bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Caregiving increases health complaints in middle-aged caregivers of autistic offspring: the role of years caring
Authors: Gonzalez-Bono E. , De Andres-Garcia S. , Romero-Martinez A. , Sariñana-Gonzalez P. , Sanchis-Calatayud M.V. , Moya-Albiol L.
Published: May 2011

Introduction

Caregiving of offspring with a chronic illness is a highly stressful vital experience. Previous studies with parents of schizophrenic persons revealed that these situations increase health complaints (González-Bono et al., 2009), with the duration of caring being a relevant variable (Contell-Montaña et al., 2010). The higher age of the caregivers of schizophrenia can contribute to this health unbalance, but little is known in younger samples.

Aim/objective

To test whether middle-aged caregivers (parents of autistic persons) present higher health disturbances than controls and to investigate the moderating role of duration of caring

Methods

Health complaints and resting levels of immunoglobulin A (IgA) were measured in a sample of 38 middle-aged caregivers of autistic offspring (24 mothers/14 fathers) and 35 parents of healthy persons (17 women/18 men) of similar characteristics.

Results

Caregivers report more immunological, muscular, genital-urinary and general health complaints than controls. Additionally, the scores of all scales and total score of Goldberg Health Questionnaire were higher in caregivers than in non caregivers. No significant differences were found in IgA levels. Among caregivers, fewer years of caring were associated with more anxiety and lower IgA levels.

Conclusions

Chronic stress of caregiving of autistic offspring is associated with more health complaints. The number of years after unequivocal diagnosis of autism has a moderating effect on immunological disturbances and anxiety in care givers. Further research is needed to clarify whether the interventions focused on anxiety can influence the low antibodies levels and decrease future health complaints.
Stress and burnout affecting nurses in a developing country
Authors: Lu J.L.D.P.
Published: May 2011

Objectives

The study looked into stress and burnout among nurses and the risk factors associated with such phenomena.

Aim

This aimed to determine the interaction between situational, factors, role stressors, hazard exposure and personal factors among nurses.

Methods

246 nurses consisting most of females (78.5%) from the different wards and units in the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) were surveyed. This was a cross sectional study.

Results

The dominance of females in the profession reinforce the prevailing notion that the caring professions such as nursing are relegated to women. This gives the study its gender perspective. Almost half (49.6%) of the respondents reported being ill due to work in the past year, and 56.1% missed work because of an illness. Correlation statistics using the Spearman's rho showed organizational role stressors was most significant in burnout among nurses in the Philippine's largest tertiary hospital. Organizational role stressors consisted of ten dimensions, namely:

1)

Inter-role Distance (IRD);

2)

Role Stagnation (RS);

3)

Role Expectation Conflict (REC);

4)

Role Erosion (RE);

5)

Role Overload (RO);

6)

Role Isolation (RI);

7)

Personal Inadequacy (PI);

8)

Self-role Distance (SRD);

9)

Role Ambiguity; and

10)

Resource Inadequacy (RIn).

Conclusion

The contribution of the study is in advancing new concepts in the already existing framework of burnout, and thus, can assist nurses and hospital administration on how to control this problem.
Work and stress among supervisors in selected manufacturing industries
Authors: Lu Y.C. , Lu J.L.
Published: May 2011

Objective

This study looked at sources of work stress among supervisor. s in manufacturing industries

Aim

This research aims to elucidate data on occupational stress among supervisors in manufacturing industries and associated risk factors at work.

Method

The sample consisted of 23 establishments and from this, 47 supervisors were taken, and interviewed using survey questionnaires and focus group discussions.

Results

Among the 47 supervisors, 51% were from garments industry while 49% from electronics industry, and 66% were women. Work among supervisors was reported to be challenging and stimulating but regular upgrading of skills was needed. Based on the FGDs conducted among the supervisors, the issues in the workplace included information overload, keeping abreast with developments in their fields of expertise, the need to be multiskilled, stress brought about by information technology, the new pedagogy in the workplace affecting occupational stress, stringent and the need for new organizational strategies. On logistic regression, occupational stress among supervisors was found to be significantly associated with heavy load stress, mental requirements of work, massive technical/ office work, and the use of microelectronics equipment needing concentration and literacy in IT, and regular upgrading of skills.

Conclusion

Based on these findings, we can conclude that occupational factors play a significant role in influencing the stress among supervisors.
Predictors of stress among Tunisian students
Authors: Mnif L. , Yaich S. , Ammar Y. , Masmoudi J. , Damak J. , Jaoua A.
Published: May 2011

Introduction

Gaining access to university is a potential stressful situation. This stress results from external factors such as lifestyle change, academic stress and family relationship dysfunction but also other factors of personal vulnerability as neuroticism. These factors may represent a risk in student's mental and physical health.The objective of this work is to extract the various predictors of stress among Tunisian students.

Methods

To evaluate the perceived stress among students, we used the specific scale of perceived stress (Boujut E, Bruchon-Schweitzer M, 2003). Neuroticism among students was evaluated using the Neuroticism scale of the NEO-PI-R (Costa and McCrae, 1985).Both scales have been validated among Tunisian students.Students also answered a general questionnaire with questions relating to conditions of life like the type of lodgment and socio-economic status of parents.Our study was conducted on a representative sample of university students (n = 500) randomly selected.The correlation between perceived stress and neuroticism and between perceived stress and the various issues was measured by Pearson's ‘r’.

Results

The Pearson coefficient showed a weak correlation between the total score of perceived stress and neuroticism score r = 0.42.The correlation between the total score of perceived stress and some questions of the questionnaire was good ;like the type of housing, socio-economic level, the means of transport used to go to school ; p < 0.05 for each of these issues.

Conclusion

Stress among Tunisian students is due to external factors rather personal factors.
The surveillance of mental health and the strategies that families of the patients with seizure need to cope with stresses
Authors: Safavi M. , Parsania Z. , Azizzadeh F. , Ahmadi Z.
Published: May 2011

Introduction

Seizure is a common disease happening in all countries that surely affects life style of patient and his/her family; such patient needs helps of others to obviate his/her needs and delayed help leads to mental health impairment of the patient and his/her family.

Method & materials

This was a descriptive-correlative study in which 150 ones of patients families were selected via the systematic sampling method.

We used three kinds of questionnaires to gather data including personal information questionnaire, General health questionnaire and Carver-Scheier-Veintrab’s questionnaire of stress coping Strategies.

Findings

The results showed that 56.7% of investigated units had inappropriate state of mental health and 92% used moderate-level guidelines to cope with stresses.

The majority of family members of the patients with seizure (93.8%) had moderate level of mental health and similarly used moderate-level stress coping strategies(P = 0.000, S = 0.3).

Conclusion

The findings of this study can result in a new plan to elevate the mental health level and also can train families of the patients with seizure and other chronic diseases how to cope with stresses.
Endocrine response and perceived stress during an experimental challenge task in childhood cancer survivors
Authors: Torrisi R. , Laufer D. , Ansermet F. , Halfon O. , Pierrehumbert B.
Published: May 2011

Introduction

Long-term implications of cancer in childhood are well documented regarding medical conditions. Sequelae on mental health and on response to stress are yet not well understood.

Objectives

This study analyzes the association between stress responses and the experience of cancer in childhood, through biological and subjective measures of stress observed during a psychosocial experimental stress (TSST - Trier Social Stress Test)

Aim

We expected that:

(1) the clinical group shows an accentuation of both biological and subjective stress responses;

(2) the response among the childhood cancer subjects would differ according to presence/absence of depressive symptoms; and finally to find a correlation between the disease severity/treatment intensity and the response to stress.

Methods

53 subjects, 18 to 48 y.o (n = 25 survivors of childhood cancer, n = 28 controls) submitted to the TSST. Subjects provided before and after the TSST repeated evaluations of perceived stress and blood samples.

Results

The clinical group showed a higher plasma cortisol level and a higher amplitude in the response to the TSST. The differences were amplified when depression symptoms were present. The subjective perception of stress and the plasma cortisol were only marginally correlated in both groups. The severity of the oncological disease predicted a higher endocrine response.

Conclusion

The presence of avoidant coping is suggested in cancer survivors, accounting for the lack of correspondence between psychological perception of stress and cortisol response. A better knowledge of the dysregulations of the stress responses is important since they have been associated to psychological vulnerability.
Characterization of patients with suicidal behaviors
Authors: Alcafache J. , Figueiredo M. , Oliveira S.
Published: May 2011

Objectives

To characterize the population with suicidal behaviour that uses the ER of the Hospital Infante D. Pedro. Elaborate a plan for prevention.

Methods

Observational descriptive study of a single sample, transversal, including 102 individuals. All patients were assessed concerning socio-demographic, clinical and psychological items - IACLIDE (Depression Scale), 23QVS (Stress Vulnerability Scale) and Mini-Mult (Personality Scale).

Results

90.6% of women use pills as suicide method. 63.2% of men use drugs, 10.5% phlebotomy and 26.8% resorts to violent methods.

Individuals with moderate or severe depression have a higher probability (91x) of suicidal risk compared with individuals with no depression or mild depression. Individuals vulnerable to stress have a higher probability (5.7X) of attempting suicide. Individuals with external influence suicidal behaviour have a higher likelihood of suicide risk (4x), compared to individuals without external influence. Individuals with personality disorder (particularly cluster B) have a higher probability (25x) for suicide risk in people without personality disorder.

Conclusion

The para-suicidal prototype seems to be a 36 year old woman, low level of literacy, married, with previous para-suicidal gestures, from ingestion of drugs, at home, following an emotional conflict. The suicidal will probably be a 40 year old man, divorced, low financial resources, unemployed, having prepared a previous plan that consummated suicide by violent methods.

The elaboration of a para-suicidal and suicidal profile, is an essential contribution to the determination of relative risk and to structure a prevention plan tailored to the perceived reality research.
Suicide risk awareness in Pakistan: Influence of religious, cultural, legal, socio-economic and interpersonal factors
Authors: Faruqui R. , Afghan S.
Published: May 2011

Introduction

Pakistan is an Islamic country where religion is considered an important protective factor against suicide. Recent research and media reports identify that suicide and self harm behaviours are increasing in different parts of Pakistan.

Objectives

To inform public policy debate and suicide awareness education interventions.

Aims

To study socio-cultural, political, interpersonal and religious factors that can influence suicide and suicide awareness.

Methods

Systematic search of Medline, Embase, PsychInfo, CINAHL, Pakmedinet, TRIP, and electronic searches of Pakistani Medical Journals, using terms Suicide, Self harm, Deliberate Self Harm, Self Poisoning, Non-Accidental Deaths, Undetermined Deaths. Focus Group Discussion, Aga Khan Medical University, Pakistan Consultation with experts in the field.

Results

a.

Epidemiological evidence confirms an increase in suicide rates with variable figures reported from different parts of Pakistan. Higher rates of suicide rates are reported for men with an association with unemployment and mental health problems. Marital Discord and domestic violence identified as risk factors in female suicides.

b.

Religion is continued to be identified as an important protective factor against suicide.

However, Pakistan's legal system that criminalizes suicide and self harm is criticized for exercising negative influence through preventing early identification of high risk individuals. A variable pattern of suicide reported from different parts of Pakistan identifies the need for deep cultural understanding and examination of protective and risk factors that operate with in family structures and sub-cultures in Pakistan.

Conclusions

An increase in suicide rates in Pakistan has raised mental health and public policy awareness.
Suicide attempts are associated with both acne and treatment with isotretinoin. A retrospective Swedish cohort study
Authors: Jokinen J. , Alfredsson L. , Sjölin-Forsberg G. , Gerdén B. , Bergman U. , Sundström A.
Published: May 2011

To assess the risk for suicide attempt before, during and after treatment with isotretinoin for severe acne. Retrospective cohort-study linking a named patient register of isotretinoin-users 1980–1989 to the hospital discharge- and cause of death registers 1980–2001.

5,756 patients prescribed isotretinoin for severe acne observed for 17,192 person-years before, 2,905 on and 87,120 after treatment. Main outcome measures Standardized Incidence Ratio (SIR): observed divided by expected number of suicide attempts standardized by sex, age and calendar-year, calculated up to three years before, during and up to 15 years after end of treatment.

128 patients were hospitalized for suicide attempt. During the year preceding treatment, the SIR for suicide attempt was elevated: 1.57 (95% CI 0.86 to 2.63) for all (including repeat) attempts, and 1.36 (95% CI 0.65 to 2.50) counting only first attempts. For all and first attempts, SIRs during and up to 6 months after treatment was 1.78 (1.04 to 2.85) and 1.93 (1.08 to 3.18) respectively. The observed number of attempts was close to the expected during the 15 years of follow-up. The number needed to harm was 2,300 new 6-months’ treatments per year, for one additional first suicide attempt to occur.

An increased risk for suicide attempt was observed up to six months after treatment with isotretionoin, which motivates a close monitoring of patients regarding suicidal behaviour for up to a year after treatment has ended. The risk for suicide attempts were rising already before treatment, and therefore, an additional risk due to the isotretinoin treatment cannot be established.
Development of a suicide risk assessment scale - surias
Authors: Kapusta N.
Published: May 2011

Suicide risk assessment is an important task in clinical psychiatry. Interestingly, several suicide risk assessmet tools have been developed but their usability suffers from distinct problems. First, they do not have a sufficient positive predictive power, with many false positives. Second, the scales often focus on the assessment of current risk markers, such as suicidal ideation, omitting well known long term risk factors. Third, clinicians are reluctant to assess suicidality, because they are uncomfortable with severly suicidal patients, due to a lack of standard procedures of management in outpatient and inpatient situations. But it has been suggested to include suicide assessment in the DSM-5, which may confront us with the need of assessment and management of suicidal patients in the near future.
A study of suicidal attempts and voluntary self-harm admitted to “Al. Obregia” psychiatry clinical hospital between 2008 and 2010
Authors: Manea M. , Rusanu V. , Patrichi B.E. , Frunza A.A. , Bectas S.M. , Stoean R.M.
Published: May 2011

Introduction

In 2009, 8 Romanians committed suicide every day. Suicide risk assessment and management remains difficult for psychiatrists worldwide and requires further study and a better implementation of prevention strategies.

Aims

To identify the relationship between demographic and clinical data in a sample of psychiatric patients admitted after a suicideattempt and voluntary self-harm (VSH-SA) to our hospital between 2008 and 2010.

Objectives

The purpose of this study is to determine which factors, if any, influence suicidal behavior.

Methods

A retrospective review of patients aged 10–84 with VSH-SA (coded by ICD-10), admitted during a three year period. The cases were sorted by age, gender, year of admission, seasonal pattern, mechanism of injury and associated psychiatric pathology. The mechanisms of injury were both violent and non-violent.

Results

59% of cases were female and 41% male, 18% under the age of 18 (82% female). 31,5% were in the 18-29 years of age interval. A large difference between the year 2008 (16 cases) and 2009 (51 cases) was registered in the male group. Most cases were registered during spring (34%). Drug and substance ingestion was the most common method. Violent methods were used by 25% of men and only 9,5% of women. The most frequent diagnosis was major depression.

Conclusion

Our results show that a large number of VSH-SA were committed by young, active members of the population and a significant number of children was noticed. These findings emphasize the importance of identifying suicide risk factors and developing prevention strategies.
How do mental health professionals deal with uncertainty in suicide risk assessment?
Authors: Manley K. , Beezhold J.
Published: May 2011

Introduction

Suicide risk-assessment forms a significant part of the workload of mental health professionals (MHPs). There is much research regarding efficacy of different methods/scales of suicide risk-assessment, and effects of formal training on risk-assessment. To date, there is little investigation into how approach to risk-assessment varies amongst professionals on an individual level, or how MHPs react when confronted by lack of information.

Objective

This study evaluated how MHPs respond to uncertainty when assessing suicide risk.

Methods

720 MHPs were given 10 clinical scenarios and asked to assess suicide risk in each case. The scenarios were a mixture of high, medium and low risk cases. In addition, there were scenarios where information provided was incomplete or ambiguous. Subjects graded suicide risk-severity from 1–10 (1 = low, 10 = high).

Results

The simple scenarios produced a predictable consensus of opinion amongst MHPs. The ambiguous scenario produced three distinct response peaks (Fig. 1) at low, medium, and high risk.

Fig. 1

[Fig 1]

Conclusions

Ambiguous suicide risk separates MHPs into three responder groups:

1.

‘don’t know’

2.

more cautious, assumes higher risk

3.

less cautious, assumes lower risk.

This has implications for suicide risk training. Further research is required to fully understand why individuals respond in different ways to suicide risk scenarios.
Drug addiction and suicide - retrospective study
Authors: Martins A.P. , Silva A. , Pinho M. , Samico G.
Published: May 2011

Impulsiveness has an important role in suicide behaviour and substance abuse.

In this context, it's important to assess suicide risk among drug users and to determine which factors play a protective role and which factors increase the risk.

In this study the authors propose to determine the prevalence of actual or past suicidal ideation in a sample of substance users; to determine the prevalence of previous suicidal behaviours in the same sample; and to study the relation with clinical and sociodemographic variables.

The sample included 119 patients with drug addiction behaviours receiving treatment in an inpatient detoxication unit (Unidade de Desabituação do Norte do IDT - Instituto da Droga e das Toxicodependências), admitted between May 2010 and July 2010.

Data was obtained from the patient clinical chart, including the admission protocol form.

SPSS was used for statistical analysis.

The results founded were:

18,5% (n = 22) had previous suicidal ideation at least once in their lifetime.

2,5% (n = 3) had suicidal ideation at admission.

10,9% (n = 13) had previous suicidal attempts.

According to literature, in general population, lifetime prevalence of suicidal ideation is 10–18% and history of suicidal attempt is 3–5%.

In the studied sample, suicidal ideation during lifetime is slightly raised (18,5%) and history of suicidal behaviours is strongly higher (10.9%).

These data suggest a raised suicidal risk in drug abuse population, probably reflecting a higher impulsiveness in this population.
Do suicide victims who leave notes differ from those who do not? A study in Greece
Authors: Paraschakis A. , Michopoulos I. , Douzenis A. , Christodoulou C. , Koutsaftis F. , Lykouras L.
Published: May 2011

Introduction

Suicide notes are considered very sensitive markers of suicide attempt severity providing a lot of information about the mental state of the victim. An interesting question is whether note writers differ from suicide victims who don’t leave suicide notes.

Objective and Method

To present and discuss the differences between these two subgroups. We collected psychological autopsy data from one year's suicide deaths (November 2007 -October 2008), at the Athens’ Department of Forensic Medicine (covering 35% of the total Greek population).

Results

Note writers represented 21.7% of our sample (30 out of 138), had no history of psychiatric disorders (p = 0.003) or recent (psychiatric) hospitalization (p = 0.026), were mostly men (p = 0.001), and died by hanging or shooting (p = 0.04). We believe that the powerful stigma associated with psychiatric disorders in our Country could provide a possible explanation for our results. A lot of people suffer in silence. For many of the deceased's relatives the suicide note provided, for the first time, an insight into their loved one's mental problems. It is also believed that psychiatric symptoms are indicating character weakness, incompatible with the sense of power that, particularly men, should display. Finally, it is well-known that men commit suicide more often than women, choosing more violent methods (hanging or shooting) compared to them.

Conclusions

More efforts against mental illness stigma and towards improving detection of psychiatric disorders are needed in our Country. Unfortunately, suicide notes seem to represent the first and only means of communication of mental suffering for a lot of people.
The slovene challenges of the project saving and empowering young lives in Europe (SEYLE)
Authors: Poštuvan V. , Mars U. , Žiberna J. , Zupančič K. , Košir V. , Podlogar T.
Published: May 2011

Despite the high suicide rate (22,5 for 2009), Slovenia doesn’t have systematic mental health prevention programmes implemented in the educational system. Project SEYLE is that kind of programme and aims to improve health through decreased risk-taking and suicidal behaviours, to evaluate outcomes of different preventive intervention programs (education of gatekeepers - QPR approach, awareness workshops, screening, and a minimal intervention) and to recommend effective culturally adjusted models for promoting health of adolescents in different European countries.

Minimum 1.000 students were recruited in each involved country and the evaluation of the interventions consisted of the baseline testing (set of mental health related instruments) and two follow-ups in the period of three and twelve months after the interventions.

The results show that a country like Slovenia is facing specific challenges in the implementation of this kind of project due to a small population, specific attitudes (and myths) toward suicide and mental health, and the priorities of the education system. In our case, the school-response and regional suicide rate were in inversely proportional relationships: schools from the regions with higher suicide rate were more reluctant to participate in our study and reported more fear of addressing the issues like suicide, depression or mental health to students than schools from the areas with the lower suicide rate. Anyhow, the schools participating in SEYLE despite many logistical problems report a positive feedback and see a great value in the initiative to promote healthy lifestyle and positive mental health among youth.
The effects of beverage type on suicide rates in Russia
Authors: Razvodovsky Y.E.
Published: May 2011

Objective

Previous research has suggested that the consumption of different types of alcoholic beverage may have a differential effect on suicide rates. The aim of this study was to examine the relation between the consumption of different beverage types and suicide rates in Russia across the later-Soviet and post-Soviet periods.

Method

Age-standardised sex- and age-specific suicide rates for the period 1980–2005 and data on beverage-specific alcohol sales were obtained Russian State Statistical Committee (Rosstat). Time-series analytical modelling techniques (ARIMA) were used to examine the relation between the sale of different alcoholic beverages and suicide rates.

Results

Vodka consumption as measured by sales was significantly associated with both male and female suicide rates. The consumption of beer and wine were not associated with suicide rates. The estimates of the age specific models for men were positive (except for the 75+ age group) and ranging from 0.069 (60–74 age group) to 0.123 (30–44 age group). The estimates for women were positive for the 15–29 age group (0.08), 30–44 age group (0.096) and 45–59 age group (0.057).

Conclusions

These findings suggest that public health efforts should focus on both reducing overall consumption and changing beverage preference away from distilled spirits in order to reduce suicide rates in Russia.
Rescue from suicidal hangings
Authors: Williams G. , Murphy D.
Published: May 2011

The untimely event of suicidal hanging requires a timely, competent, and coordinated response by security and healthcare staff. A successful, life-saving response also requires special cutdown equipment (“suicide cutdown knife”) and staff that is trained in its proper use. The training is hands-on and practical, including retrieving the cutdown tool and actually doing some cutting. Because a serious hanging attempt is relatively rare, most security and healthcare staff have had almost no actual experience with a suicidal hanging. The presentation summarizes our in-depth training program, which includes follow-ups on every work shift to measure the impact of the training. The training includes our retention mnemonic, “The 5 Cs of Rescue.”
Relationship between family performance and sexual satisfaction among mental health hospital in fertile and infertile couples cleric ayatollah rohani babol
Authors: Babakhani N. , Shafiei Amiri M. , Abolmaali K.
Published: May 2011

Introduction

Some studies, anxiety, stress, low self esteem, sexual dissatisfaction psychological consequences of infertility shall introduce Low mental health and reduce sexual satisfaction may play a significant role in the lives of infertile couples, treatment and follow-up process they have hope for the future.

Objectives

This study of relationship between family performance and health with sexual satisfaction among mental hospital in fertile and infertile couples cleric Ayatollah took Babol.

Methods

This descriptive study - the correlation The performance of families with depression and sexual satisfaction in 100 infertile couples with 100 couples who fertilize simple random sampling, were studied Data collected using a questionnaire comprising demographic section Brchhar - social, family performance questionnaires, measures of mental health and standardized questionnaire Goldberg and Hillary Larson sexual satisfaction, was Data obtained by descriptive statistical methods, mean difference tests and Pearson moment correlation and one-way analysis of variance analysis were statistically analyzed.

Results

Results showed that between family and mental health performance and efficiency of family and marital satisfaction between positive and significant relationship exists Depression score differences between fertile and infertile men and in women was statistically significant But no significant difference in sexual satisfaction scores of infertile and fertile men and women were observed.

Conclusions

Infertile patients need careful treatment and care of the psychological issues is Presence of experts in infertility treatment team to evaluate and diagnosis of infertile couples is essential Before any treatment can delay these people began.
Domestic violence in a sample of Egyptian female psychiatric patients(pilot study)
Authors: Dessoki H. , El Batrawy M. , Shaheen M. , Sabry N.
Published: May 2011

Domestic violence is one of the most pervasive of all social problems, Domestic violence for women is violence perpetrated within relationships; this violence is much serious than violence perpetrated by a stranger.

The hypothesis of this work is that domestic violence is a general health problem and not present particularly in psychiatric patients, the study aims at studying domestic violence in married female psychiatric patients. Sixty Egyptian married females were included, 20 of them had the I.C.D.-10 diagnosis of bipolar affective disorder, 20 neurotic disorders and 20 control group. All groups were clinically and psychometrically assessed using clinical psychiatric sheet of Kasr El-Aini hospital. Those who reported history of domestic violence were subjected to: Zung self rating depression scale, locus of control, Esyenck Personality Questionnaire (E.P.Q) and a specially designed questionnaire to assess intimacy/abuse, and wives’ perception of husbands characters.

The results reveal no statistically significant difference between the 3 groups concerning the domestic violence or the degree of abuse. A significant relation was found between domestic violence and history of child abuse. Battered women of patient group were more depressed than control group with no statistical significance, while neurotic patients were significantly more depressed (87%) than bipolar patients (50%) and control group (57.1%)((p < 0.05). Significant higher scores were found in neurotic patients on EPQ neuroticism scale.

Conclusion

Domestic violence occurring in female psychiatric patients is not higher than normal. In addition, despite abuse, Egyptian wives tend to see their husbands positively.
Depression, anxiety and quality of life in female patients with dermatitis artefact: a comparative study
Authors: El Kissi Y. , Mannai J. , Kenani N. , Nouira R. , Ben Hadj Ali B.
Published: May 2011

Introduction

Psychological profile and quality of life of patients suffering from Dermatitis artefact (DA) have never been assessed in a standardized and comparative way.

Objective

To compare anxiety, depression and quality of life in patients with DA and in patients with other chronic skin illness

Material and methods

Thirty patients meeting DSM-IV criteria of Dermatitis artefact were recruited in dermatology department of Farhat Hached hospital (Sousse, Tunisia). Control group consisted of 30 patients with other chronic dermatitis, randomly selected and matched for age and disease duration. Anxiety and depression were assed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD-S). Quality of life was measured by the MOS 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36).

Results

Compared with controls, patients with DA had an impaired quality of life (p < 10-3). They had lower scores in physical activity (p = 10-3), limitations due to physical condition (p = 0.024), physical pain (p < 10-3), perception of health (p < 10-3). They also had lower scores in vitality (p = 0.005), social dysfunction (p = 0.003), limitations due to mental condition (p < 10-3) and mental health (p < 10-3). Anxiety and depression scores showed no differences between DA patients and controls.

Conclusion

Compared to patients with other chronic dermatological conditions, patients suffering from DA had a more impaired quality of life, but they were no more depressed or anxious.
Mental health of women with hysteromyoma
Authors: Nasyrova R.F. , Sotnikova L.S.
Published: May 2011

In result of clinical-psychopathological examination of 100 women suffering from hysteromyoma we have identified as compared with portion of patients without mental disturbances, specific weight of women with mental disorders (47%) and with pre-nosological manifestations (43%) predominated (р < 0,05), from them 21% met definitions of psychoadaptive state and 22% - psychodisadaptive status (PDAS). Study of distribution of prevalence of variants of PDAS has revealed predominance in the examined of asthenic register (8%), where basic manifestations was feeling of fatigue, increasing to the end of the day, pains in muscles, sensation of apathy. Psychovegetative variant was revealed in 6% patients and was represented by paroxysmal vegetative dysfunctions, transient headaches, and sleep disturbance. Dysthymic variant characterized by emotional lability in the kind of irritability, feeling of uneasiness and mental discomfort, has been revealed in 5%, and dysmnestic variant manifesting by short-term changes in the sphere of attention, orientation in familiar setting, erroneous estimation of time intervals was diagnosed in 3% of women. Revealed mental disturbances included four clusters: neurotic, stress-related and somatoform disorders (F40–48) have been revealed in 29% of examined women; affective, predominately of depressive spectrum (F32–34.1) - in 9%; personality disorders and behavioral disorders at mature age (F60–61) - in 3% and behavioral syndromes associated with physiological disturbances and physical factors (F50–52) - in 6%. Presented data demonstrate high prevalence of mental disturbances in female patients with hysteromyoma that, complicating severity of state of women and decreasing adaptive abilities, considerably worsens quality of life and efficacy of treatment measures.
Knowledge and violence experience of female prisoners in their past life
Authors: Scherer Z.A.P. , Scherer E.A. ,   GREIVI - Grupo de Estudos Interdisciplinar Sobre Violência
Published: May 2011

Introduction

Exposure to violence, particularly physical or sexual abuse, are frequently part of female prisoners’ past personal history.

Objective

Verify female prisoners’ knowledge on violence and contextualize the violence they experienced, suffered or witnessed before prison.

Aims

Get to know the perceptions and meanings the female prisoners attributed to violence.

Method

Exploratory and descriptive study, carried out at the Female Penitentiary of Ribeirão Preto (SP) - Brazil. A semistructured interview was applied to 15 prisoners. The results were submitted to thematic content analysis.

Results

Two categories were identified. “What violence is”: they recognized interpersonal (intra-family and community) and self-inflicted violence. Regarding the nature, they mentioned physical aggressions, sexual abuse, psychological abuse and negligence. They assess that these practices occur for random and futile motives, with family connivance and complicity. They consider violence a social problem, resulting from inequalities, lack of access to education and employment opportunities. “Violence in past life”: as victims and spectators - physical aggressions (body fight), sexual abuse and mistreatment in interpersonal relations (rejection, depreciation, discrimination, disrespect, intimidation, oppression, exaggerated charge or punishment). As perpetrators of physical aggression, homicides, assaults and drugs traffic, they appoint alcohol and drugs abuse as the main motivator for aggressions and crimes.

Conclusion

Based on this study, can be suggested the need to construct public policies against violence in primary care, mainly at home, where the violence cycle seems to start.
From the lack to the sublimation: Psychodynamic considerations about the inability to become pregnant by the way of biographical data about Frida Kahlo
Authors: Gradvohl S.M.O. , Turato E.R.
Published: May 2011

Introduction

The inability to gestate is considered a difficult experience for women. It is impossible to distinguish whether the cause of greatest suffering is the absence of the desired child or the feeling of failure. According to Freudian theory, this inability could reopen the narcissistic wound, arisen in the castration complex, once the woman is inserted as an incomplete being again. Sublimation is a mechanism for dealing with the deprivation, used by Frida Kahlo, a famous Mexican artist. The aim of this study was to understand the sublimation in the life of Frida by her inability to gestate.

Method

Biographical research about Frida Kahlo articulated with the Freudian theory.

Results

Frida sublimated her deprivation through the painting: “Painting completed my life. I lost three children…painting substituted for all this. I believe that works is the best thing. Through the emptiness, Frida reinvented herself, recognized her absence and enabled the emergence of other objects “I paint self-portraits because I am so often alone, because I am the person I know best”.

Conclusion

Although she managed to sublimate her pain through painting, Frida did not have a happy life: “I hope the exit is joyful - and I hope never to return”. Sublimation helped her to overcome the lack of children, but not healed her narcissistic wound. Her paintings were a manifestation of her symptoms, the revelation of the discovered behind the repression necessary to sublimation: “I never painted dreams, I painted my own reality”.
Physical examination on admission to an acute psychiatric inpatient unit, how often is it done?
Authors: Abbasi Y. , Balakrishna U. , Bell M. , Jackson G.
Published: May 2011

Introduction

Certain studies in 1986 & 2004 reported that recording of physical examination carried out on admission by psychiatric trainees to be ‘uniformly poor’ to variable’.1

Aims

The aim was to re-audit the recording of performing a physical examination on psychiatric inpatients at the time of admission.

Objective

To identify the reasons for the inability to physically examine psychiatric patients on admission.

Methods

We reviewed 30 case notes retrospectively each time, following admission, data was collected in December 2008 and June 2009. Ten patients from each ward (3 wards) were selected randomly.

Results

The percentage of patients having a physical examination on admission rose from 67% in December 2008 to 83% in July 2009. 13% of patients each were examined the next day, leaving 20% and 4% of the patients respectively, who were not examined within 72 hours of admission. The general trend (full & partial examination) in July 2009 was improving when compared to December 2009, with general inspection being done in 66% as compared to 56%, cardio-vascular examination 94% as compared to 77%, Respiratory examination 83% from 76%and central nervous system in 83% as compared to 63%. The rate of abdominal examination and baseline blood tests dropped from 73% to 67% and 93% to 73% respectively. 73% had baseline ECG in 2009 compared to 60% in 2008.

Conclusions

We are also looking at the availability of staff and examination equipments on the wards and suggest this should be the aim of future studies.
The discharge of patients with enduring mental health problems into primary care: Patients’ preferences and views
Authors: Agyapong V.I.O. , Thekiso T.B. , Guerandel A.
Published: May 2011

Objectives

To investigate the preferences of psychiatric patients regarding attendance for their continued mental health care once stable from a primary care setting as opposed to a specialized psychiatric service setting.

Methods

150 consecutive psychiatric patients attending outpatient review in a community mental health centre in Dublin were approached and asked to complete a semi-structures questionnaire designed to assess the objectives of the study.

Results

145 patients completed the questionnaire giving a response rate of 97%. The majority of patients had a general practitioner (GP, 132, 94.3%) and most attended their GP every 3 months (68, 48.6%). Ninety-eight patients (70.0%) preferred attending a specialized psychiatry service even when stabilised on their treatment. The common reason was fear of substandard quality of psychiatric care from their GPs (68.4%), followed by inability to afford a GP appointment (23, 23.5%) and not having a GP (9, 9.2%). Thirty two patients (22.9%) preferred to attend their GP. Reasons for this included confidence in GPs providing same level of care as psychiatrist for mental illness (18, 56.3%), the advantage of managing both mental and physical health by GPs (13, 40.6%) and less stigma (28.1%).

Conclusion

Although most patients attended their GP more frequently than the psychiatry clinic, they preferred attending specialized psychiatric services once mentally stable than primary care with most reasons revolving around fears of inadequate psychiatric care from GPs.
Religious coping in psychiatric patinets and their first-degree relatives
Authors: Aukst Margetić B. , Jakovljević M. , Ivanec D. , Tošić G. , Margetić B. , Furjan Z.
Published: May 2011

Objective

The aim of the study was to examine the prevalence of religious coping among persons with schizophrenia, their first-degree relatives and control subjects and to gain a preliminary understanding of the relationship between religious coping, symptom severity, QOL, level of functioning, internalized stigma and depression. We also examine associations between psychopathology and religiosity in the group of patients.

Methods

A total of 120 outpatinets with diagnosis of schizophrenia, 120 their first-degree relatives who also were key caregivers, and 120 control subjects completed a survey consisting of the Religious Coping Index, Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire-Short Form, Beck Depression Inventory, Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness scale, Positive and Negative Symptom Scale and Global Assessment of Functioning scale.

Results

The results showed that patients and their relatives were more religious than controls but patients went to church less. Positive religious coping was not associated with illness outcomes, but negative religious coping was associated with worse quality of life, more depression, worse functioning and more internalized stigma. Higher religiosity was associated with higher values of altogether PANSS and positive and general subscales.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that religious activities and beliefs are particularly important for the persons with schizophrenia and their caring relatives. Negative religious coping is associated with worse illness outcomes.
The determination of the nursing care needs of the acute-term psychiatry patients
Authors: Çetin N. , Oflaz F. , Tün H. , Bozkurt A.
Published: May 2011

Objective

The aim of this study is to investigate how the patients perceive the hospital environment and how they express their needs with their opinions.

Method

This study was planned as a qualitative descriptive study. The sampling of the study is constituted by the acute-period patients hospitalized in the clinic of the Psychiatric Department for at least three days that can achieve an interview with the researcher and being voluntary to be included into the study. An “interview guidance” was formed by eleven questions to collect data. The interview guidance form contains the questions about how he or she spent one day in the clinical environment, what helps them in the clinical environment and what the needs are. The interviews were conducted by the researcher by making an explanation to the patients after signing their informed consents. During the interviews, voice records were taken with the permission of the patients and then these records were transcribed.

Results

It has been seen that the patients need rather safe areas where they will live their loneliness but where they will stay lonely, the people and the environments in which and by which they will be listened without being judged.

Conclusion

Psychiatric nurse can provide care specific to individual for the acute-period patients by taking into account the expressions of patients. By this means, she can provide the hospitalization to be more favorable experience and she can prevent resistances and negative attitudes that can reveal in the following periods related with the hospitalization.
Is metformin effective to prevent weight gain associated with risperidone?
Authors: Farshidfar F. , Koleini N. , Sadramely M.
Published: May 2011

To evaluate the effect of metformin treatment on the risperidone-induced body weight gain in patients.

In a 12-weeks, double-blind, placebo controlled, randomized trial between October 2006 and October 2007 which was conducted in the Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Consultation Center of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, 49 patients were entered the study with schizophrenia diagnosis. Then metformin (500 mg bid) or placebo was administrated with risperidone (6 mg) for the patients. Weight, height, and body mass index BMI were measured at the beginning, at 4 weeks, and at 12 weeks of the study. Changes in weight and BMI were evaluated by using repeated measures analysis of variance.

Seventeen patients were excluded from the study. Repeated measure analysis of variances showed a significant difference between weight and BMI in both metformin (p < 0.001, p < 0.015) and placebo group (p < 0.013, p < 0.005).

Metformin treatment did not show a significant effect to control the body weight of patients after 12 weeks.
A 9-year-old boy with acute psychosis and non-convulsive status epilepticus
Authors: Fisch N. , Goldberg-Stern H. , Kivity S. , Inbar D. , Shuper A.
Published: May 2011

Pediatric patients with epilepsy have an increased risk of ictal, postictal or interictal psychotic symptoms. We describe a child with mild epilepsy who was hospitalized in our Pediatric ward with acute severe psychosis. His epilepsy was well controlled and he was known to have a 4 mm large frontal cystic lesion per brain MRI. He did not have overt seizures upon admission, but his EEG showed non-convulsive, high voltage spike/slow wave activity. Treatment with valproic acid led to concomitant resolution of the psychotic symptoms and EEG abnormalities. Several months later psychotic symptoms recurred, this time in a milder form, again associated with the same EEG pattern. Lamotrigine was added to the treatment regimen and both symptoms and electrographic changes resolved. No change was noted on repeat MRI.

This child presents an unusual relationship between acute psychosis and markedly abnormal EEG, both resolving with anti-epileptic medication, and a potential causative relationship to a frontal lesion. We discuss this unusual connection between the psychiatric (psychosis), epileptic (non-convulsive status epilepticus) and organic brain (frontal benign lesion) disorders in this child.