bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Imaging high-resolution seismic velocity from walkaway vertical seismic profile data in a carbonate reservoir using acoustic waveform tomography
Authors: Takam Takougang Eric M. , Bouzidi Youcef
Published: January 2018

High-resolution seismic velocity was obtained using acoustic full-waveform tomography of walkaway vertical seismic profile (VSP) data from an oil field dominated by carbonate rocks, offshore Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. The data were collected in a deviated borehole with receivers located from 521 to 2742 m depth. The inversion was performed in the frequency domain. The success of the inversion was determined by three important factors: the starting model, the preconditioning of the input data, and the inversion strategy, which included an appropriate selection of a damping term [Formula: see text] in the Laplace–Fourier transformation. The inversion was performed between the frequencies of 4 and 50 Hz, and a logarithmic data residual was used. The extracted 1D velocity profiles from the final high-resolution velocity model correlate well with the sonic log, and estimated vertical incidence VSP velocities. The predicted data obtained by the final velocity model indicate a generally good fit with the field data, thus confirming the success of the inversion. A reverse time migrated section derived by the final velocity model provides additional structural details. The velocity model indicates anomalous zones of low-velocity values that correlate with known locations of hydrocarbon reservoirs.
Inflammatory response to clozapine in the absence of myocarditis: case report
Authors: Davey Patrick , Gee Siobhan , Shergill Sukhi S.
Published: January 2018

A case is presented of a 25-year-old man with treatment-resistant paranoid schizophrenia whose only previous trial of clozapine had been stopped following a suspected clozapine-induced myocarditis. Due to the failure of his psychosis to respond to a number of antipsychotic treatments and augmentation strategies, clozapine was restarted on admission. His rechallenge was marked by intermittent pyrexia, tachycardia and elevated C-reactive protein (CRP), but eosinophilia was absent. Clozapine was started and then stopped twice following extensive investigation and with specialist cardiology consultation. Physical symptoms and CRP elevation resolved shortly after clozapine cessation. We believe this constituted an idiosyncratic systemic inflammatory response to clozapine treatment.
Psychiatric practice for intellectual disability in the USA: challenges and advances
Authors: Ruedrich Stephen
Published: January 2018

Individuals with intellectual disability are thought to make up at least 1% of the population, and it is estimated that approximately one-third of them have a comorbid psychiatric disorder (Harris, 2006). These ‘dually diagnosed’ individuals present a particular diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. A difficulty facing psychiatry in the USA over the past several decades has been to interest and educate a sufficient number of psychiatrists to meet the mental health needs of this group of patients (Department of Health and Human Services, 2002).
Psychiatry in Kuwait
Authors: Zahid M. A. , Al-Zayed Adel
Published: January 2018

This paper describes the historical background, development and current status of psychiatric services in Kuwait. In addition, present practices and the outlook for further development of services are outlined.
Mental health promotion for the widows of injecting drug users in north-east India
Authors: Herrman Helen , Kermode Michelle , Devine Alex , Chandra Prabha
Published: January 2018

The prevalence of HIV is high in the north-east Indian states of Manipur and Nagaland. The major route of HIV transmission is injecting drug use. Most injecting drug users (IDUs) are male and about 40% are married. The widows of IDUs are among the most disadvantaged people. Many are HIV-infected and experiencing poverty, poor health, social isolation and discrimination, all factors likely to compromise their mental health. Some widows are engaging in HIV risk behaviours, including alcohol and drug misuse, sex work and unprotected sex. There is increasing recognition of the links between poverty and mental health status and risk of HIV infection. People with poor mental health are more likely to engage in HIV risk behaviours.
Psychotropic drug prescribing in a Nigerian psychiatric hospital
Authors: Agbonile Imafidon O. , Famuyiwa Oluwole
Published: January 2018

Psychopharmacotherapy dominates the therapeutic arsenal of psychiatrists and, not surprisingly, psychotropic drugs are widely consumed in psychiatric practice. The pattern of prescribing of these drugs needs to be appraised in terms of ‘rational drug use', which may be defined as ‘the use of the least number of drugs to obtain the best possible effects in the shortest possible time and at a reasonable cost’ (Gross, 1981).
State of indigenous mental health in Australia - a colonial legacy?
Authors: Rege Sanil
Published: January 2018

The Aboriginal culture of Australia is one of the oldest cultures on earth, dating back 50 000 years. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) people are the indigenous inhabitants of Australia, constituting 2.4% of the population. The health status of these ‘First Australians’ has been described as a source of national shame, with the life expectancy approximately 17 years lower than that of other Australians (Eades, 2000). This gap in life expectancy is also significantly larger than that of other countries with indigenous populations and a history of colonisation, such as the USA, Canada and New Zealand (Ring & Firman, 1998). This paper offers an overview of the impact of colonisation and its subsequent influence on the social and emotional well-being of ATSI people.
Mental health services in primary care
Authors: Skuse David
Published: January 2018

In the UK, only 13% of people with long-term mental health problems are in employment, compared with 35% generally of people with a disability (Royal College of General Practitioners, 2005). Nearly 2.6 million individuals receive incapacity benefit and/or severe disability allowance and, of these, close to 1 million are claiming incapacity benefit due to mental ill health. The management of this enormous number of people – providing support to them and helping them get back into employment – is an issue that cannot be addressed adequately by our specialist mental health services. Accordingly, other models of service delivery need to be considered. The three thematic papers in this issue look at this issue from the perspective of three highly contrasting societies.
Integrating Egyptian mental health services into primary care: the policy maker's perspective
Authors: Loza Nasser
Published: January 2018

Egypt has a population of roughly 80 million, served by about 9000 psychiatric beds, 1000 psychiatrists (one psychiatrist per 80 000 citizens), 1900 psychiatric nurses and about 200 clinical psychologists (Okasha, 2004). Service providers fall into three main sectors: public, private, and not-for-profit non-governmental organisations (NGOs). The public sector is managed essentially by the Ministry of Health and bears the brunt of service provision.
Cultural influence on psychoeducation in Hong Kong
Authors: Wong Vanessa
Published: January 2018

In Hong Kong, it is estimated that there are 1.2 million people with different types of mental illness, comprising one-sixth of the total population (Rehabilitation Division, Health and Welfare Bureau, 1999). Hong Kong has a well established mental health service and community support, yet many people still hold a biased view of psychiatry.
Proportionality of legal discrimination
Authors: Gangopadhyay Partha
Published: January 2018

Sir: The article by Zigmond (2009) made for interesting reading. Mental health law is about balancing the need to detain people in order to protect them or other people from harm and the need to respect people's human rights and autonomy. In the UK, there was much concern during the development of recent mental health legislation, in particular the Mental Capacity Act 2005, that the government had got this balance wrong. Many of these concerns have been addressed in the updated Code of Practice to the 1983 Mental Health Act, which is an essential guide to practising under the Act (Department of Health, 2008). There is no legal duty to comply with the Code, but professionals must have regard to it and record the reason for any departure from the guidance (which can be subject to legal challenge).
Language, politics and psychiatry
Authors: Skokauskas Norbert
Published: January 2018

Sir: In psychiatry as in politics, it is important to use terms correctly, to be precise. One sentence, one phrase or sometimes even one word can destroy a doctor-patient relationship, or can cause a war between two countries.
Health inequalities
Authors: Ghodse Hamid
Published: January 2018

The association between mental illness and poor physical health has been known for decades (Philips, 1934). This is not a trivial relationship between mental ill health and minor physical problems but an association with such poor physical health that it results in premature death. For example, a study in the USA showed that the life expectancy of those with schizophrenia or other serious mental illness was 9 years shorter than for the general population (Dembling et al, 1999). Similarly, those with learning disabilities have an increased risk of early death, and this increase is greater in those with severe disability.
Alcohol use and problem drinking in Taiwanese adolescents: comparison of the Han and indigenous populations
Authors: Yeh Mei-Yu , Chiang I-Chyun , Huang Song-Yuan
Published: January 2018

The population of Taiwan is 98% Han and 2% indigenous. Taiwanese Hans are, ethnically, an immigrant Chinese population. Traditionally, indigenous families make wine and, just like tea to the Hans or coffee in Western social settings, wine is served to entertain the guests in the indigenous culture. Alcohol drinking is a way of delivering a message of their conviviality. It also has a central role in traditional harvest festivals, ancestor worship and wedding ceremonies (Historical Research Commission of Taiwan Province, 1996).
Teaching psychiatry in Ethiopia
Authors: Hanlon Charlotte , Fekadu Daniel , Sullivan Danny , Alem Atalay , Prince Martin
Published: January 2018

There is a pressing need to train psychiatrists in low- and middle-income countries. Psychiatrists from high-income countries have an opportunity to share expertise in teaching and assessing trainees, while learning much in the process. Three trainees from a London psychiatric hospital were invited to help organise a revision course for the Department of Psychiatry, Addis Ababa University, and this paper reports their experiences.
What is important for quality of life of psychiatrists?
Authors: Chaturvedi Santosh K.
Published: January 2018

The concern for the mental health of people living in low-resource and industrially developing countries has been blown out of proportion. Economic well-being, as a psychological factor, has a complex association with mental health and may prove to be good or bad for it; after all, mental health in low- and middle-income countries (even with few psychiatrists!) is generally better than it is in high-income countries. Government funding may be low but there are innumerable socio-cultural resources, many more than in most high-income countries. The number of psychiatrists per population may be low but numerous (informal and alternative) mental health services exist, many more popular and even more effective than psychiatry. The healthcare systems are so different that, whereas the average waiting period for a psychiatric patient in the UK may be about 90 days, it is about 90 minutes in India (and all patients are seen the same day). In fact, less than 10% of mental health problems are seen by psychiatrists!
Teaching and training in psychiatry and the need for a new generation of psychiatrists in Bangladesh: role of the Royal College of Psychiatrists
Authors: Mullick Mohammad S. I.
Published: January 2018

Bangladesh is a small, populous South Asian nation with poor literacy, limited resources and a lack of basic healthcare. Caring for people with psychiatric disorders in such a setting is challenging. The prevalence of psychiatric disorder in Bangladesh is similar to that in other countries, yet there is a severe shortage of well trained psychiatrists and a lack of even basic mental health services. To generate large numbers of well trained psychiatrists, Bangladesh must expand its high-quality psychiatric training and education at both the postgraduate and the undergraduate levels. To achieve these ambitious goals, Bangladesh needs help and assistance from regional and international institutions. The Royal College of Psychiatrists can play a role of critical psychiatric public health importance by helping Bangladesh locally train a new generation of psychiatrists who will care for the vast number of those with ailments of mind and soul.
Teaching and training in psychiatry in India: potential benefits of links with the Royal College of Psychiatrists
Authors: Kulhara P. , Avasthi A.
Published: January 2018

Education in modern medicine in India began in 1835 with the establishment of the Madras Medical College, in what is now Chennai. Initially the growth of new medical schools was slow but it gathered pace after independence in 1947. In the past decade or so, the growth in terms of the creation of new medical schools has been phenomenal.
Training in Europe in perspective
Authors: Strachan James G.
Published: January 2018

In psychiatric medicine, as in other fields, Europe offers a diversity of history and academic tradition that belies its limited geographical area. There are numerous centres of excellence — in psychiatric research, service innovation and practice — and many countries have internationally recognised and excellent training schemes in psychiatry. But uniformity of practice is seldom in evidence.
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and use of psychostimulants among children in Turkey
Authors: Aras Sahbal , Semin Semih
Published: January 2018

Recently, the use of psychostimulant medication in children with symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been subject to extensive debate. The problems faced while assessing and diagnosing ADHD, unnecessary prescribing of psychostimulants, the possible side-effects of psychostimulants on the developing brain, the risk of drug dependency, and the risk of stigmatising children through medicalisation of normal life events are considered among the principal objections to the use of psychostimulant medications. On the other hand, what also need to be taken into account are the increasing evidence on the genetic, biochemical and diagnostic validity of the disorder, the data showing the therapeutic effects of psychostimulants and the rarity of the above-mentioned side-effects, as well as the ethical problems created by insufficient treatment of children because of the concerns of parents. A critical evaluation of these conflicting opinions by mental health professionals might contribute to the application of ethical principles. While making this kind of evaluation, it is important to pay regard to the specific sociocultural features of the country, as well as the prevailing worldwide discussion.
Counterfeit medicines and the unregulated market for drugs
Authors: Ghodse Hamid
Published: January 2018

The unregulated market for medicines has evolved in different ways and exists in different forms in different parts of the world. Given this wide variation, the phrase ‘unregulated market for drugs’ is commonly used in a generic sense and encompasses the sale of medicines that have been licitly manufactured but diverted from legitimate sales routes as well as the illicit manufacture and sale of (counterfeit) pharmaceuticals. Also within this unregulated environment, prescription-only drugs are sold (illegally) without prescription.
Mental health in the Syrian Arab Republic
Authors: Assalman Iyas , Alkhalil Mazen , Curtice Martin
Published: January 2018

The following view was espoused in a 1903 Lancet editorial describing psychiatric services in the East: ‘The treatment of lunatics in the East has not yet fully emerged from the clouds of ignorance and barbarism which have surrounded it for ages.’ One of the first reformers was ‘Mr. Theophilus Waldmeier, a gentleman resident in Syria, who commenced in the spring of 1896 the work of helping and providing for the numerous sufferers from mental disease in Syria and Palestine.’ He attempted to introduce the methods of humanity and science in this field. In 1939 Bernstein described his visit to the Maristan Arghoum, a psychiatric hospital, in the city of Aleppo. He observed the complete lack of medical supervision, ‘bad’ patients being chained and the despotic rule of the ‘keeper’ of the hospital.
The editor's dilemma: assessing papers from low-income countries
Authors: Tyrer Peter
Published: January 2018

Most scientists are now aware of what has been called the 10:90 divide (Saxena et al, 2006): the fact that 90% of the published scientific activity in the world comes from the richest 10% of countries. Many would like to brush off this simple fact as unimportant, but at another level it could be regarded as a scandalous disequilibrium of the planet's resources. One small way of reversing this is for editors to publish more papers from low-income countries and counter what can be described somewhat strongly as editorial racism (Horton, 2003). We have tried to do so in the British Journal of Psychiatry (Tyrer, 2005); this paper describes some of the difficulties.
Child and adolescent mental health policy worldwide: an update
Authors: Shatkin Jess P. , Balloge Neaka , Belfer Myron L.
Published: January 2018

Few countries worldwide maintain policies specifically designed to address the mental health needs of children and adolescents. Yet policies are essential to guide the development of systems of care, training programmes for practitioners, and research endeavours. Without policy, there is no clear pathway for programme development, no specific commitment from government, no expression of governance, no guide to support funding, and no clarification of who exactly is responsible for providing services to children and adolescents. In 2004, we published a report aimed at identifying child and adolescent mental health policies worldwide (Shatkin & Belfer, 2004). The present review expands upon that report and provides an up-to-date assessment of these policies.
Mental and neurological health profile of Ecuador
Authors: Cruz Marcelo E. , Jenkins Rachel , Townsend Clare , Silberberg Donald
Published: January 2018

We assessed the mental and neurological health (MNH) situation of Ecuador in 2006–8, using the Mental and Neurological Health Country Profile (MNHCP) (Gulbinat et al, 2004; Jenkins, 2004; Jenkins et al, 2004), an instrument which helps to develop evidence-based MNH policy and services (Townsend et al, 2004). An extensive review of the literature was undertaken and consultations and consensus meetings (Schilder et al, 2004) were conducted with key mental and neurological health stakeholders, including consumers, carers and clinicians from the government and non- government sectors.
A Visit to Iraqi Kurdistan
Authors: Abed Riadh , Alyassiri Majid , Al-Uzri Mohammed , Amin Rizkar
Published: January 2018

Sir: The Iraq Subcommittee (ISC) of the Board of International Affairs organised a visit to Iraqi Kurdistan to help support mental health services within the province. Four members of the Subcommittee took part in the visit, on 8–15 June 2007. Our official meetings started on the day of our arrival. We met with the dean of Hawler Medical School, the president of Hawler Medical University and the dean of Hawler Nursing School, as well as the Minister of Health and the Minister of Higher Education (Hawler is the Kurdish name for Erbil, capital of the province). We also visited the mental health unit in Hawler Hospital and met with the consultants, psychiatric trainees and other staff. We also visited a newly commissioned long-stay psychiatric facility.
The English market model is not fit for export
Authors: Bernadt Morris
Published: January 2018

Commissioning of health services has become an intensely political issue in the UK and there is no reason to believe that the conflicts that have arisen domestically would not be mirrored overseas. A key ideological issue in the UK concerns the relative merits of public and private provision of services. In their guest editorial in this issue, ‘Governance, choice and the global market for mental health’, Sugarman & Kakabadse take a particular ideological stance: they write on the one hand of commercial-style efficiency and on the other of monopoly state provision risking inefficiency and ineffectiveness. This perspective is addressed here.
The contribution of faith-based health organisations to public health
Authors: Schumann Cristiane , Stroppa André , Moreira-Almeida Alexander
Published: January 2018

Religiousness and spirituality are recognised as important factors to consider in both health services research and clinical practice. A large and growing number of studies have examined the relationship between, for example, religiousness and spirituality and physical and mental health, and many of these point to a positive relationship between them. Increased psychological well-being, lower prevalence of depression, substance misuse and suicidal ideation, as well as better physical health, are reported in those who are religious when compared with control groups (Koeniget al, 2001).
Mental health in Argentina
Authors: Moldavsky Daniel , Savage Ceri , Stein Enrique , Blake Andy
Published: January 2018

Argentina, the second largest country in South America is a federation of 23 provinces and its capital, the autonomous city of Buenos Aires. Its population is a little over 40 million, 50% of whom reside in its five largest metropolitan areas. The rural areas are extensively under-populated. The city of Buenos Aires and its suburb contain 15.5 million inhabitants, making it one of the largest urban areas in the world.
Mental health in Syria
Authors: Abou-Saleh Mohammed , Mobayed Mamoun
Published: January 2018

This paper begins by outlining the nature of the present conflict in Syria. It goes on to describe the psychological consequences of this conflict and the present state of the mental health services in the country.
Mental health and the civil conflicts in Sudan
Authors: Ali Abdelazim , Saeed Mahmoud , Sultan Saoud
Published: January 2018

Sudan has endured the longest civil war in the history of Africa. The conflict between the northern (mainly Arab) and southern (mainly sub-Saharan African) populations started in 1983, and in its first phase continued for 22 years. The combination of civil war and famine has taken the lives of nearly 2 million people and displaced an estimated 4 million people from their villages and homes. This paper presents some data on the prevalence of mental disorder and the mental health service response to the situation.
Mental health law in Serbia – an important step towards destigmatisation
Authors: Tosevski Dusica Lecic , Gajic Saveta Draganic , Milovancevic Milica Pejovic , Dejanovic Slavica Djukic
Published: January 2018

Serbia has, along with other countries in the region, begun reform of its mental healthcare services. The delivery of mental healthcare was hitherto only partially regulated by law. Hence the National Committee for Mental Healthcare in Serbia has prepared a draft Mental Health Law within the context of a multicentre project entitled ‘Enhancing social cohesion through strengthening community care’ as part of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe. It is expected that new mental health legislation will soon be approved by Parliament and lead to the implementation of changes concerning mental healthcare. It should contribute to the destigmatisation of patients, mental health professionals and psychiatry as a discipline.
Child sexual abuse and health outcomes in the Chinese context
Authors: Chan Ko Ling , Yan Elsie , Fong Daniel Y. T. , Tiwari Agnes , Leung Wing Cheong
Published: January 2018

Reported rates of child sexual abuse in China fall at the lower end of the range found in Western studies. However, most of the studies were conducted in only one city or province and thus their results may not be generalisable. Acknowledging the infeasibility of recruiting a truly representative sample, we conducted a survey during 2009–10 using a probability sampling procedure to obtain a large and diverse sample of school-aged adolescents from six regions in China. About one in every 13 children had had experience of sexual abuse. Routine screening in medical and social settings is urged. Efforts should be made to ensure wide awareness of this issue.
Child sexual abuse data from an Arabian Gulf country revisited
Authors: Ohaeri Jude U. , Al-Fayez Ghenaim A.
Published: January 2018

We revisit our previous work on child abuse in Kuwait, with a focus on the sexual abuse data, and discuss the findings in the context of the local culture. In 2006, a nationwide sample of 4467 senior high-school students (mean age 16.9; 48.6% boys) at government secondary schools was studied. Over their lifetime, 8.6% had been sexually attacked, 5.9% had experienced someone threatening to have sex with them, 15.3% had experienced unwanted sexual exposure, and 17.4% had had someone touch their sexual parts (boys 21.1%, girls 14.0%;P< 0.001). Most perpetrators were members of the extended family. The way to assist ‘dysfunctional families’, where ‘family honour’ and the need for peaceful relations with neighbours have priority over the mental health of female victims, is to propagate the finding that child sexual abuse has a wide-ranging deleterious impact on psychosocial functioning.
Rapid tranquillisation: practice in Zambia, before and after training
Authors: Jayaram Mahesh , Rattehalli Ranga , Moran Lindsay , Mwanza John , Banda Paul , Adams Clive
Published: January 2018

The evidence base for rapid tranquillisation is small in higher-income countries but is even smaller in sub-Saharan Africa. We initiated the first ever survey on the use of rapid tranquillisation in Zambia in 2009; a further survey was then done in 2010, after a programme of teaching and training. It demonstrated an overall improvement in clinical practice, safety, awareness and use of medications within therapeutic doses. It also led to a reduction in inappropriate use of medications. These improvements in practice occurred within a short time span and with minimal effort. Further international collaborative partnerships are required to build stronger mental health infrastructure in Zambia.
The Mysore Declaration
Authors: Lepping Peter , Raveesh B. N.
Published: January 2018

Coercion is recognised as a problem in health services around the world. Very little is known about the use and utility of coercive measures in psychiatry and other medical specialties in India, although the existing evidence supports the view that coercion is widely used. In February 2013 experts from India and Europe came together in Mysore, India, for an international symposium on coercion. A Declaration was drafted, discussed and ratified which defines coercive measures for the Indian context and which outlines ways to minimise coercion in medical settings in India. This paper describes the main points of the Declaration.
Mental health training and education in South America: SUD World Project
Authors: Symeon Christopher , Pritchard Dewi , Aguirre Lucienne , Jimenez David
Published: January 2018

There is a clear interest in many countries in improving education, training and academic opportunities in mental health. The goal of SUD World Project is to create links between South America and Europe that will actively enhance education and training in mental health.
Out of the shadows: mental health of Canadian armed forces veterans
Authors: Thompson James M. , Zamorski Mark A. , Fikretoglu Deniz , VanTil Linda , Sareen Jitender , MacLean Mary Beth , Carrese Pasqualina , Macintosh Stewart , Pedlar David
Published: January 2018

In the past 15 years in Canada, as in other nations, the mental health of veterans has emerged as a key concern for both government and the public. As mental health service enhancement unfolded, the need for wider population studies became apparent. This paper describes the renewal of services and key findings from national surveys of serving personnel and veterans.
Mental health legislation in Chile
Authors: Bahamondes Andrea , Barrera Alvaro , Calderón Jorge , Cordero Martin , Duque Héctor
Published: January 2018

Chile does not have a mental health law or act, and no single legal body protecting those deemed to be afflicted by a mental disorder, setting standards of care and protecting and promoting their rights. Instead, pieces of mental health legislation are scattered about in different legal and administrative documents, including the country's Constitution, Health Code, Criminal Code and Civil Code. Remarkably, mental health legislation was the object of virtually no change or amendment from the middle of the 19th century until the year 2001. New pieces of legislation have been issued since but, despite improvements in the protection of people suffering from a mental illness, a mental health law in Chile is still needed.
Use of South American plants for the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders
Authors: Rodrigues Eliana , Carlini E. A.
Published: January 2018

Two conditions greatly encourage the folk use of plants to cure diseases and alleviate ailments:

∘ plant biodiversity (the richer the better)

∘ particular cultural traits of local populations.

Where these conditions are met, local scientific advancement may result from experimentation with and elaboration of folk remedies. Unfortunately, little scientific research has been done on South American plants that may be useful in the treatment of central nervous system (CNS) disturbances.
Dementia care in India: a progress report
Authors: Shaji K. S. , Dias Amit
Published: January 2018

According to the 2001 census, India is home to more than 76 million people aged 60 years and over. This age-group, currently only 7.4% of the population, is expected to grow dramatically in the coming few decades. Analysis of the census data shows substantial variation in the rate of demographic ageing across India: at present, 10.5% of Kerala's population is older than 60 years, while in Dadra and Nagarhaveli this proportion is only 4%. Regions with more favourable health indicators seem to be ageing faster and the demand for specialist services will soon be evident in such places. There is a growing realisation that the care of older people with disabilities makes enormous demands on their carers. Terms such as ‘dementia’ and ‘Alzheimer's disease’ are now better understood. This was not the case when the Alzheimer's and Related Disorders Society of India (ARDSI) initiated awareness programmes. However, dementia remains a largely hidden problem in those disadvantaged parts of India where poverty and illiteracy remain prevalent.
Psychiatry in Qatar
Authors: Ghuloum Suhaila , Ibrahim Mohammed A.
Published: January 2018

The State of Qatar is a peninsula overlooking the Arabian Gulf, with an area of 11400 km2. The Al Thani family has ruled the country since the mid-1800s. The population of just over 860000 is of a multi-ethnic nature, and predominantly resides in the capital, Doha. Only about 20% of the population is Qatari. Around 73% of the population are between the ages of 15 and 64 years. Life expectancy at birth is 74.8 years for males and 73.8 years for females. The literacy rate is 94.9% for men and 82.3% for women. Arabic is the official language and English is a common second language. The economy is dominated by oil and natural gas, and the country has one of the highest per capita incomes in the world. The per capita government expenditure on health is $574 (international dollars), which is among the highest in the region.
Australia's national mental health strategy in historical perspective: beyond the frontier
Authors: Rosen Alan
Published: January 2018

The history of Australian psychiatry is entwined with the impact of European (British) invasion and settlement, initially in 1788, to form penal colonies to alleviate the overcrowding of English jails, which generated a masculine-dominated, individualistic culture. As European settlement in Australia expanded, the colonisers tried to come to terms with this remote, vast landscape and fought over land and resources with the original Aboriginal inhabitants, who had been there between 40000 and 60000 years. Australian psychiatry was profiled in a previous article inInternational Psychiatry(issue 10, October 2005).
Mental health and psychiatry in Thailand
Authors: Udomratn Pichet
Published: January 2018

Thailand is located in Southeast Asia and covers an area of 513 115 km2. In 2006 its population was approximately 64 million. The major nationality is Thai. About 80% of the total population live in rural areas. The country is composed of 76 provinces, divided into a total of 94 districts and 7159 sub-districts.
Reform of the mental healthcare system in Greece, 1984–2006
Authors: Madianos Michael G. , Christodoulou George N.
Published: January 2018

Greece joined the European Community in 1981 and, 3 years later, the Commission of the European Communities provided financial and technical assistance under EEC Regulation 815/84 for the modernisation of the Greek mental healthcare system, with an emphasis on decentralisation and the development of community-based services, as well as the deinstitutionalisation of long-stay patients and improvement of conditions in public mental hospitals.
Attitudes towards mental illness in Uganda: a survey in 18 districts
Authors: Wallace Vuokko , Boardman Jed , Walsh James
Published: January 2018

Uganda, in common with many countries in sub-Saharan Africa, has many population risk factors predictive of high levels of mental disorder but poor coverage of mental healthcare (Kigozi, 2005). Recent population studies conducted in Uganda have shown rates of disorder in excess of 20% (Kasoro et al, 2002; Bolton et al, 2004; Ovuga et al, 2005) and the survey by Kasoro et al (2002) showed a high prevalence of patients with severe mental illness and poor access to services. There are 19 psychiatrists for 24.8 million people in Uganda, all but one of whom is based in the capital city, Kampala (Kigozi, 2005). The provision of mental health services relies on the use of psychiatric clinical officers (a cadre of trained mental health workers, similar to community psychiatric nurses, who currently cover 18 of the 56 districts in Uganda), primary care personnel, non-governmental organisations and members of the community. Liaison with traditional healers is encouraged (Ovuga et al, 1999).
Greece
Authors: Karastergeriou Anastasia
Published: January 2018

The history of mental healthcare offered to people with intellectual disabilities in Greece runs in parallel to that of people suffering from severe psychiatric disorders. Until the early 1980s, it was based on 9 overcrowded and understaffed state and 40 private psychiatric hospitals with a mixed population of patients with psychosis and of those with intellectual disabilities (Madianos et al, 1999). The psychiatric reforms began with Law 1397 in 1983, which introduced the National Health System, and, in the following year, European Council Regulation 815/84, through which financial aid was approved and a 5-year plan adopted. The main goal was the development of a network of community-based services in geographically sectorised areas, to replace the large psychiatric hospitals. Mental health centres, psychiatric units in general hospitals and many other community services were to be established, according to local requirement.
A survey of risk assessment skills and training among health professionals in Pakistan
Authors: Zafar Rameez , Sadiq Khurram T. , Khan Sylvia A.
Published: January 2018

Over the past two decades, psychiatric services have evolved globally and generally there has been a gradual transition from hospital-based practice to a more community-based approach. The stigma associated with psychiatry has somehow diminished and society in general can now relate better to this field of medicine.
Community mental health provision in Pemba Island, Zanzibar: a cross-sectional survey of different stakeholder groups
Authors: On'okoko Michel Okitapoy , Mirza Ilyas , Jenkins Rachel
Published: January 2018

There is limited information about stakeholder perceptions of health service provision in low- and middle-income countries. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 821 stakeholders of the community mental health services in Pemba Island, Zanzibar, Tanzania. The aim was to obtain systematic information about coverage, barriers, accountability and room for improvement as a baseline before implementation of a new mental health policy to strengthen mental health services.
The British Federation of University Women: helping academic women refugees in the 1930s and 1940s
Authors: Cohen Susan
Published: January 2018

In early 1933, the members of the British Federation of University Women (BFUW), an organisation which was established in 1907 to provide a supportive network for the growing number of academic women, embarked upon a unique humanitarian mission to aid their counterparts in Europe (Sondheimer, 1957; Dyhouse, 1995). This remarkable undertaking, which came to provide academic women refugees with professional, financial and practical support, was in direct response to the growing threat from Fascism and Nazism. Almost from the moment that Hitler came to power in Germany in January 1933, the BFUW Executive Committee began to receive a steady stream of calls from German members of the International Federation of University Women (IFUW), whose lives and careers were affected by restrictions imposed upon them by the Nazi regime. Some were seeking help finding work and settling in Britain, while others were looking for temporary help as trans-migrants on their way to the USA, New Zealand or Australia.
Women in psychiatry
Authors: Herrman Helen
Published: January 2018

Borrowing books was a privilege introduced for women by several academic institutions and libraries in England in the 19th century. Cambridge University accepted women on equal terms with men in 1948. Various objectors before that feared that higher education would have untoward effects on women's bodies and minds. The eminent 19th-century psychiatrist Henry Maudsley was convinced it would make them infertile (Robinson, 2009). Yet women played an important role in the founding of many Islamic educational institutions from the first millennium, and Christian religious orders fostered education for girls and women in Europe before the modern era.
Problem drinking among young people in Ireland
Authors: Nkire Nnamdi , Nwachukwu Izu
Published: January 2018

Alcohol is widely consumed in many societies. It is estimated to be responsible for 4% of the global disease burden, and is third only to tobacco and hypertension as a leading cause of death in high-income countries. Ireland has one of the highest levels of alcohol use per capita in the world. According to Barnardos (a children's charity) there was a 48% increase in alcohol consumption per capita in Ireland between 1986 and 2006 (Barnardos, 2008). The Irish government endorsed the European Charter on Alcohol in 1995 but, in spite of this, the negative health consequences of alcohol consumption have increased (Mongan et al, 2002). About 28% of all injuries presenting to emergency departments in Ireland are alcohol related (Hope, 2008) and the number of hospital discharges related to alcohol increased by 92% between 1995 and 2002 (Mongan et al, 2002). Hope (2008) found that alcohol was implicated in 36.5% of road traffic fatalities in 2003 in Ireland, and was also a contributory factor in several cases of house fires and domestic abuse.
UK devolution and the international perspective of the College
Authors: Craddock Nick
Published: January 2018

Some principles of psychiatric practice are applicable across all healthcare settings and epochs, whereas other issues are more specific to one healthcare model and/or time. The increasing divergence of service models and underlying policies in the four UK devolved jurisdictions (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales) means that this distinction between general and specific issues has increasing relevance to the College. There are many benefits in identifying, and being strong advocates for, the generic principles of excellent psychiatric care, which are transferable across settings and relatively stable over time. These are also, of course, the principles that will have the most relevance in a broad international perspective that goes far beyond the UK.
Perceived coercion and need for hospital admission among psychiatric in-patients: figures from a Pakistani tertiary care hospital
Authors: Zuberi Saman I. , Sajid Ayesha , Yousafzai Abdul Wahab , Bhutto Naila , Khan Murad Moosa
Published: January 2018

In Pakistan, an increasing proportion of psychiatric patients present to community health services as crisis admissions, with their relatives as the main decision makers. Patients are bound to perceive this process as coercive. Farnham & James (2000) report that elements of coercion are found even in voluntary hospital admission, in the form of verbal persuasion, physical force and threats of commitment. Few patients consider hospitalisation justified and most view the process of admission negatively (Swartz et al, 2003; Katsakou & Priebe, 2006; Priebe et al, 2009).
Introduction
Authors: Skuse David H.
Published: January 2018

Trauma can have both acute and insidious effects upon children's mental health. We present four articles, each of which offers a new perspective on this important topic. As Daniel Pine points out, in the first paper, as many as one in five children in the developed world can expect to experience a truly traumatic event, while half those in developing countries may do so. Such experiences can be either personal – such as emotional or sexual abuse – or impersonal – being shot or blown up in a conflict of which one understands little, except the misery it brings. How do children cope? We know that there are at least two important influences that moderate the impact of trauma on the developing child: the persistence and severity of the experience, and the degree of social support available. Beyond these broad generalisations, little is understood about what should be done or what could be done to minimise the long-term consequences of growing up in an environment characterised by cruelty, exploitation and death.
Telepsychiatry in Europe
Authors: McLaren Paul
Published: January 2018

Telepsychiatry, the use of videoconferencing in mental health care, has been piloted in European settings as diverse as northern Norway and inner London. These studies have been initiated to improve access to services and have been limited in scale. Nevertheless, some common themes have emerged.
Psychiatry in Turkey
Authors: Coskun Bulent
Published: January 2018

The Republic of Turkey has a population of 67.4 million (year 2000) and covers 783 563 km2; administratively it is divided into 81 provinces. A few national statistics from 2000 are: infant death rate 41.9/1000; life expectancy at birth 68 years; unemployment rate 6.6%; gross national product (GNP) per capita US$2965; and adult literacy rate 87.32% (females 80.64%; males 93.86%) (State Statistics Institute, 2003).
International psychiatry – an agenda for the way forward
Authors: George Hsu L. K.
Published: January 2018

A news release from the World Health Organization (2003) suggested that a mere 10% of global health research is devoted to diseases that account for 90% of the global disease burden. While this comment refers primarily to research into infectious and parasitic diseases, a similar trend may well be true for psychiatry, taken from a global perspective. A cursory glance at recent issues of World Psychiatry, the official journal of the World Psychiatric Association, will reveal articles describing recent advances in antidepressant treatment and other pharmacotherapies, psychotherapy and psychoanalysis, personality disorders, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and the genetics of mental illness. These topics are obviously important and the field cannot advance without such cutting-edge research. Most of the authors are, as expected, psychiatrists living and working in Western Europe or North America. This is also, of course, acceptable and important. The dissemination of scientific data is essential for advancing the field, and researchers who live and work in Europe and North America are generally the most qualified to do so. So, what's the problem?
Patients’ opinions of psychiatric care: a Swedish study
Authors: Johansson Håkan
Published: January 2018

Over the past few decades, health care as a whole and psychiatry specifically have evolved as a result of various societal influences. Quality assurance, evidence-based treatment and patients’ satisfaction with care are all examples of such trends. In Sweden, the patients’ satisfaction with care has become the concern both of researchers and of mental health care administrators. This may be a result of changed social norms and of the relatively recent apprehension of patients’ wish to participate in their own health care.
The mental health policies of Trinidad and Tobago
Authors: Maharajh Hari D. , Ali Akleema
Published: January 2018

The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is the most southerly of the Caribbean island states. Trinidad is just 14 km from the coast of Venezuela. Trinidad covers an area of 4828 km2 while Tobago, the sister isle, has an area of 300 km2. The total population is approximately 1.3 million; 40.3% of the population is of East Indian descent, 39.6% of African descent, 18.4% mixed and 1.7% belong to other ethnic groups (Central Statistical Office, 2001). St Ann's Hospital in Port of Spain, the capital, was established in 1900 and is the country's only psychiatric hospital. There are two general hospitals, one in the north, at Port of Spain, and the other in the south, at San Fernando.
Postgraduate psychiatry training for global mental health: a Canadian experience
Authors: Chehil Sonia , Kutcher Stan
Published: January 2018

As globalisation has diminished the distance between the developed and developing worlds, it has highlighted the impact of global health issues on domestic health concerns and has underscored the reality of global health disparities. In the Canadian context, there is a need for Canadian physicians to have an understanding of medicine from a global perspective and to appreciate and understand the impact of global health issues on both international and domestic health care. Consequently, there is a need to create and incorporate a global or international health curriculum into general as well as specialty physician training programmes. This will provide future physicians with the skills, knowledge and understanding necessary to provide globally informed practice in domestic as well as international health.
The Section and Board of Psychiatry of the Union of European Medical Specialists (UEMS): achievements and perspectives
Authors: Lindhardt Anne , Gomez-Beneyto Manuel , Saliba Joseph
Published: January 2018

The enlargement of the European Union (EU) creates new inspiration and challenges for the Section and Board of Psychiatry of the Union of European Medical Specialists (UEMS). The Section and Board, which have an active history dating back to the early 1990s, aim to promote and harmonise psychiatry throughout Europe, mainly by working to produce standards for training, including conditions for training and continuous professional development (CPD). However, European society is complex and in transition. The move towards a more unified European professional identity first requires the identification and acknowledgement of differences.