term violence in psychiatric inpatients (The Brøset Violence Checklist (BVC at admittance, and environment-related conditions as use of segregation or not were related to the outcome measure Staff Observation Aggression Scale-Revised (SOAS-R. A multiple logistic regression analysis with SOAS-R as outcome variable was performed. Results The global clinical evaluations and the BVC were effective and more suitable than actuarial data in predicting short-term aggression. The use of segregation reduced the number of SOAS-R incidents. Conclusions In a naturalistic group of patients in a PICU segregation of patients lowers the number of aggressive and threatening incidents. Prediction should be based on clinical global judgment, and instruments designed to predict short-term aggression in psychiatric inpatients. Trial registrations NCT00184119/NCT00184132

Tension‑Type Headache - Psychiatric Perspective

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João Campos Mendes

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The tension‑type headaches (Ctt are the most frequent headaches in the general population and those with higher socio‑economic impact, given the high degree of disability they cause. Objective: The authors propose to conduct a review of the available literature on the subject, from a psychiatric perspective. Discussion: Several studies have identified a higher prevalence of psychiatric disorders, personality traits and ineffective coping mechanisms in patients with Ctt, so it is essential to understand this relationship and the impact of these psychopathological factors on this kind of headaches. Conclusion: Their clinical and therapeutic approach is hampered by these and other factors and multiple strategies of pharmacological and psycho‑behavioral treatment have been used on them, however, scientific evidence is still scarce.

Prevalence of Psychiatric Disorders among the Rural Geriatric Population: A Pilot Study in Karnataka, India

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Sreejith S. Nair

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Background: Increasing life expectancy around the world, an outstanding achievement of our century, has brought with it new public health challenges. India is the second most populous country in the world, with over 72 million inhabitants above 60 years of age as of 2001. The life expectancy in India increased from 32 years in 1947 to over 66 years in 2010, with 8.0% of the population now reaching over 60 years of age. Few studies in India target the health, especially mental health, of this geriatric population. This study aims to estimate the current prevalence of psychiatric disorders in the geriatric population of the rural area of Singanodi,Karnataka, India.Methods: This cross sectional, epidemiological, community-based study was conducted in a rural health training area of Singanodi, Raichur District, Karnataka, India.The General Health Questionnaire-12, Mini Mental State Examination, and Geriatric Depression Scale were administered to 366 participants. Chi square tests with Yates correction were utilized for statistical analysis using SPSS 19.0 software.Results:We found that 33.9% of the geriatric population in the selected province were above the threshold for mental illness based on the GHQ-12 questionnaire. Females had a higher prevalence of mental disorder at 77.6% (152 out of 196 as compared to males who had a prevalence of 42.4% (72 out of 170. The most common psychiatric disorder was depression (21.9%, and generalized anxiety was present in 10.7% of the study population. Prevalence of cognitive impairment was 16.3%, with a significantly higher percentage of  affected individuals in 80+ age group.Conclusion: Mental disorders are common among elderly people, but they are not well documented in rural India. The assessment of psychiatric disorder prevalence will help strengthen psycho-geriatric services and thus improve the quality of life of the elderly.  A system that ensures comprehensive health care will have to be developed for

Prevalence of Psychiatric Disorders among the Rural Geriatric Population: A Pilot Study in Karnataka, India.

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Nair, Sreejith S; Raghunath, Pooja; Nair, Sreekanth S

2015-01-01

Increasing life expectancy around the world, an outstanding achievement of our century, has brought with it new public health challenges. India is the second most populous country in the world, with over 72 million inhabitants above 60 years of age as of 2001. The life expectancy in India increased from 32 years in 1947 to over 66 years in 2010, with 8.0% of the population now reaching over 60 years of age. Few studies in India target the health, especially mental health, of this geriatric population. This study aims to estimate the current prevalence of psychiatric disorders in the geriatric population of the rural area of Singanodi,Karnataka, India. This cross sectional, epidemiological, community-based study was conducted in a rural health training area of Singanodi, Raichur District, Karnataka, India.The General Health Questionnaire-12, Mini Mental State Examination, and Geriatric Depression Scale were administered to 366 participants. Chi square tests with Yates correction were utilized for statistical analysis using SPSS 19.0 software. We found that 33.9% of the geriatric population in the selected province were above the threshold for mental illness based on the GHQ-12 questionnaire. Females had a higher prevalence of mental disorder at 77.6% (152 out of 196) as compared to males who had a prevalence of 42.4% (72 out of 170). The most common psychiatric disorder was depression (21.9%), and generalized anxiety was present in 10.7% of the study population. Prevalence of cognitive impairment was 16.3%, with a significantly higher percentage of affected individuals in 80+ age group. Mental disorders are common among elderly people, but they are not well documented in rural India. The assessment of psychiatric disorder prevalence will help strengthen psycho-geriatric services and thus improve the quality of life of the elderly. A system that ensures comprehensive health care will have to be developed for this purpose as part of our future efforts.

The Jewish psychiatric hospital, Zofiówka, in Otwock, Poland.

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Seeman, Mary V

2015-03-01

The T4 euthanasia programme within Nazi Germany has been well researched, but much less is known about the extermination of psychiatric patients in Nazi-occupied territories during the same period. In Poland 20,000 mentally ill patients were deliberately killed during the German occupation. This paper traces the history of one psychiatric hospital, Zofiówka, in Otwock, south-east of Warsaw. The hospital once served the Jewish population of Poland and was the largest, most prestigious neuropsychiatric centre in the country. It is now in ruins and said to be haunted by ghosts. © The Author(s) 2014.

Attitudes towards patient gender among psychiatric hospital staff: results of a case study with focus groups.

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Krumm, Silvia; Kilian, Reinhold; Becker, Thomas

2006-03-01

There is an increasing awareness of gender-related issues in psychiatry. However, empirical findings on attitudes of psychiatric staff towards patient gender are limited. Gender-related issues are particularly relevant in the debate about mixed versus segregated sex wards, yet while the appropriateness of mixed-sex wards is questioned in Great Britain this is not the case in Germany. To investigate attitudes of psychiatric staff towards both patient gender and mixed versus segregated sex wards, we conducted a case study using focus groups with members of professional teams. We evaluated the transition process from two single-sex wards to two mixed-sex wards in a 330-bed psychiatric hospital in a rural area in south Germany. Staff described female patients as more externally oriented, motivating of others, demanding, and even sexually aggressive. Male patients, on the other hand, were described as more quiet, modest, or lazy. Furthermore, participants described the mixing process as a positive development whereas they did not see a need for gender-separated wards in order to protect vulnerable female patients. Some gender descriptions by professionals are "reversed" in comparison with gender stereotypes supposed to be present in wider society. The perception of crossed gender norms may affect staff attitudes towards the vulnerability of female patients in psychiatric settings and the provision of single-sex wards in in-patient psychiatric care. Practical implications are discussed against the background of a high rate of female patients with sexual abuse histories.

Risk of psychiatric and neurological diseases in patients with workplace mobbing experience in Germany: a retrospective database analysis

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Kostev, Karel; Rex, Juliana; Waehlert, Lilia; Hog, Daniela; Heilmaier, Christina

2014-01-01

Introduction: The number of mobbing experiences recorded has increased during recent years and it has now been established as global phenomenon among the working population. The goal of our study was to analyze the incidence of certain neurologic and psychiatric diseases as a consequence of mobbing as compared with a control group and to examine the possible influence of previous diseases that occurred within one year before the first mobbing documentation on the incidence of mobbing. Material & methods: We used a large database (IMS® Disease Analyzer, Germany) to collect data from general practitioners in Germany from 01/2003 until 12/2012. Based on age, gender, and health insurance, patients with experience of mobbing were matched with a control group of patients who had not reported workplace mobbing and who were being treated by the same physicians. At first, diseases that occurred within one year before the bullying experience took place (“index date”) were noted and compared to a control group of similar composition in terms of gender, age, and health insurance. Subsequently, the prevalence of depression, anxiety, somatoform disorders, and sleep disorders following experiences of mobbing were determined. After adjustment to take into account the odds of bullying, the ratios of these diseases were assessed using a logistic regression model. Results: The study population consisted of n=2,625 patients and n=2,625 controls, of which 33% were men. The number of cases of bullying documented rose continuously from 2003 to 2011 and remained high in 2012. Those who would later become victims of mobbing demonstrated a considerably higher prevalence of diseases in general – these diseases were not confined to the neurologic-psychiatric spectrum. Following experiences of bullying, depression, anxiety, somatoform disorders, and sleep disorders were significantly more prevalent than in the control group (for all, pmobbing has occurred, which underlines the

Risk of psychiatric and neurological diseases in patients with workplace mobbing experience in Germany: a retrospective database analysis.

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Kostev, Karel; Rex, Juliana; Waehlert, Lilia; Hog, Daniela; Heilmaier, Christina

2014-01-01

The number of mobbing experiences recorded has increased during recent years and it has now been established as global phenomenon among the working population. The goal of our study was to analyze the incidence of certain neurologic and psychiatric diseases as a consequence of mobbing as compared with a control group and to examine the possible influence of previous diseases that occurred within one year before the first mobbing documentation on the incidence of mobbing. We used a large database (IMS® Disease Analyzer, Germany) to collect data from general practitioners in Germany from 01/2003 until 12/2012. Based on age, gender, and health insurance, patients with experience of mobbing were matched with a control group of patients who had not reported workplace mobbing and who were being treated by the same physicians. At first, diseases that occurred within one year before the bullying experience took place ("index date") were noted and compared to a control group of similar composition in terms of gender, age, and health insurance. Subsequently, the prevalence of depression, anxiety, somatoform disorders, and sleep disorders following experiences of mobbing were determined. After adjustment to take into account the odds of bullying, the ratios of these diseases were assessed using a logistic regression model. The study population consisted of n=2,625 patients and n=2,625 controls, of which 33% were men. The number of cases of bullying documented rose continuously from 2003 to 2011 and remained high in 2012. Those who would later become victims of mobbing demonstrated a considerably higher prevalence of diseases in general - these diseases were not confined to the neurologic-psychiatric spectrum. Following experiences of bullying, depression, anxiety, somatoform disorders, and sleep disorders were significantly more prevalent than in the control group (for all, pmobbing has occurred, which underlines the importance of supporting (chronically) ill patients to

Level of agitation of psychiatric patients presenting to an emergency department.

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Zun, Leslie S; Downey, La Vonne A

2008-01-01

The primary purpose of this study was to determine the level of agitation that psychiatric patients exhibit upon arrival to the emergency department. The secondary purpose was to determine whether the level of agitation changed over time depending upon whether the patient was restrained or unrestrained. An observational study enrolling a convenience sample of 100 patients presenting with a psychiatric complaint was planned, in order to obtain 50 chemically and/or physically restrained and 50 unrestrained patients. The study was performed in summer 2004 in a community, inner-city, level 1 emergency department with 45,000 visits per year. The level of patient agitation was measured using the Agitated Behavior Scale (ABS) and the Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (RASS) upon arrival and every 30 minutes over a 3-hour period. The inclusion criteria allowed entry of any patient who presented to the emergency department with a psychiatric complaint thought to be unrelated to physical illness. Patients who were restrained for nonbehavioral reasons or were medically unstable were excluded. 101 patients were enrolled in the study. Of that total, 53 patients were not restrained, 47 patients were restrained, and 1 had incomplete data. There were no differences in gender, race, or age between the 2 groups. Upon arrival, 2 of the 47 restrained patients were rated severely agitated on the ABS, and 13 of 47 restrained patients were rated combative on the RASS. There was a statistical difference (p = .01) between the groups on both scales from time 0 to time 90 minutes. Scores on the agitation scales decreased over time in both groups. One patient in the unrestrained group became unarousable during treatment. This study demonstrated that patients who were restrained were more agitated than those who were not, and that agitation levels in both groups decreased over time. Some restrained patients did not meet combativeness or severe agitation criteria, suggesting either that use of

Factorial validity of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire in Italian psychiatric patients.

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Innamorati, Marco; Erbuto, Denise; Venturini, Paola; Fagioli, Francesca; Ricci, Federica; Lester, David; Amore, Mario; Girardi, Paolo; Pompili, Maurizio

2016-11-30

Early adverse experiences are associated with neurobiological changes and these may underlie the increased risk of psychopathology. The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ-SF) is the most commonly used instrument for assessing childhood maltreatment. Thus, the aim of our study was to investigate the factorial validity of an Italian version of the CTQ-SF in a sample of psychiatric inpatients by means of confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses. The sample was composed of 471 psychiatric in-patients and out-patients (206 males and 265 females) aged 16-80 years (mean age=34.4 years [SD=16.3]) consecutively admitted to two psychiatric departments. All patients were administered the Italian version of the CTQ-SF. We tested five different factor models which lacked good fit, while the exploratory factor analysis supported the adequacy of a solution with three factors (Emotional Neglect/Abuse, Sexual Abuse, Physical Neglect/Abuse). The three factors had satisfactory internal consistency (ordinal Cronbach alphas >0.90). Our study supports results from previous research indicating the lack of structural invariance of the CTQ-SF in cross-cultural adaptations of the test, and the fact that, when measuring different types of childhood maltreatment, the difference between abuse and neglect may be not valid. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Psychiatric symptoms of patients with primary mitochondrial DNA disorders

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Inczedy-Farkas Gabriella

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The aim of our study was to assess psychiatric symptoms in patients with genetically proven primary mutation of the mitochondrial DNA. Methods 19 adults with known mitochondrial mutation (MT have been assessed with the Stanford Health Assessment Questionnaire 20-item Disability Index (HAQ-DI, the Symptom Check List-90-Revised (SCL-90-R, the Beck Depression Inventory-Short Form (BDI-SF, the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS and the clinical version of the Structured Clinical Interview for the the DSM-IV (SCID-I and SCID-II As control, 10 patients with hereditary sensorimotor neuropathy (HN, harboring the peripheral myelin protein-22 (PMP22 mutation were examined with the same tools. Results The two groups did not differ significantly in gender, age or education. Mean HAQ-DI score was 0.82 in the MT (range: 0-1.625 and 0.71 in the HN group (range: 0-1.625. Level of disability between the two groups did not differ significantly (p = 0.6076. MT patients scored significantly higher on the BDI-SF and HDRS than HN patients (12.85 versus 4.40, p = 0.031, and 15.62 vs 7.30, p = 0.043, respectively. The Global Severity Index (GSI of SCL-90-R also showed significant difference (1.44 vs 0.46, p = 0.013 as well as the subscales except for somatization. SCID-I interview yielded a variety of mood disorders in both groups. Eight MT patient (42% had past, 6 (31% had current, 5 (26% had both past and current psychiatric diagnosis, yielding a lifetime prevalence of 9/19 (47% in the MT group. In the HN group, 3 patients had both past and current diagnosis showing a lifetime prevalence of 3/10 (30% in this group. SCID-II detected personality disorder in 8 MT cases (42%, yielding 3 avoidant, 2 obsessive-compulsive and 3 personality disorder not otherwise specified (NOS diagnosis. No personality disorder was identified in the HN group. Conclusions Clinicians should be aware of the high prevalence of psychiatric symptoms in patients with

Who Seeks Treatment When Medicine Opens the Door to Pathological Gambling Patients-Psychiatric Comorbidity and Heavy Predominance of Online Gambling.

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Håkansson, Anders; Mårdhed, Emma; Zaar, Mats

2017-01-01

Few studies have assessed treatment-seeking behavior and patient characteristics in pathological gambling focusing on psychiatric comorbidity, particularly in a setting of heavy exposure to online gambling. This study aimed to address patient characteristics in a novel health care-based treatment modality for pathological gambling, including potential associations between gambling types, psychiatric comorbidity, and gender. All patients undergoing structured assessment between January 2016 and April 2017 were included ( N  = 106), and patient records were reviewed for cooccurring psychiatric disorders and types of problem games. Eighty percent were men, and 58% received a psychiatric disorder apart from pathological gambling. Problematic gambling on online casino and online sports betting represented 84% of patients. Non-substance-related psychiatric comorbidity was significantly associated with female gender. Online gambling is more clearly predominating in this setting than in studies from other countries. High rates of comorbidity call for structured psychiatric assessment in problem gambling, with a particular focus on female patients with pathological gambling.

[Prevalence of Hypothyroidism in Major Psychiatric Disorders in Hospitalised Patients in Montserrat Hospital During the period March to October 2010].

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Vargas Navarro, Pedro; Ibañez Pinilla, Edgar Antonio; Galeano España, Alejandra; Noguera Bravo, Ana María; Milena Pantoja, Sandra; Suárez Acosta, Ana María

Hypothyroidism results from inadequate production of thyroid hormone. It is known that there is a relationship between the major psychiatric disorders and hypothyroidism. To determine the prevalence of hypothyroidism in patients admitted due to major psychiatric disorders in Montserrat Hospital during the period from March to October 2010. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 105 patients admitted to Montserrat Hospital with a primary diagnosis of major psychiatric disorder (major depression, bipolar affective disorder, generalised panic disorder, panic disorder, mixed anxiety-depressive disorder, and schizophrenia) in the aforementioned period. Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) was performed to assess the evidence of hypothyroidism. The overall prevalence of hypothyroidism was found to be 10.5% (95% CI; 5%-16%). It was 12.5% in anxiety disorder, 11.1% in depressive disorder, with a lower prevalence of 10.3% for bipolar disorder, and 9.9% for schizophrenia. The overall prevalence of hypothyroidism was found to be less than in the general population, which is between 4.64% and 18.5%, and hypothyroidism was found in disorders other than depression. Copyright © 2016 Asociación Colombiana de Psiquiatría. Publicado por Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

Social class, social mobility and risk of psychiatric disorder--a population-based longitudinal study.

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Sanna Tiikkaja

Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: This study explored how adult social class and social mobility between parental and own adult social class is related to psychiatric disorder. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this prospective cohort study, over 1 million employed Swedes born in 1949-1959 were included. Information on parental class (1960 and own mid-life social class (1980 and 1990 was retrieved from the censuses and categorised as High Non-manual, Low Non-manual, High Manual, Low Manual and Self-employed. After identifying adult class, individuals were followed for psychiatric disorder by first admission of schizophrenia, alcoholism and drug dependency, affective psychosis and neurosis or personality disorder (N=24,659 from the Swedish Patient Register. We used Poisson regression analysis to estimate first admission rates of psychiatric disorder per 100,000 person-years and relative risks (RR by adult social class (treated as a time-varying covariate. The RRs of psychiatric disorder among the Non-manual and Manual classes were also estimated by magnitude of social mobility. RESULTS: The rate of psychiatric disorder was significantly higher among individuals belonging to the Low manual class as compared with the High Non-manual class. Compared to High Non-manual class, the risk for psychiatric disorder ranged from 2.07 (Low Manual class to 1.38 (Low Non-manual class. Parental class had a minor impact on these estimates. Among the Non-manual and Manual classes, downward mobility was associated with increased risk and upward mobility with decreased risk of psychiatric disorder. In addition, downward mobility was inversely associated with the magnitude of social mobility, independent of parental class. CONCLUSIONS: Independently of parental social class, the risk of psychiatric disorder increases with increased downward social mobility and decreases with increased upward mobility.

Social Class, Social Mobility and Risk of Psychiatric Disorder - A Population-Based Longitudinal Study

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Tiikkaja, Sanna; Sandin, Sven; Malki, Ninoa; Modin, Bitte; Sparén, Pär; Hultman, Christina M.

2013-01-01

Objectives This study explored how adult social class and social mobility between parental and own adult social class is related to psychiatric disorder. Material and Methods In this prospective cohort study, over 1 million employed Swedes born in 1949-1959 were included. Information on parental class (1960) and own mid-life social class (1980 and 1990) was retrieved from the censuses and categorised as High Non-manual, Low Non-manual, High Manual, Low Manual and Self-employed. After identifying adult class, individuals were followed for psychiatric disorder by first admission of schizophrenia, alcoholism and drug dependency, affective psychosis and neurosis or personality disorder (N=24 659) from the Swedish Patient Register. We used Poisson regression analysis to estimate first admission rates of psychiatric disorder per 100 000 person-years and relative risks (RR) by adult social class (treated as a time-varying covariate). The RRs of psychiatric disorder among the Non-manual and Manual classes were also estimated by magnitude of social mobility. Results The rate of psychiatric disorder was significantly higher among individuals belonging to the Low manual class as compared with the High Non-manual class. Compared to High Non-manual class, the risk for psychiatric disorder ranged from 2.07 (Low Manual class) to 1.38 (Low Non-manual class). Parental class had a minor impact on these estimates. Among the Non-manual and Manual classes, downward mobility was associated with increased risk and upward mobility with decreased risk of psychiatric disorder. In addition, downward mobility was inversely associated with the magnitude of social mobility, independent of parental class. Conclusions Independently of parental social class, the risk of psychiatric disorder increases with increased downward social mobility and decreases with increased upward mobility. PMID:24260104

Preventive Psychiatric Admission for Patients With Borderline Personality Disorder: A Pilot Study

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Koekkoek, B.W.; Snoek, R. van der; Oosterwijk, K.; Meijel, B.K.G. van

2010-01-01

PURPOSE. The purpose of this study was to establish the preliminary effects of preventive psychiatric admission of patients with severe borderline personality disorder (BPD) on the rate of agreement over treatment, patient service use, and patient views on the intervention. DESIGN AND METHODS. A

Behavioral activation and inhibition system's role in predicting addictive behaviors of patients with bipolar disorder of Roozbeh Psychiatric Hospital

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Abbasi, Moslem; Sadeghi, Hasan; Pirani, Zabih; Vatandoust, Leyla

2016-01-01

Background: Nowadays, prevalence of addictive behaviors among bipolar patients is considered to be a serious health threat by the World Health Organization. The aim of this study is to investigate the role of behavioral activation and inhibition systems in predicting addictive behaviors of male patients with bipolar disorder at the Roozbeh Psychiatric Hospital. Materials and Methods: The research method used in this study is correlation. The study population consisted of 80 male patients with bipolar disorder referring to the psychiatrics clinics of Tehran city in 2014 who were referred to the Roozbeh Psychiatric Hospital. To collect data, the international and comprehensive inventory diagnostic interview, behavioral activation and inhibition systems scale, and addictive behaviors scale were used. Results: The results showed that there is a positive and significant relationship between behavioral activation systems and addictive behaviors (addictive eating, alcohol addiction, television addiction, cigarette addiction, mobile addiction, etc.). In addition, correlation between behavioral inhibition systems and addictive behaviors (addictive eating, alcohol addiction, TV addiction, cigarette addiction, mobile addiction) is significantly negative. Finally, regression analysis showed that behavioral activation and inhibition systems could significantly predict 47% of addictive behaviors in patients with bipolar disorder. Conclusions: It can be said that the patients with bipolar disorder use substance and addictive behaviors for enjoyment and as pleasure stimulants; they also use substances to suppress unpleasant stimulants and negative emotions. These results indicate that behavioral activation and inhibition systems have an important role in the incidence and exacerbation of addictive behaviors. Therefore, preventive interventions in this direction seem to be necessary. PMID:28194203

Psychiatric comorbidity reduces quality of life in chronic methadone maintained patients

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Carpentier, Pieter J; Krabbe, Paul F M; van Gogh, Mijke T; Knapen, Lieke J M; Buitelaar, Jan K; de Jong, Cor A J

2009-01-01

Despite the efficacy of methadone maintenance treatment (MMT), opioid dependence still involves severe impairment of functioning and low quality of life. This study examines the influence of the psychiatric comorbidity of MMT patients on their quality of life. A total of 193 middle-aged patients in

Level of Agitation of Psychiatric Patients Presenting to an Emergency Department

OpenAIRE

Zun, Leslie S.; Downey, La Vonne A.

2008-01-01

Objectives: The primary purpose of this study was to determine the level of agitation that psychiatric patients exhibit upon arrival to the emergency department. The secondary purpose was to determine whether the level of agitation changed over time depending upon whether the patient was restrained or unrestrained.

Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide of Patients with Psychiatric Disorders in the Netherlands 2011–2014

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Kim, Scott Y H; De Vries, Raymond; Peteet, John R

2017-01-01

Importance Euthanasia and/or physician assisted suicide of psychiatric patients is increasing in some jurisdictions such as Belgium and the Netherlands. However, little is known about the practice and it remains very controversial. Objective To describe the characteristics of patients receiving euthanasia/assisted suicide for psychiatric conditions and how the practice is regulated in the Netherlands. Design and Setting A review of psychiatric euthanasia/assisted suicide case summaries made available online by the Dutch Regional Euthanasia Review Committees, as of 1 June 2015. Two senior psychiatrists used directed content analysis to review and code the reports. 66 cases from 2011–14 were reviewed. Main Outcomes Clinical and social characteristics of patients, physician review process of the patients’ requests, and the Review Committees’ assessments of the physicians’ actions. Results 70% (46 of 66) of patients were women, 32% were over 70 years-old, 44% were between 50–70, and 24% were 30–50. Most had chronic, severe conditions, with histories of attempted suicides and psychiatric hospitalizations. A majority had personality disorders and were described as socially isolated or lonely. Depressive disorders were the primary issue in 55% of cases. Other conditions represented were psychotic, PTSD/anxiety, somatoform, neurocognitive, and eating disorders, as well as prolonged grief and autism. Co-morbidities with functional impairments were common. A minority (41%) of physicians performing euthanasia/assisted suicide were psychiatrists. 18 (27%) patients received the procedure from physicians new to them, 15 (23%) of whom were physicians from the End-of-Life Clinic, a mobile euthanasia clinic. Consultation with other physicians was extensive, but 11% of cases had no independent psychiatric input and 24% of cases involved disagreement among consultants. The Review Committee found one case to have failed to meet legal due care criteria. Conclusions and

Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide of Patients With Psychiatric Disorders in the Netherlands 2011 to 2014.

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Kim, Scott Y H; De Vries, Raymond G; Peteet, John R

2016-04-01

Euthanasia or assisted suicide (EAS) of psychiatric patients is increasing in some jurisdictions such as Belgium and the Netherlands. However, little is known about the practice, and it remains controversial. To describe the characteristics of patients receiving EAS for psychiatric conditions and how the practice is regulated in the Netherlands. This investigation reviewed psychiatric EAS case summaries made available online by the Dutch regional euthanasia review committees as of June 1, 2015. Two senior psychiatrists used directed content analysis to review and code the reports. In total, 66 cases from 2011 to 2014 were reviewed. Clinical and social characteristics of patients, physician review process of the patients' requests, and the euthanasia review committees' assessments of the physicians' actions. Of the 66 cases reviewed, 70% (n = 46) were women. In total, 32% (n = 21) were 70 years or older, 44% (n = 29) were 50 to 70 years old, and 24% (n = 16) were 30 to 50 years old. Most had chronic, severe conditions, with histories of attempted suicides and psychiatric hospitalizations. Most had personality disorders and were described as socially isolated or lonely. Depressive disorders were the primary psychiatric issue in 55% (n = 36) of cases. Other conditions represented were psychotic, posttraumatic stress or anxiety, somatoform, neurocognitive, and eating disorders, as well as prolonged grief and autism. Comorbidities with functional impairments were common. Forty-one percent (n = 27) of physicians performing EAS were psychiatrists. Twenty-seven percent (n = 18) of patients received the procedure from physicians new to them, 14 of whom were physicians from the End-of-Life Clinic, a mobile euthanasia clinic. Consultation with other physicians was extensive, but 11% (n = 7) of cases had no independent psychiatric input, and 24% (n = 16) of cases involved disagreement among consultants. The euthanasia review committees found

Psychiatric comorbidities in patients from seven families with autosomal dominant cortical tremor, myoclonus, and epilepsy.

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Coppola, Antonietta; Caccavale, Carmela; Santulli, Lia; Balestrini, Simona; Cagnetti, Claudia; Licchetta, Laura; Esposito, Marcello; Bisulli, Francesca; Tinuper, Paolo; Provinciali, Leandro; Minetti, Carlo; Zara, Federico; Striano, Pasquale; Striano, Salvatore

2016-03-01

The objective of this report was to assess the psychiatric comorbidity in a group of patients affected by autosomal dominant cortical tremor, myoclonus, and epilepsy (ADCME). Reliable and validated psychodiagnostic scales including the BDI (Beck Depression Inventory), STAI-Y1 and 2 (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory - Y; 1 and 2), MMPI-2 (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory - 2), and QoLIE-31 (Quality of Life in Epilepsy Inventory - 31) were administered to 20 patients with ADCME, 20 patients with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME), and 20 healthy controls. There was a higher prevalence of mood disorders in patients with ADCME compared to patients with JME and healthy controls, particularly depression (p=0.035 and p=0.017, respectively) and state anxiety (p=0.024 and p=0.019, respectively). Trait anxiety was not different from JME (p=0.102) but higher than healthy controls (p=0.017). The myoclonus score positively correlated with both state (rho: 0.58, p=0.042) and trait anxiety (rho: 0.65, p=0.011). These psychiatric features were also often associated with pathological traits of personality: paranoid (OR: 25.7, p=0.003), psychasthenia (OR: 7.0, p=0.023), schizophrenia (OR: 8.5, p=0.011), and hypomania (OR: 5.5, p=0.022). Finally, in patients with ADCME, decreased quality of life correlated with these psychiatric symptoms. Patients with ADCME show a significant psychiatric burden that impairs their quality of life. A comprehensive psychiatric evaluation should be offered at the time of diagnosis to detect these comorbidities and to treat them. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Treatment of agitation in the acute psychiatric setting. An observational study of the effectiveness of intramuscular psychotropic medication.

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Bauer, Jeanett Østerby; Stenborg, Dina; Lodahl, Tue; Mønsted, Mik Mathias

2016-11-01

Agitation is frequent in the acute psychiatric setting. The observation and treatment of agitation is important to avoid harm to patients or staff, to reduce distress of the patient, and to reduce the risk of coercion, especially physical restraint. To evaluate the effect of intramuscular treatment with psychotropics on agitation in a non-selected acute psychiatric population. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale Excitement Component (PANSS-EC) was implemented in the acute psychiatric ward at Psychiatric Center Copenhagen to improve assessment and treatment of agitation. During a period of almost ~2 years the staff was requested to assess agitation before and after administration of intramuscular injections. PANSS-EC was obtained at baseline and within 2 hours after injection for 135 injections with antipsychotics or benzodiazepines administered to 101 acute, non-selected psychiatric patients with high occurrence of co-morbid substance abuse. Mean PANSS-EC at baseline was 26.53 ± 4.87, and mean reduction in PANSS-EC was 14.99 ± 8.48 (p patients were subjected to physical restraint. Patients subjected to restraint had a significantly higher PANSS-EC score. Patients who received a subsequent injection had a significantly lower decline in PANSS-EC score. Besides two cases of acute dystonia following haloperidol injections, no serious side-effects were observed. Treatment of agitation with intramuscular injections of psychotropics was in general effective in this non-selected, highly agitated psychiatric population, and injections were well tolerated.

Medication adherence and its determinants among psychiatric patients in an Ethiopian referral hospital

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Demoz Z

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Zaid Demoz,1 Befikadu Legesse,1 Gebrehiwot Teklay,1 Birhanu Demeke,1 Tewodros Eyob,2 Zewdneh Shewamene,3 Mubarek Abera4 1Department of Pharmacy, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, Mekelle, 2Department of Pharmacy, College of Public Health and Medical Sciences, Jimma University, Jimma, 3Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, University of Gondar, Gondar, 4Department of Psychiatry, College of Public Health and Medical Sciences, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia Background: The degree to which an individual follows medical advice is a major concern in every medical specialty. Non-adherence to psychiatric treatment regimens has a pro­found impact on the disease course, relapse, future recovery, cost of health care, and the outcome for the patient. The aim of this study was to assess medication adherence and its correlates among psychiatric patients at Ayder Referral Hospital, Northern Ethiopia.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from June to September 2013 at Ayder Referral Hospital, where 423 patients were selected by a systematic random sampling technique from all patients attending the psychiatric clinic at the hospital. Data were collected by trained data collectors through interview of the patients using a structured questionnaire. The collected data were entered into Epi Info version 7 and analyzed by Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 16 software. Logistic regression was used to assess independent predictors of adherence. Results: A total of 387 patients completed the interview. Two hundred and sixteen (55.8% and 113 (29.2% were patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia and mood disorder, respectively, while 35 (9% and 23 (5.9% had a diagnosis of drug addiction and autistic disorder. Two hundred and seven (71.6% patients were found to be adherent to their medication. When adherence rates were observed according to type of disorder, 60 (53.1%, 24 (68.6%, 149 (69%, and 18 (78.3% of patients

There Is No Difference in IQ between Suicide and Non-Suicide Psychiatric Patients: A Retrospective Case-Control Study.

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Park, Sung-Jin; Yi, Kikyoung; Lee, Joon Deuk; Hong, Jin Pyo

2015-07-01

The goal of this study was to examine the association between IQ and suicide in psychiatric patients. We conducted a nested case-control study using data obtained from psychiatric patients affiliated with a general hospital in Seoul, Korea. In a one-to-two ratio the psychiatric patients who died of suicide (Suicide Group; n=35) were matched to those who didn't (Non-suicide Group; n=70) by age, gender, psychiatric diagnosis and approximate time of first treatment. IQ was measured using the Korean version of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised. There were no significant differences in any type of IQ between suicide patients and non-suicide patients. Logistic regression showed no evidence of an association between IQ and suicide. These results do not support the existence of an association between IQ and suicide.

Perspectives on reasons of medication nonadherence in psychiatric patients

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Mert DG

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Derya Güliz Mert,1 Nergiz Hacer Turgut,2 Meral Kelleci,3 Murat Semiz4 1Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Cumhuriyet University, 2Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cumhuriyet University, 3Department of Psychiatric Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Cumhuriyet University, Sivas, Turkey; 4Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Osmangazi, Tokat, Turkey Purpose: This study was carried out to evaluate factors resulting in medication nonadherence within 6 months before admission to the psychiatric service of our hospital for bipolar disorder, schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder, depression, and other psychiatric diseases.Patients and methods: Two hundred and three patients admitted to the Psychiatry Service of the Medical Faculty were included in this study. Sociodemographic parameters and clinical findings within 6 months before admission and patients’ views on reasons of medication nonadherence were examined.Results: Patients were classified into four groups according to their diagnosis: bipolar disorder (n=68, 33.5%, schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder (n=59, 29.1%, depression (n=39, 19.2%, and others (n=37, 18.2%. The ratio of medication nonadherence was higher in the bipolar disorder group when compared to the groups with schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder, depression, and other disorders (12.1%, 18.2%, and 24.2% vs 45.5%; however, the ratio of medication nonadherence was similar in schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder, depression, and the others group. In logistic regression analysis, irregular follow-up (odds ratio [OR]: 5.7; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.92–11.31 and diagnosis (OR: 1.5; 95% CI: 1.07–1.95 were determined to be important risk factors for medication nonadherence. The leading factors for medication nonadherence were: “not willing to use medication”, “not accepting the disease”, and “being disturbed by side effects” in the bipolar disorder group, �

Assessment of prevalence of tobacco consumption among psychiatric inmates residing in Central Jail, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India: A cross-sectional survey

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Nilesh Arjun Torwane

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Aim: The aim of the current cross-sectional study was to assess the prevalence of tobacco consumption among psychiatric jail patients residing in Central Jail, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India. Materials and Methods: The study subjects consisted of prediagnosed psychiatric patients residing in Central Jail, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India. A matched control consisting of cross-section of the population, that is, jail inmates residing in the same Central Jail locality was also assessed to compare the psychiatric subjects. An 18 item questionnaire was used to assess the prevalence of tobacco consumption among study subjects. Results: The total number of subjects examined was 244, which comprised of 122 psychiatric inmates and 122 nonpsychiatric inmates. Among all psychiatric inmates, about 57.4% of inmates had a diagnosis of depression, 14.8% had psychotic disorders (such as schizophrenia, and 12.3% had anxiety disorder. A total of 77% study inmates, which comprised of 87.7% psychiatrics and 66.4% nonpsychiatrics had a habit of tobacco consumption (smokeless or smoking. Conclusion: The information presented in this study adds to our understanding of the common tobacco related practices among psychiatric inmate population. Efforts to increase patient awareness of the hazards of tobacco consumption and to eliminate the habit are needed to improve oral and general health of the prison population.

Psychiatric disorders and cardiac anxiety in exercising and sedentary coronary artery disease patients: a case-control study

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A. Sardinha

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Regular physical exercise has been shown to favorably influence mood and anxiety; however, there are few studies regarding psychiatric aspects of physically active patients with coronary artery disease (CAD. The objective of the present study was to compare the prevalence of psychiatric disorders and cardiac anxiety in sedentary and exercising CAD patients. A total sample of 119 CAD patients (74 men were enrolled in a case-control study. The subjects were interviewed to identify psychiatric disorders and responded to the Cardiac Anxiety Questionnaire. In the exercise group (N = 60, there was a lower prevalence (45 vs 81%; P < 0.001 of at least one psychiatric diagnosis, as well as multiple comorbidities, when compared to the sedentary group (N = 59. Considering the Cardiac Anxiety Questionnaire, sedentary patients presented higher scores compared to exercisers (mean ± SEM = 55.8 ± 1.9 vs 37.3 ± 1.6; P < 0.001. In a regression model, to be attending a medically supervised exercise program presented a relevant potential for a 35% reduction in cardiac anxiety. CAD patients regularly attending an exercise program presented less current psychiatric diagnoses and multiple mental-related comorbidities and lower scores of cardiac anxiety. These salutary mental effects add to the already known health benefits of exercise for CAD patients.

Risk factors for violence among long-term psychiatric in-patients: a ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study focuses on enduring patient related risk factors of violence, and investigates which long-term patients in Weskoppies Hospital (a specialist psychiatric hospital) are the most likely to commit violent acts. Method: Nursing statistics on violent incidents and other security breaches were collected for 262 long-term ...

HIV infection and psychiatric illness | Owe-Larsson | African Journal ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Results: Patients with HIV infection are at an increased risk of psychiatric illness. Major depressive disorder and subsyndromal depressive symptoms, as well as anxiety disorder and substance abuse are more prevalent among HIV infected individuals than among the general population. HIV-associated neurocognitive ...

Internalized Stigma and Perceived Family Support in Acute Psychiatric In-Patient Units.

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Korkmaz, Gülçin; Küçük, Leyla

2016-02-01

This descriptive study aims to identify the relationship between internalized stigma and perceived family support in patients hospitalized in an acute psychiatric unit. The sample is composed of 224 patients treated in an acute inpatient psychiatric ward in İstanbul, Turkey. The data were collected using information obtained from the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Scale and Social Support from Family Scale. The mean age of the patients was 37±11.56years, and the mean duration of treatment was 6.27±5.81years. Most patients had been hospitalized three or more times. Of the total number of patients, 66.1% had been taken to the hospital by family members. We noted a statistically significant negative correlation between the total scores obtained from the perceived Social Support from Family Scale and the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Scale. The patients were observed to stigmatize themselves more when the perceived social support from their family had decreased. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Suicide ideation and attempts and bullying in children and adolescents: psychiatric and general population samples.

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Mayes, Susan Dickerson; Baweja, Raman; Calhoun, Susan L; Syed, Ehsan; Mahr, Fauzia; Siddiqui, Farhat

2014-01-01

Studies of the relationship between bullying and suicide behavior yield mixed results. This is the first study comparing frequencies of suicide behavior in four bullying groups (bully, victim, bully/victim, and neither) in two large psychiatric and community samples of young children and adolescents. Maternal ratings of bullying and suicide ideation and attempts were analyzed for 1,291 children with psychiatric disorders and 658 children in the general population 6-18 years old. For both the psychiatric and community samples, suicide ideation and attempt scores for bully/victims were significantly higher than for victims only and for neither bullies nor victims. Differences between victims only and neither victims nor bullies were nonsignificant. Controlling for sadness and conduct problems, suicide behavior did not differ between the four bullying groups. All children with suicide attempts had a comorbid psychiatric disorder, as did all but two children with suicide ideation. Although the contribution of bullying per se to suicide behavior independent of sadness and conduct problems is small, bullying has obvious negative psychological consequences that make intervention imperative. Interventions need to focus on the psychopathology associated with being a victim and/or perpetrator of bullying in order to reduce suicide behavior.

Defining the Needs of Patients with Intellectual Disabilities in the High Security Psychiatric Hospitals in England

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Thomas, S. D.; Dolan, M.; Johnston, S.; Middleton, H.; Harty, M. A.; Carlisle, J.; Thornicroft, G.; Appleby, L.; Jones, P.

2004-01-01

Previous studies have suggested that a substantial proportion of the patients with intellectual disabilities (ID) in the high security psychiatric hospitals (HSPHs) should be transferred to more appropriate services to cater for their specific needs in the longer term. The individual and placement needs of high secure psychiatric patients detained…

Psychiatric disorders in myasthenia gravis

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Mariana Inés Ybarra

2011-04-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in patients with myasthenia gravis (MG. METHOD: Forty-one patients with MG answered to a structured psychiatric interview (MINI-Plus. RESULTS: Eleven (26.1% patients were diagnosed with a depressive disorder and 19 (46.3% were diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. Patients with dysthymia were older (p=0.029 and had longer disease duration (p=0.006. Patients with social phobia also had longer disease duration (p=0.039. CONCLUSION: Psychiatric disorders in MG are common, especially depressive and anxiety disorders.

Timing of psychiatric consultations - The impact of social vulnerability and level of psychiatric dysfunction

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Jonge, P; Huyse, FJ; Ruinemans, GMF; Stiefel, FC; Lyons, JS; Slaets, JPJ

2000-01-01

The authors examined the timing of patient referrals to a psychiatric consultation-liaison service in relation to the patient's social vulnerability and level of psychiatric dysfunction. One hundred consecutive patients were assessed with the INTERMED, a method to document biopsychosocial and health

Information technology-based standardized patient education in psychiatric inpatient care.

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Anttila, Minna; Koivunen, Marita; Välimäki, Maritta

2008-10-01

This paper is a report of a study to describe nurses' experiences of information technology-based standardized patient education in inpatient psychiatric care. Serious mental health problems are an increasing global concern. Emerging evidence supports the implementation of practices that are conducive to patient self-management and improved patient outcomes among chronically ill patients with mental health problems. In contrast, the attitude of staff towards information technology has been reported to be contradictory in mental health care. After 1 year of using an Internet-based portal (Mieli.Net) developed for patients with schizophrenia spectrum psychosis, all 89 participating nurses were asked to complete questionnaires about their experiences. The data were collected in 2006. Fifty-six participants (63%) returned completed questionnaires and the data were analysed using content analysis. Nurses' experiences of the information technology-based standardized patient education were categorized into two major categories describing the advantages and obstacles in using information technology. Nurses thought that it brought the patients and nurses closer to each other and helped nurses to provide individual support for their patients. However, the education was time-consuming. Systematic patient education using information technology is a promising method of patient-centred care which supports nurses in their daily work. However, it must fit in with clinical activities, and nurses need some guidance in understanding its benefits. The study data can be used in policy-making when developing methods to improve the transparency of information provision in psychiatric nursing.

Psychiatric comorbidity, psychological distress, and quality of life in gamma-hydroxybutyrate-dependent patients.

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Kamal, Rama M; Dijkstra, Boukje A G; de Weert-van Oene, Gerdien H; van Duren, Josja A M; de Jong, Cornelis A J

2017-01-01

Understanding the psychiatric state and psychological distress level of patients with gamma-hydroxybutyrate dependence is important to develop effective detoxification and relapse management methods. The aim of the current study was to assess the prevalence among gamma-hydroxybutyrate-dependent individuals of psychiatric comorbidity and psychological distress levels and their association with the individuals' pattern of misuse and quality of life. There were 98 patients tested with the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview-plus, the Brief Symptom Inventory, the Depression Anxiety Stress scale, and the EuroQoL-5D as a part of the Dutch gamma-hydroxybutyrate detoxification monitor in 7 addiction treatment centers. Participants were selected from those undergoing inpatient gamma-hydroxybutyrate detoxification treatment between March 2011 and September 2012. Males accounted for 68% of the participants and the average age was 28-years-old. A high rate of psychiatric comorbidity (79%) was detected, including anxiety (current 38%, lifetime 40%), mood (13%, 31%), and psychotic disorders (13%, 21%). The level of psychological distress was significantly higher than the standard outpatient reference group, especially in patients with current psychiatric comorbidity (Brief Symptom Inventory Global Severity Index mean 1.61 versus 1.09, p ≤ 0.01). Increased gamma-hydroxybutyrate misuse (higher dose and shorter interval between doses) was associated with the presence of lifetime psychosis, current mood disorders (r pb = 0.23, p = 0.025), and psychoticism as a symptom of psychological distress. Current anxiety, mood disorders and high psychological stress had a negative effect on participants' quality of life. Gamma-hydroxybutyrate dependence is characterized by serious psychiatric comorbidity and psychological distress, both of which are, in turn, associated with increased gamma-hydroxybutyrate use and a lower quality of life. This needs to be considered during

Role of Islam in the management of Psychiatric disorders.

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Sabry, Walaa M; Vohra, Adarsh

2013-01-01

With the significant growth of the Muslim population all over the world, there exists a corresponding increase in the need for mental health services that suit this group of patients. Research demonstrates the effectiveness of the integration of spirituality and religiosity into psychotherapy and how religious beliefs could affect the management plans. This article discusses the impact of various beliefs in the Islamic faith on the bio-psychosocial model for the management of different psychiatric disorders including focusing on the modification of psychotherapeutic techniques as cognitive restructuring. It also shows other types of therapies such as music therapy, meditation therapy, and aromatherapy. The main emphasis remains to ensure that Muslim psychiatric patients get ethical, acceptable, and effective treatment.

Psychiatric side effects of ketamine in hospitalized medical patients administered subanesthetic doses for pain control.

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Rasmussen, Keith G

2014-08-01

To assess the psychiatric side effects of ketamine when administered in subanesthetic doses to hospitalized patients. It is hypothesized that such effects occur frequently. In this retrospective study, the medical records of 50 patients hospitalized on medical and surgical units at our facility who had continuous intravenous infusions of ketamine for pain or mild sedation were reviewed. Patient progress in the days following the start of ketamine infusion was reviewed and response to ketamine was noted. Twenty-two percent of the patients were noted to have some type of psychiatric reaction to ketamine, including agitation, confusion, and hallucinations. These reactions were relatively short lived, namely, occurring during or shortly after the infusions. No association was found between patient response to ketamine and gender, age, or infusion rate. Awareness of the psychiatric side effects of ketamine is an important consideration for clinicians administering this medication either for pain control or for depressive illness.

Bedding, not boarding. Psychiatric patients boarded in hospital EDs create crisis for patient care and hospital finances.

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Kutscher, Beth

2013-11-18

As the supply of psychiatric beds dwindles, hospitals are devising innovative ways handle psych patients who come through the emergency department. Some collaborate with other hospitals, use separate pysch EDs or refer patients to residential treatment centers.

Neuropsychological Impairment and Its Association with Violence Risk in Japanese Forensic Psychiatric Patients: A Case-Control Study.

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Nishinaka, Hirofumi; Nakane, Jun; Nagata, Takako; Imai, Atsushi; Kuroki, Noriomi; Sakikawa, Noriko; Omori, Mayu; Kuroda, Osamu; Hirabayashi, Naotsugu; Igarashi, Yoshito; Hashimoto, Kenji

2016-01-01

In Japan, the legislation directing treatment of offenders with psychiatric disorders was enacted in 2005. Neuropsychological impairment is highly related to functional outcomes in patients with psychiatric disorders, and several studies have suggested an association between neuropsychological impairment and violent behaviors. However, there have been no studies of neuropsychological impairment in forensic patients covered by the Japanese legislation. This study is designed to examine the neuropsychological characteristics of forensic patients in comparison to healthy controls and to assess the relationship between neuropsychological impairment and violence risk. Seventy-one forensic patients with psychiatric disorders and 54 healthy controls (matched by age, gender, and education) were enrolled. The CogState Battery (CSB) consisting of eight cognitive domains, the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) to test emotion-based decision making, and psychological measures of violence risk including psychopathy were used. Forensic patients exhibited poorer performances on all CSB subtests and the IGT than controls. For each group, partial correlational analyses indicated that poor IGT performance was related to psychopathy, especially antisocial behavior. In forensic patients, the CSB composite score was associated with risk factors for future violent behavior, including stress and noncompliance with remediation attempts. Forensic patients with psychiatric disorders exhibit a wide range of neuropsychological impairments, and these findings suggest that neuropsychological impairment may increase the risk of violent behavior. Therefore, the treatment of neuropsychological impairment in forensic patients with psychiatric disorders is necessary to improve functional outcomes as well as to prevent violence.

Neuropsychological Impairment and Its Association with Violence Risk in Japanese Forensic Psychiatric Patients: A Case-Control Study.

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Hirofumi Nishinaka

Full Text Available In Japan, the legislation directing treatment of offenders with psychiatric disorders was enacted in 2005. Neuropsychological impairment is highly related to functional outcomes in patients with psychiatric disorders, and several studies have suggested an association between neuropsychological impairment and violent behaviors. However, there have been no studies of neuropsychological impairment in forensic patients covered by the Japanese legislation. This study is designed to examine the neuropsychological characteristics of forensic patients in comparison to healthy controls and to assess the relationship between neuropsychological impairment and violence risk.Seventy-one forensic patients with psychiatric disorders and 54 healthy controls (matched by age, gender, and education were enrolled. The CogState Battery (CSB consisting of eight cognitive domains, the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT to test emotion-based decision making, and psychological measures of violence risk including psychopathy were used.Forensic patients exhibited poorer performances on all CSB subtests and the IGT than controls. For each group, partial correlational analyses indicated that poor IGT performance was related to psychopathy, especially antisocial behavior. In forensic patients, the CSB composite score was associated with risk factors for future violent behavior, including stress and noncompliance with remediation attempts.Forensic patients with psychiatric disorders exhibit a wide range of neuropsychological impairments, and these findings suggest that neuropsychological impairment may increase the risk of violent behavior. Therefore, the treatment of neuropsychological impairment in forensic patients with psychiatric disorders is necessary to improve functional outcomes as well as to prevent violence.

Individual and parental psychiatric history and risk for suicide among adolescents and young adults in Denmark : A population-based study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stenager, Kirstina; Qin, Ping

2008-01-01

BACKGROUND: Both individual and familial histories of mental illness are substantial risk factors for suicide in young people. AIM: To explore suicide risk among adolescents and young adults according to detailed aspects of individual and parental psychiatric admission history. METHODS: A nested...... case-control study was undertaken using data from Danish population registers to include 4,142 suicide cases and 82,840 matched controls aged 9-35 years. Data were analyzed with conditional logistic regression. RESULTS: A history of hospitalized psychiatric illness was a strong risk factor for suicide......, affective disorders or substance abuse disorders. At the same time, a parental psychiatric history constituted a substantial risk factor for suicide in young people, in particular, if having a mother admitted for psychiatric illness. The elevated risk associated with parental psychiatric history was greater...

Høj selvmordsrisiko blandt psykiatriske patienter

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Nordentoft, Merete; Madsen, Trine

2011-01-01

Suicide rates in Denmark have declined since 1980 both in the general population and among psychiatric patients. In recent years, the number of suicides in Denmark has been rather stable with approximately 650 incidents each year. Register-based studies indicate that half of those who commit...... suicide have had at least one psychiatric admission in the past, and the risk of suicide is approximately twentyfold increased in psychiatric patients compared to the risk in the general population with only a modest variation across diagnoses. The most important risk factor for suicide among psychiatric...... patients is previous suicide attempt. A crisis plan developed together with the patient can be helpful. Regular screening for risk of suicide should be implemented in psychiatric services....

Long stay patients in a psychiatric hospital in Lagos, Nigeria | Taiwo ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Objective: In the face of recently introduced government health reform and the dwindling number of available beds for acutely ill patients, a cross sectional study was carried out on long-stay patients at the 100 years old psychiatric hospital Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria with a view to discharging most of them. Method: Necessary ...

Evaluation of cognitive and social functioning in patients requiring long-term inpatient psychiatric care using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health: a large-scale, multi-institutional observational study.

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Kawaguchi, Hideaki; Taguchi, Masamoto; Sukigara, Masune; Sakuragi, Shoji; Sugiyama, Naoya; Chiba, Hisomu; Kawasaki, Tatsuhito

2017-06-15

We comprehensively evaluated cognitive and social functioning in patients requiring long-term inpatient psychiatric care using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health. We surveyed 1967 patients receiving long-term inpatient psychiatric care. Patients were further categorized into an old long-stay group (n = 892, >5 years in hospitals) and a new long-stay group (n = 1075, 1-5 years in hospitals). We obtained responses for all the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health items in domain b (Body Functions) and domain d (Activities and Participation). We estimated weighted means for each item using the propensity score to adjust for confounding factors. Responses were received from 307 hospitals (response rate of hospitals: 25.5%). Cognitive and social functioning in the old long-stay group was more severely impaired than in the new long-stay group. No statistically significant differences were observed regarding the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health items associated with basic activities of daily living between the two groups. Combined therapy consisting of cognitive remediation and rehabilitation on social functioning for this patient population should be started from the early stage of hospitalization. Non-restrictive, independent environments may also be optimal for this patient population. Implications for rehabilitation Rehabilitation of cognitive and social functioning for patients requiring long-term inpatient psychiatric care should be started in the early stages of hospitalization. In psychiatric fields, the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health checklist could facilitate individualized rehabilitation planning by allowing healthcare professionals to visually assess the comprehensive functioning of each patient using graphics such as radar charts.

Influence of psychiatric diagnosis on treatment uptake and interferon side effects in patients with hepatitis C.

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Wu, Jing Yuan J; Shadbolt, Bruce; Teoh, Narci; Blunn, Anne; To, Caroline; Rodriguez-Morales, Ilys; Chitturi, Shivakumar; Kaye, Graham; Rodrigo, Kalyana; Farrell, Geoff

2014-06-01

Pegylated-interferon-α/ribavirin (PEG-IFN/RBV) treatment can cure hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection but has frequent neuropsychiatric side-effects. Patients with pre-existing psychiatric illness may not be offered therapy. We established prevalence of self-reported psychiatric comorbidity among HCV-infected patients in a hospital-liver clinic, and determined the impact of such diagnoses on uptake and tolerance to PEG-IFN/RBV. All HCV cases referred for assessment in Australian Capital Territory/surrounding regions April 2004-March 2012 were entered into a clinical database. We conducted univariate and multivariate analyses of variables correlating with uptake of antiviral therapy and frequency of treatment-related side-effects. Of 773 referred patients, 235 (30%) described pre-existing psychiatric illness. Among these, 26% received antiviral therapy, compared with 30% of 538 without psychiatric comorbidity. History of depression (usually validated by liaison psychiatry) was associated with higher incidence of treatment-related neuropsychiatric side-effects (odds ratio 2.79 [1.35-5.70], P schizophrenia: three (11%) received antiviral therapy, compared with 30% admitting depression and 20% with bipolar affective disorder (all assessed by psychiatrist). In most schizophrenia cases, the reason for not offering antiviral treatment was psychological illness, yet none of five treated (these three plus two others in a psychiatric rehabilitation facility) experienced worsening psychiatric symptoms. A history of depression is common with hepatitis C but does not affect initiation of antiviral treatment, despite substantially increased risk of psychiatric side-effects. In contrast, pre-existing schizophrenia appears to influence treatment decisions, despite little evidence that PEG-IFN/RBV exacerbates the psychiatric condition, and well-supervised antiviral therapy can have good outcomes.

Substance Use and Mental Health Outcomes for Comorbid Patients in Psychiatric Day Treatment

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Stephen Magura

2009-10-01

Full Text Available The study’s purpose was to determine treatment outcomes for patients who present with drug use vs. those presenting with no drug use at admission to a psychiatric day treatment program. Consecutively admitted patients completed confidential interviews which included psychological distress and quality of life measures and provided urine specimens for toxicology at admission and six month follow-up. Subjects positive by past 30 day self-report or urinalysis were categorized as drug users. Major psychiatric diagnoses were: major depression 25%; bipolar, 13%; other mood 13%; schizoaffective 13%; schizophrenia 13%. Drug use at admission was: cocaine 35%; marijuana 33%; opiates 18%, (methamphetamines, 6% For each of these drugs, the percentage of patients positive at admission who remitted from using the drug significantly exceeded the percentage negative at baseline who initiated using the drug. Overall, there were significant decreases in psychological distress and significant improvement on quality of life, but no change on positive affect. There were no significant differences between drug users and non-drug users on symptom reduction and improvement in quality of life. Psychiatric day treatment appears to benefit comorbid patients by reducing the net number of patients who actively use certain common drugs and by improving psychological status and quality of life to the same degree as for non-drug using patients.

Substance Use and Mental Health Outcomes for Comorbid Patients in Psychiatric Day Treatment

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Stephen Magura

2009-01-01

Full Text Available The study's purpose was to determine treatment outcomes for patients who present with drug use vs. those presenting with no drug use at admission to a psychiatric day treatment program. Consecutively admitted patients completed confidential interviews which included psychological distress and quality of life measures and provided urine specimens for toxicology at admission and six month follow-up. Subjects positive by past 30 day self-report or urinalysis were categorized as drug users. Major psychiatric diagnoses were: major depression 25%; bipolar, 13%; other mood 13%; schizoaffective 13%; schizophrenia 13%. Drug use at admission was: cocaine 35%; marijuana 33%; opiates 18%, (methamphetamines, 6% For each of these drugs, the percentage of patients positive at admission who remitted from using the drug significantly exceeded the percentage negative at baseline who initiated using the drug. Overall, there were significant decreases in psychological distress and significant improvement on quality of life, but no change on positive affect. There were no significant differences between drug users and non-drug users on symptom reduction and improvement in quality of life. Psychiatric day treatment appears to benefit comorbid patients by reducing the net number of patients who actively use certain common drugs and by improving psychological status and quality of life to the same degree as for non-drug using patients.

Risk factors for violence among long-term psychiatric in-patients: a ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Previous research has linked aggressive behaviour to certain genetic conditions ... defects – such as impaired social information processing, socio-. Risk factors for ... The complex influence of diagnosis on psychiatric patients' risk of violence ...

Significance of clay art therapy for psychiatric patients admitted in a day hospital

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Aquiléia Helena de Morais

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Objective. To understand the significance of clay art therapy for psychiatric patients admitted in a day hospital. Methodology. Qualitative, descriptive and exploratory research, undertaken with 16 patients in a day hospital in Londrina, in the state of Parana, Brazil, who participated in seven clay therapy sessions. Data collection took place from January to July 2012 through interviews guided by a semi structured questionnaire and the data were submitted to content analysis. Results. Three themes emerged: Becoming familiar with clay art therapy; Feeling clay therapy; and Realizing the effect of clay therapy. Conclusion. The use of clay as a therapeutic method by psychiatric patients promoted creativity, self-consciousness, and benefited those who sought anxiety relief.

Psychiatric Status across Body Mass Index in a Mediterranean Spanish Population.

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Mario Gutiérrez-Bedmar

Full Text Available Mental and body weight disorders are among the major global health challenges, and their comorbidity may play an important role in treatment and prevention of both pathologies. A growing number of studies have examined the relationship between psychiatric status and body weight, but our knowledge is still limited.The present study aims to investigate the cross-sectional relationships of psychiatric status and body mass index (BMI in Málaga, a Mediterranean city in the South of Spain.A total of 563 participants were recruited from those who came to his primary care physician, using a systematic random sampling, non-proportional stratified by BMI categories. Structured clinical interviews were used to assess current Axes-I and II mental disorders according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR. BMI was calculated as weight (Kg divided by square of height in meters (m2. Logistic regression was used to investigate the association between BMI and the presence of any mental disorder. BMI was introduced in the models using restricted cubic splines.We found that high BMI values were directly associated with mood and adjustment disorders, and low BMI values were directly associated with avoidant and dependent personality disorders (PDs. We observed an inverse relationship between low BMI values and cluster A PDs. There were not significant relationships between anxiety or substance-related disorders and BMI.Psychiatric status and BMI are related in a Mediterranean Spanish population. A multidisciplinary approach to both pathologies becomes increasingly more necessary.

PSYCHIATRIC MORBIDITY AND MARITAL QUALITY AMONG WIVES OF PATIENTS WITH ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE SYNDROME

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Koustubh R

2015-06-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND : Alcohol Dependence syndrome (ADS is one of the most common psychiatric disorders that has deleterious consequences not only on the patient with ADS but also hampers social , financial , and legal matters of his family hence could be considered as a disorder of the family. Spouses of patients with ADS , a key member of such dysfunctional family system , are most vulnerable to have significant psychiatric disorders like adjustment disorders , mood disorders , anxiety disorders and psychosocial problems. Hence we have undertaken this study in order to understand and address such issues which is largely neglected in psychiatric research. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES : To assess the severity of alcohol dependence & its adverse effect on families , the prevalence and pattern of psychiatric morbidity and marital quality in spouses of men with ADS and to explore the association between them. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 60 spouses of males with ADS according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ‑ IV (DSM IV - TR Criteria were screened for psychiatric morbidity using General Health Questionnaire and the presence of specific psychiatric disorders using Structured Cli nical Interview for DSM - IV AXIS - I & AXIS - II (SCID - I & SCID - II. Severity of alcohol dependence in males and its adverse consequences was assessed using Short Alcohol Dependence Data and Drinkers Inventory of Consequences, respectively. Marital quality was assessed using the marital quality scale. Data obtained was analyzed statistically. RESULTS : High prevalence of Psychiatric morbidity (63.33% among spouses of alcohol dependent men , with majority having Axis I diagnosis of Major Depression (35% , Anxiety and Adjustment Disorder. None of them had personality disorders on SCID II. Psychiatric morbidity , poor marital quality in spouses and high alcohol dependence in their husbands and its adverse consequences were found to be significantly correlated with each

Pulmonary thromboembolism and sudden death in psychiatric patients: Two cases reports

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Marinković Nadica

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Pulmonary thromboembolism occurs usually by running a thrombus from the deep veins of the legs rarely periprostatic or periuteric veins. Virchow's triad of necessary conditions for the occurrence of thrombosis involves disruption of blood flow, disruption of blood chemistry and damage to the vessel wall. Venous thrombosis is often associated with the implementation of antipsychotic therapy. Case report. We reported two cases of sudden death of psychiatric patients who were in both cases fixed during hospitalization. The first case was a 26-year-old woman treated a year with the diagnose of postpartum reactive psychosis. She was hospitalized because of mental state worsening with a dominant depressed mood, visual and auditory hallucinations. Her therapy was determined by diazepam, clozapine, haloperidol and lamotrigine. Suddenly, the patient died on the fifth day of hospitalization. The autopsy showed massive thromboembolism of the pulmonary artery branches. Toxicological analysis revealed the presence of therapeutic doses of antipsychotics. The second case was a-45-yearold men, a long-time alcoholic. On admission, the diagnosis of delirium tremens was established, and diazepam and haloperidol were administered. On the fifth day of hospitalization, he suddenly died. The autopsy showed thromboembolism of the branch of the pulmonary artery. Toxicological analysis established the presence of nordiazepam in urine (0.06 mg/L. Both patients were fixed during hospitalization. Conclusion. Both presented psychiatric patients were younger than 50 years, were not overweight, did not have changes of the venous blood vessels. Nowadays, when the issue of medical responsibility often arises in these and similar cases of sudden death in patients treated in psychiatric clinics, the questions on medical malpractice could be expected.

Kleptomania: comorbid psychiatric diagnosis in patients and their families.

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Dannon, Pinhas N; Lowengrub, Katherine M; Iancu, Iulian; Kotler, Moshe

2004-01-01

Kleptomania, defined by DSM-IV as the inability to resist the impulse to steal objects which are not needed for personal use or for their monetary value, may reflect a form of obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorder and/or affective spectrum disorder. Twenty-one kleptomanic patients and 57 first-degree relatives completed a semistructured DSM-IV-based interview and questionnaires. Questionnaires are: the HDRS-17 (the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression), the HARS (Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety), the Y-BOCS (Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale), the YMRS (Young Mania Rating Scale). The two groups were compared to demographically matched normal controls (n = 64). We found a high prevalence of affective and anxiety disorders in our sample of kleptomanic patients and their first-degree relatives. In addition, the scores on the HDRS, HARS, and Y-BOCS were significantly higher in the study group than in the control group. Our finding of a high prevalence of psychiatric comorbidity in kleptomanic patients could lead to the development of new treatment strategies for this disorder. Furthermore, the pattern of psychiatric disorders seen in the first-degree relatives can lead to new insights about the nosology and etiopathology of kleptomania. Copyright 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel

Investigation into the acceptability of door locking to staff, patients, and visitors on acute psychiatric wards.

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Muir-Cochrane, Eimear; van der Merwe, Marie; Nijman, Henk; Haglund, Kristina; Simpson, Alan; Bowers, Len

2012-02-01

There is disagreement among psychiatric professionals about whether the doors of acute psychiatric wards should be kept locked to prevent patients from leaving and harming themselves or others. This study explored patient, staff, and visitor perceptions about the acceptability of locking the ward door on acute psychiatric inpatient wards. Interviews were conducted with 14 registered nurses, 15 patients, and six visitors from three different acute wards. Findings revealed commonalities across all groups, with general agreement that locking the door reduced absconding. Staff expressed feelings of guilt, embarrassment, and fear of being blamed when a patient absconded. Staff also reported that open wards created anxious vigilance to prevent an abscond and increased workload in allocating staff to watch the door, whereas staff on partially-locked doors also perceived an increased workload in letting people in and out of the ward. Patients had mixed feelings about the status of the door, expressing depression, a sense of stigma, and low self-esteem when the door was locked. The issue of balancing safety and security on acute psychiatric wards against the autonomy of patients is not easily resolved, and requires focused research to develop innovative nursing practices. © 2011 The Authors. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing © 2011 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.

Substance Use Disorders in Elderly Admissions to an Academic Psychiatric Inpatient Service over a 10-Year Period

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Dennis Dombrowski

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. There is a paucity of research on substance use disorders (SUDs in the elderly psychiatric population. This study examines SUDs in a geriatric psychiatry inpatient service over a 10-year period. Methods. Data from 1788 elderly psychiatric inpatients from a ten-year period was collected. Variables collected included psychiatric diagnoses, SUD, number of psychiatric admissions, and length of stay. Those with and without a SUD were compared using Chi-Square or Student’s t-test as appropriate using SPSS. Results. 11.7% (N=210 of patients had a SUD, and the most common substance was alcohol at 73.3% (N=154 or 8.6% of all admissions. Other SUDs were sedative-hypnotics (11%, opiate (2.9%, cannabis (1%, tobacco (1.4%, and unspecified SUD (38.6%. SUD patients were significantly younger, divorced, male, and less frequently readmitted and had shorter lengths of stay. The most common comorbid diagnoses were major depression (26.1%, bipolar disorder (10.5%, and dementia (17.1%. Conclusions. Over 10% of psychogeriatric admissions were associated with a SUD, with alcohol being the most common. Considering the difficulties in diagnosing SUD in this population and the retrospective study design, the true prevalence in elderly psychiatric inpatients is likely higher. This study adds to sparse literature on SUD in elderly psychiatric patients.

Predictors of psychiatric boarding in the pediatric emergency department: implications for emergency care.

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Wharff, Elizabeth A; Ginnis, Katherine B; Ross, Abigail M; Blood, Emily A

2011-06-01

Patients who present to the emergency department (ED) and require psychiatric hospitalization may wait in the ED or be admitted to a medical service because there are no available inpatient psychiatric beds. These patients are psychiatric "boarders." This study describes the extent of the boarder problem in a large, urban pediatric ED, compares characteristics of psychiatrically hospitalized patients with boarders, and compares predictors of boarding in 2 ED patient cohorts. A retrospective cohort study was conducted in 2007-2008. The main outcome measure was placement into a psychiatric facility or boarding. Predictors of boarding in the present analysis were compared with predictors from a similar study conducted in the same ED in 1999-2000. Of 461 ED patient encounters requiring psychiatric admission, 157 (34.1%) boarded. Mean and median boarding duration for the sample were 22.7(SD, 8.08) and 21.18 hours, respectively. Univariate generalized estimating equations demonstrated increased boarding odds for patients carrying Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition diagnoses of autism, mental retardation, and/or developmental delay (P = 0.01), presenting during the weekend (P = 0.03) or presenting during months without school vacation (P = 0.02). Suicidal ideation (SI) significantly predicted boarding status, with increased likelihood of boarding for severe SI (P = 0.02). Age, race, insurance status, and homicidal ideation did not significantly predict boarding in the 2007-2008 patient cohort, although they did in the earlier study. Systemic factors and SI predicted boarding status in both cohorts. Suicidal patients continue to board. Limits within the system, including timing of ED presentation and a dearth of specialized services, still exist, elevating the risk of boarding for some populations. Implications for pediatric ED psychiatric care delivery are discussed.

Oral health status and treatment needs of psychiatric inpatients in Ranchi, India

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Bhuvan Jyoti

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Oral health has an impact on general health, self-esteem and quality of life, but it often has a low priority in the context of mental health and in some phases of illness, the priority may be nonexistent Patients with psychiatric illness have poor oral hygiene than general population. Very few studies have been reported regarding the oral health among Indian psychiatric inpatients. Aim: To assess the oral health status of long-term psychiatric inpatients in a psychiatric institute and to evaluate the treatment requirements of psychiatric inpatients for maintaining the oral hygiene. Materials and methods: Psychiatric inpatients were examined and data was collected using the WHO standardized dental evaluation form in the psychiatric institute. Results: One hundred and forty-one patents (53% female: mean age: 36.56 ± 13.28 years: 47% male: mean age: 37.36 ± 12.49 years: length of illness: More than 5 years, 35.5%: less than 5 years, 84.5% were included in the study. 73% being schizophrenics. Dental canes was found in 55.3% patients. Calculus was present in 94.3% patients. Missing teeth was found in 22.7% patients. Mucosal lesions and oral ulcers were seen in 5.7 and 1 4% of total examined patients respectively. Percentages of patient requiring extractions were 34.8%. oral prophylaxis 98.6%. conservative treatment 31.9% and prosthesis 20.6%. Age was significantly correlated with number of decayed (r = 0.294, p < 0.01 and missing teeth (r = 0.436, p < 0.01. Length of illness was significantly correlated with number of decayed (r = 0.258. p < 0.01 and missing teeth (r = 0.229. p < 0.0 1 Conclusion: Oral health is an important and integral part of health care. Members of multidisciplinary team should be encouraged to assist psychiatric patients in maintaining their oral health with good oral hygiene and access to dental treatment taking into account their special needs.

Comparison of alcohol-dependent patients at a gastroenterological and a psychiatric ward according to the Lesch alcoholism typology: implications for treatment.

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Vyssoki, Benjamin; Steindl-Munda, Petra; Ferenci, Peter; Walter, Henriette; Höfer, Peter; Blüml, Victor; Friedrich, Fabian; Kogoj, Dagmar; Lesch, Otto M

2010-01-01

To assess the clinical and biological status of alcohol-dependent patients admitted to a psychiatric or a gastroenterological ward, assessing and comparing dimensions important for prescribing treatment for withdrawal and relapse prevention. Eighty patients, alcohol-dependent according to international classification of diseases tenth revision and diagnostic and statistical manual, text revised, version IV, admitted to the Vienna General Hospital between January 2005 and  November 2006, were examined, of whom 44 were admitted to the psychiatric ward and 36 to the gastroenterological ward. Dimensions of alcohol dependence were assessed using a computerized structured interview, the Lesch alcoholism typology (LAT). Biological markers and the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score defined the severity of alcohol-related physical disturbances. As might be expected, gastroenterological patients had more advanced physical diseases than psychiatric patients, and affective disorders and suicidal tendencies were significantly commoner among the psychiatric patients. Thus, LAT Type II patients were overrepresented at the gastroenterological ward and LAT Type III patients at the psychiatric ward. The severity of somatic diseases and psychiatric disorders as well as the distribution of the four types according to Lesch differ between alcohol-dependent patients admitted to a psychiatric ward or a gastroenterological ward. Regarding the positive long-term outcome, different evidence-based medical treatment approaches for withdrawal and relapse prevention are needed for these patients.

Informed consent for clinical trials of deep brain stimulation in psychiatric disease: challenges and implications for trial design.

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Lipsman, Nir; Giacobbe, Peter; Bernstein, Mark; Lozano, Andres M

2012-02-01

Advances in neuromodulation and an improved understanding of the anatomy and circuitry of psychopathology have led to a resurgence of interest in surgery for psychiatric disease. Clinical trials exploring deep brain stimulation (DBS), a focally targeted, adjustable and reversible form of neurosurgery, are being developed to address the use of this technology in highly selected patient populations. Psychiatric patients deemed eligible for surgical intervention, such as DBS, typically meet stringent inclusion criteria, including demonstrated severity, chronicity and a failure of conventional therapy. Although a humanitarian device exemption by the US Food and Drug Administration exists for its use in obsessive-compulsive disorder, DBS remains a largely experimental treatment in the psychiatric context, with its use currently limited to clinical trials and investigative studies. The combination of a patient population at the limits of conventional therapy and a novel technology in a new indication poses interesting challenges to the informed consent process as it relates to clinical trial enrollment. These challenges can be divided into those that relate to the patient, their disease and the technology, with each illustrating how traditional conceptualisations of research consent may be inadequate in the surgical psychiatry context. With specific reference to risk analysis, patient autonomy, voluntariness and the duty of the clinician-researcher, this paper will discuss the unique challenges that clinical trials of surgery for refractory psychiatric disease present to the consent process. Recommendations are also made for an ethical approach to clinical trial consent acquisition in this unique patient population.

Deliberate ingestion of foreign bodies by institutionalised psychiatric hospital patients and prison inmates.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

O'Sullivan, S T

2012-02-03

Deliberate and recurrent foreign body ingestion is a common problem among institutionalised patients. We review our experience with 36 cases of deliberate foreign body ingestion by prisoners or psychiatric patients, thirty of whom were institutionalised at the time of ingestion. Symptoms were frequently severe in the prison inmate group but, in contrast, psychiatric patients presented with few, if any, symptoms. A majority of objects pass spontaneously or remain in situ without complication. Twenty-four patients were discharged following initial evaluation and without specific treatment. Eight of these were reviewed electively and discharged within one week. Twelve patients were admitted for observation, seven of whom were discharged within 48 hrs. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was performed in four patients and an intragastric foreign body identified in two cases. Laparotomy was performed in two cases for unresolving mechanical intestinal obstruction. Management should be conservative when possible, with surgery indicated only for complications.