bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Teaching social science research methods to undergraduate medical students
Authors: Forrest Simon
Published: July 2017

There is an expectation that medical students in the UK will be able to demonstrate conversancy with social science relevant to medicine and health, including the means by which the relevant bodies of knowledge are generated through the use of social science research methods. This paper explores the structural and pedagogical challenges and opportunities posed by this demand. To achieve this a small scale research project seeking to establish the ‘state of the art’ with respect to teaching and learning about these research methods was implemented. It was found that there is little formal reporting of practice in the literature and that this is a field largely unsupported with materials and resources. However, there were some common features in the ways that practitioners approach, organise and deliver the provision; and it was found that almost all the provision takes place in the early part of medical education. It is suggested that continuing problems with the status of social sciences, lack of clarity about whether the purpose is to enrich medicine with knowledge about health and generated by the social sciences, and/or explore the ontological and epistemological tensions between natural and social sciences coupled with the status of social scientists in medical education, may limit capacity to develop the field.
The Existential Underpinnings of Intergroup Helping: When Normative and Defensive Motivations Collide
Authors: Hirschberger Gilad , Hayes Jenna , Shtrul Adi , Ein-Dor Tsachi
Published: July 2017

Five studies examined defensive intergroup helping—when responsibility for an out-group victim’s injury decreases helping, whereas lack of responsibility increases helping when death is salient. In Study 1 ( N = 350), implicit death primes increased petition signings to allow a Palestinian child to receive medical treatment in Israel, when the child was a victim of Palestinian fire. When the child was a victim of Israeli fire, however, death primes decreased petition signings. Study 2 ( N = 200) partially replicated these effects on commitment to donate blood to an injured Palestinian child. Study 3 ( N = 162) found that moral affirmation primes moderate defensive helping effects. Study 4 ( N = 372) replicated defensive helping, but failed to replicate the moral affirmation effect found in Study 3. Study 5 ( N = 243) partially replicated defensive helping and found that different framings of existential threat moderate the effect. Overall, results indicate that self-protective concerns underlie prosocial responses to out-group members in need.
Watching Moonlight in the Twilight of Obama
Authors: Kannan Menaka , Hall Rhys , Hughey Matthew W.
Published: July 2017

Now months into the already turbulent presidency of Donald Trump, and in the wake of both the Obama presidency and Moonlight’s awkward ceremonial win for “Best Picture” at the 2017 Academy Awards, what are the meanings of Moonlight? We contend that the film’s polysemy both reproduces and challenges the continuing fight for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer; racial; class; and gender equality and representational struggles of marginalized peoples on the silver screen. With complexity, the film trades in and tests racial stereotypes and understandings of black families; relishes in the heterogeneity of black and Latinx identities; displays cultural contradictions at the heart of racism, heteronormativity, and hegemonic masculinity; and refuses to shy away from topics of love, lust, and loss. Together, the film is an epic—a sweeping homage to social transformation and to the nobility and negativity of the human condition.
How Documentary Remade Mike Tyson
Authors: Fuhs Kristen
Published: July 2017

This article will theorize the relationship between stardom and documentary by considering the ways in which documentary representations contribute to the discursive formation of a star. Specifically, the article will explore the central role that documentary film has played in remaking Mike Tyson’s public image by analyzing the boxer’s representation across three distinct films: Fallen Champ: The Untold Story of Mike Tyson (Barbara Kopple, 1993), Tyson (James Toback, 2008), and Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth (Spike Lee, 2013).
The Problem of Alcohol in Colonial India (c. 1907–1942)
Authors: Bhattacharya Nandini
Published: July 2017

This article traces the transformation of liquor and industrial alcohol into a commercial product in twentieth-century colonial India. Liquor (alcoholic beverages for human consumption) remained prominent in political discourse and in the public sphere in this period. Temperance activists, Gandhian nationalists and medical authorities critiqued government revenue extraction from consumable liquors and advocated either partial or total prohibition. On the other hand, industrial alcohol emerged as an unchallenged and untampered commodity while it became essential to Indian industrialization, a process that accelerated between the wars. This article moves beyond cultural explanations of transformation of commodities and instead focuses on the temporal and political lives of liquor and alcohol in colonial India.
The importance of mindfulness training for teachers
Authors: Seney Robert W , Mishou Mark A
Published: July 2017

After discussing informal feedback from a district workshop for teachers of the gifted on the practice of mindfulness, the authors asked the question: Does research support the shared reactions of these teachers? A review of the literature showed there are a growing number of studies on mindfulness, but research on teachers and mindfulness is limited. However, the existing research supports the concept that teacher training in the practice of mindfulness is positive especially in the area of teacher burnout.
Subjective Response Patterns Related to Low Frequency Noise
Authors: Tesara Maria , Kjeilberg Anders , Landström Ulf , Holmberg Kjell
Published: July 2017

The relationship between low frequency noise exposure and subjective symptoms, such as fatigue, tension, irritability and annoyance reactions were studied in a group of 439 persons working in offices, laboratories and industries. Measurements were made of each person's exposure to noise and subjective responses were collected by means of a questionnaire. The dB(C) – dB(A) difference was used as an indicator of the low frequency character of the workplace noise. Indices of annoyance, distraction reactions and symptoms were used as dependent variables in hierarchical multiple regression analyses. Potential confounders were controlled for.

Low frequency noise was strongly related to fatigue and tiredness after work, with an increase of these symptoms with increased low frequency dominance in the noise. Annoyance was strongly related to noise level and distraction reactions were neither related to noise level nor with the low frequency character of the noise. Specific response patterns due to low frequency noise are discussed.
Pre-professional students’ explicit syntax knowledge: Preliminary analysis
Authors: Brimo Danielle , Melamed Tina
Published: July 2017

Existing research concludes that educators have varying levels of language knowledge. Educators’ varying levels of language knowledge may be related to the type of content knowledge they received while in school. The purpose of this study was to compare the performance of pre-professional speech-language pathology (SLP) students who have taken language development coursework to pre-professional students who have not taken language development coursework on an explicit syntax knowledge task. Forty-four undergraduate and graduate students from speech language pathology, early childhood education, and education majors completed a 52 question explicit syntax knowledge task comprised of matching, counting, expressive, and receptive subtests. Pre-professional students performed the best on the expressive subtest, followed by the matching subtest, the receptive subtest, and the counting subtest. There was not a significant difference in total score, matching/counting composite score, or express/receptive composite score between pre-professional SLP students who have taken language development coursework and pre-professional students who have not taken language development coursework. The results suggest that language development coursework may not provide enough direct instruction about the structure of language, or at least not at the level that could provide pre-professional students with explicit syntax knowledge. This study contributes to the growing body of research investigating pre-professional students’ and educators’ explicit knowledge of language and the effects of coursework on that knowledge.
Digital skills gaps: A pending subject for gender digital inclusion in the European Union
Authors: Martínez-Cantos José Luis
Published: July 2017

This article thoroughly analyses the Eurostat database on Digital Economy and Society to explore the evolution of the digital skills gaps by gender in the European Union between years 2007 and 2014. It finds that there are slight differences between women and men in the most basic and widespread skills, but they are very significant in the more complex and less generalized tasks. The disparities in this regard have generally decreased but very few points, so they are rather stable over the period. Additionally, those gender gaps are even more marked in the high-educated groups and also relevant among younger cohorts. Contrary to the statements made by the European Commission in its reports, these findings indicate that digital skills gaps by gender are still significant and likely to persist at many levels of society, while ‘ICT specialist’ profiles are becoming more important for future employment opportunities.
The mental representation of the human gait in patients with severe knee osteoarthrosis: a clinical study to aid understanding of impairment and disability
Authors: Jacksteit Robert , Mau-Moeller Anett , Behrens Martin , Bader Rainer , Mittelmeier Wolfram , Skripitz Ralf , Stöckel Tino
Published: July 2017

Objective:

Objectives were (1) to explore differences in gait-specific long-term memory structures and gait performance between knee osteoarthrosis patients and healthy subjects and (2) to identify the extent to which the gait-specific mental representation is associated with gait performance.

Design:

Cross-sectional study.

Subjects:

In total, 18 knee osteoarthrosis patients and 18 control subjects.

Methods:

Spatio-temporal (gait speed, step length) and temporophasic (stance time, swing time, single support time, total double support time) gait parameters and gait variability were measured with an electronic walkway (OptoGait). The mental representation was assessed using the structural dimensional analysis of mental representations (SDA-M).

Results:

(1) Patients showed significantly longer stance times ( P < 0.002) and total double support times, shorter swing times and single support times, a decreased gait speed ( P-values < 0.001) and structural differences in the gait-specific mental representation as compared with the healthy controls. (2) Correlation analyses revealed the mental representation of the human gait to be associated with actual gait performance in osteoarthrosis patients. Double support times were positively associated with the structural quality of the mental representation and step length variability was positively associated with the number of sequencing errors in the representation.

Conclusion:

The gait-specific mental representation and actual gait performance differ between patients with severe knee osteoarthrosis and healthy controls, and both are linked to one another. This finding suggests that musculoskeletal disorders can lead to changes in the mental representation of the gait, and as such the SDA-M could provide useful information to improve the rehabilitation following osteoarthrosis.
Surgical versus non-operative treatment for lumbar disc herniation: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Chen Bing-Lin , Guo Jia-Bao , Zhang Hong-Wei , Zhang Ya-Jun , Zhu Yi , Zhang Juan , Hu Hao-Yu , Zheng Yi-Li , Wang Xue-Qiang
Published: July 2017

Objective:

To investigate the effects of surgical versus non-operative treatment on the physical function and safety of patients with lumbar disc herniation.

Data sources:

PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, EBSCO, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database were searched from initiation to 15 May 2017.

Methods:

Randomized controlled trials that evaluated surgical versus non-operative treatment for patients with lumbar disc herniation were selected. The primary outcomes were pain and side-effects. Secondary outcomes were function and health-related quality of life. A random effects model was used to calculate the pooled mean difference with 95% confidence interval.

Results:

A total of 19 articles that involved 2272 participants met the inclusion criteria. Compared with non-operative treatment, surgical treatment was more effective in lowering pain (short term: mean difference = −0.94, 95% confidence interval = −1.87 to −0.00; midterm: mean difference = −1.59, 95% confidence interval = −2.24 to −9.94), improving function (midterm: mean difference = −7.84, 95% confidence interval = −14.00 to −1.68; long term: mean difference = −12.21, 95% confidence interval = −23.90 to −0.52) and quality of life. The 36-item Short-Form Health Survey for physical functions (short term: mean difference = 6.25, 95% confidence interval = 0.43 to 12.08) and bodily pain (short term: mean difference = 5.42, 95% confidence interval = 0.40 to 10.45) was also utilized. No significant difference was observed in adverse events (mean difference = 0.82, 95% confidence interval = 0.28 to 2.38).

Conclusion:

Low-quality evidence suggested that surgical treatment is more effective than non-operative treatment in improving physical functions; no significant difference was observed in adverse events. No firm recommendation can be made due to instability of the summarized data.
The Unintended Normalization of Gambling
Authors: Westberg Kate , Beverland Michael B. , Thomas Samantha L.
Published: July 2017

Although gambling has been legitimized as a form of leisure, this consumption activity can have individual and social costs. Policy approaches often focus on problem gambling as a discrete activity undertaken by an individual. Drawing on social practice theory and family identity research, we take an alternative approach, identifying how exposure to gambling can occur in emergent ways that can have an unintended but lasting effect. Based on 40 depth interviews, we identify how the pursuit of four family identity goals (membership and bonding, coming-of-age, emotional sustenance, and communing) plays a role in the normalization of gambling in childhood. We then explore how these goals and family gambling practices may contribute to gambling behaviour longer term. Finally, we examine the interplay between family identity goals at the meso-level, and wider macro-level socio-cultural institutions. Policy and social marketing initiatives that acknowledge the influence of identity-related gambling behaviour are recommended.
Effects of palonosetron and ondansetron on preventing nausea and vomiting after laparoscopic surgery
Authors: Liu Qili , Zhou Chengmao , Bao Zeqing , Zhu Yu
Published: July 2017

Background

This meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of palonosetron and ondansetron in preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery with general anesthesia.

Methods

We searched for randomized controlled clinical trials in PubMed, Embase, and The Cochrane Library.

Results

Nine studies were enrolled in this meta-analysis and showed no statistically significant difference between palonosetron and ondansetron in the prevention of PONV in the first 24 hours after surgery (relative risk [RR], 0.62; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.35–1.10). Palonosetron more effectively prevented vomiting at various time intervals during the first 24 hours postoperatively than did ondansetron: 0–2 hours (RR, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.26–0.78), 2–6 hours (RR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.39–1.40), and 6–24 hours (RR, 1.20; 95% CI, 0.55–2.64). No significant differences in side effects were found between palonosetron and ondansetron (RR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.40–1.14).

Conclusion

This meta-analysis demonstrated that palonosetron is not more efficacious than ondansetron in the prevention of early PONV. However, palonosetron was more efficacious than ondansetron in the prevention of vomiting after laparoscopic surgery.
Do Valenced Odors and Trait Body Odor Disgust Affect Evaluation of Emotion in Dynamic Faces?
Authors: Syrjänen Elmeri , Liuzza Marco Tullio , Fischer Håkan , Olofsson Jonas K.
Published: July 2017

Disgust is a core emotion evolved to detect and avoid the ingestion of poisonous food as well as the contact with pathogens and other harmful agents. Previous research has shown that multisensory presentation of olfactory and visual information may strengthen the processing of disgust-relevant information. However, it is not known whether these findings extend to dynamic facial stimuli that changes from neutral to emotionally expressive, or if individual differences in trait body odor disgust may influence the processing of disgust-related information. In this preregistered study, we tested whether a classification of dynamic facial expressions as happy or disgusted, and an emotional evaluation of these facial expressions, would be affected by individual differences in body odor disgust sensitivity, and by exposure to a sweat-like, negatively valenced odor (valeric acid), as compared with a soap-like, positively valenced odor (lilac essence) or a no-odor control. Using Bayesian hypothesis testing, we found evidence that odors do not affect recognition of emotion in dynamic faces even when body odor disgust sensitivity was used as moderator. However, an exploratory analysis suggested that an unpleasant odor context may cause faster RTs for faces, independent of their emotional expression. Our results further our understanding of the scope and limits of odor effects on facial perception affect and suggest further studies should focus on reproducibility, specifying experimental circumstances where odor effects on facial expressions may be present versus absent.
Is poor director attendance contagious?
Authors: Nowland John , Simon Andreas
Published: July 2017

Recent corporate governance guidelines have focused on the structure of the board of directors, with little recognition of the importance of director attendance at board and committee meetings. Director attendance is vital as prior studies show that director absences result in weaker monitoring of management and lower firm performance. This study examines whether directors learn from the attendance behavior of their board colleagues, thereby magnifying the scope and potential consequences of good or poor attendance practices. We find that director attendance is significantly positively related to their board colleagues attendance, including colleagues in the same firm and colleagues in other firms where the director holds other directorships. For policymakers, these results indicate that ongoing attention needs to be paid to the attendance practices of directors, with intervention required to ensure poor attendance practices do not become contagious.
Long-term follow up of intractable chronic short lasting unilateral neuralgiform headache disorders treated with occipital nerve stimulation
Authors: Miller Sarah , Watkins Laurence , Matharu Manjit
Published: July 2017

Background

Occipital nerve stimulation is a potential treatment option for medically intractable short-lasting unilateral neuralgiform headache attacks. We present long-term outcomes in 31 patients with short-lasting unilateral neuralgiform headache attacks treated with occipital nerve stimulation in an uncontrolled open-label prospective study.

Methods

Thirty-one patients with intractable short-lasting unilateral neuralgiform headache attacks were treated with bilateral occipital nerve stimulation from 2007 to 2015. Data on attack characteristics, quality of life, disability and adverse events were collected. Primary endpoint was change in mean daily attack frequency at final follow-up.

Results

At a mean follow-up of 44.9 months (range 13–89) there was a 69% improvement in attack frequency with a response rate (defined as at least a 50% improvement in daily attack frequency) of 77%. Attack severity reduced by 4.7 points on the verbal rating scale and attack duration by a mean of 64%. Improvements were seen in headache-related disability and depression. Adverse event rates were favorable, with no electrode migration or erosion reported.

Conclusion

Occipital nerve stimulation appears to offer a safe and efficacious treatment for refractory short-lasting unilateral neuralgiform headache attacks with significant improvements sustained in the long term. The procedure has a low adverse event rate when conducted in highly specialised units.
Transformative agency as social construction: Overcoming knowledge constraints in science, art and technology
Authors: Kupferberg Feiwel
Published: July 2017

A core problem of social constructivist theories of knowledge is the lack of theoretical clarity about the role of knowledge constraints and how they are overcome in practice, by what type of social agency. Knowledge constraints are both special – rules constituting and/or regulating such distinct intellectual fields as science, art and technology – and general – laws working across the nature/culture divide. In order to sort out this complexity of knowledge constraints in science, we need to start by recognizing the existence of knowledge constraints in the first place. Advance of knowledge is not contingent, as claimed by the Strong Program inaugurated by David Bloor. The latter reduces the problem of knowledge constraints to reputational work. But reputational work is what all humans engage in; this is one reason why networking is so crucial for the human species. Moreover, it requires the special form of communicative competence, talk, which only humans possess. It is also because humans can talk that they have managed to invent the coherent argument, the core of the special constraint that constitutes science, giving it a law-like character. Arguments are both competitive and cooperative at the same time, reputational work contains both elements. This strongly social element of science is missing in Latour’s concept of the social. Latour reduces the social (both networking and agency) to naked competition. But the model for this thinking is not sociology, it is literature. As a social construction it possibly reflects the psychological effect of the French system of elite education.
Neuroimaging Studies of Antisocial Behaviour
Authors: Bassarath Lindley
Published: July 2017

Objective:

To review recent neuroimaging studies of antisocial behaviour, including criminality, psychopathy, sexual offending, aggression, and violence.

Method:

Using OVID software, Psycinfo and Medline were searched for studies undertaken in the last 15 years. A brief outline of each technology is followed by a survey of published reports from refereed journals. Where indicated, critical appraisal is offered.

Results:

Converging evidence from multiple studies of structure and function indicates that abnormal prefrontal (and probably subcortical) circuitry are very likely involved in antisocial behaviour.

Conclusions:

Clinicians should be aware of emerging findings from biological studies of antisociality. Future neuroimaging and other biologically based work, especially when combined with psychosocial initiatives, should yield fruit in attempts to better understand, treat, and prevent such socially devastating and destructive behaviour.
Frequency of Borderline Personality Disorder in a Sample of French High School Students
Authors: Chabrol Henri , Montovany Annie , Chouicha Karine , Callahan Stacey , Mullet Etienne
Published: July 2017

Objective:

To estimate the frequency of borderline personality disorder (BPD) in French high school students.

Method:

A random sample of high school students ( n = 1363) ranging in age from 13 to 20 years agreed to complete a questionnaire, the Screening Test for Comorbid Personality Disorders (STCPD); 107 of them volunteered to be interviewed. We assessed this group using the Revised Diagnostic Interview for Borderlines (DIB-R). We conducted a regression analysis to determine a cut-off for BPD diagnosis with the STCPD.

Results:

We estimated the overall frequency of BPD to be 10% for boys and 18% for girls. After a peak of frequency at age 14 years for both sexes, the frequency increased significantly again in late adolescence.

Conclusion:

This study found a high frequency of BPD in French adolescents, which adds to questions regarding the validity of diagnosing this disorder in adolescents.
The 2 “Es” of Research: Efficacy and Effectiveness Trials
Authors: Streiner David L
Published: July 2017

Studies that investigate the usefulness of various therapies fall along a continuum that ranges from those looking at whether an intervention can work under ideal circumstances (efficacy trials) to those that focus on whether a treatment works when applied in the real world (effectiveness trials). Whether a study is closer to one end of the spectrum or the other affects almost every aspect of the trial. These aspects include which patients are eligible for enrolment, the degree of control over the way the intervention is delivered, which patients are or are not included in the analyses, how missing data are handled, and even which statistical tests may be used. The 2 types of trials may yield different results, but both provide useful information. This paper explores these issues, shows the decisions researchers must take at each phase of a trial, and discusses how clinicians should interpret the results.
Senior Residents in Psychiatry: Views on Training in Developmental Disabilities
Authors: Burge Philip , Ouellette-Kuntz Hélène , McCreary Bruce , Bradley Elspeth , Leichner Pierre
Published: July 2017

Objectives:

To determine the proportion of senior residents who believed their education in the field of developmental disabilities was adequate and to collect suggestions for improvements.

Method:

We distributed a self-administered questionnaire to senior residents prior to an annual voluntary preparatory exam. Their views on training in developmental disabilities and ideas about improving curricula were solicited in detail, and their feedback results were analyzed.

Results:

Of the 89 senior residents who attended the exam, 60 (67.4%) completed the survey. This represents 29% of the national complement. Most (85%) of the one-half who reported receiving undergraduate training in developmental disabilities felt the quantity was inadequate. Almost 90% of those who did not receive training felt they should have. Of respondents, 85% received residency training in dual diagnosis, but most (59%) felt more curriculum time was needed.

Conclusions:

Senior residents also desire curricular enhancements that experts in developmental disabilities have long recommended.
Réadaptation Psychiatrique en Milieu Francophone: Pratiques Actuelles, Défis Futurs
Authors: Tempier Raymond , Favrod Jérôme
Published: July 2017

Cet essai vise à faire le point sur les pratiques actuelles de la réadaptation psychiatrique dans le monde francophone et à discuter des développements futurs.

Il présente des exemples de politiques et de pratiques au Québec et en Europe francophone. Il discute du rôle et de l'implication des professionnels, notamment des psychiatres et des infirmiers. L'article présente ensuite différentes stratégies et techniques de réadaptation utilisées dans le monde francophone comme la gestion de cas, l'entraînement aux habiletés sociales, les thérapies cognitives des symptômes psychotiques, les interventions familiales et le retour au travail.

En conclusion, les auteurs invitent les psychiatres à jouer un rôle plus actif dans la réadaptation. Ils recommandent la mise sur pied de petites unités spécialisées proches des besoins des clients, et proposent d'intégrer les interventions sociales et médicales plutôt que de les opposer.
Strategies of Collaboration between General Practitioners and Psychiatrists: A Survey of Practitioners' Opinions and Characteristics
Authors: Lucena Ricardo J M , Lesage Alain , Élie Robert , Lamontagne Yves , Corbière Marc
Published: July 2017

Background:

The description of collaboration models and the key underlying principles provide important information for designing services. However, to apply this broad corpus of information to clinical services and policymaking, we need to know which key principles (or strategies) of collaboration are the most accepted by local physicians.

Method:

In this context, we designed a survey that included 2 objectives: 1) to collect the opinions of practising general practitioners (GPs) and psychiatrists in Montreal with respect to strategies for improving collaboration between these 2 groups and 2) to identify demographic and practice characteristics of those physicians associated with the acceptance of such strategies. We designed a questionnaire to specifically elicit physicians' opinions about strategies involving communication, continuing medical education (CME) for GPs in psychiatry, and access to consulting psychiatrists, as well as to identify the profiles of the respondent physicians. We mailed the questionnaire to 203 GPs and 203 psychiatrists who were randomly selected.

Results:

The response rate was 86% for GPs and 87% for psychiatrists. Physicians expressed favourable opinions about most strategies involving 1) the improvement of communication and 2) the organization of CME activities concerning GP practices in the field of psychiatry. On the other hand, they did not indicate acceptance of the strategies involving on-site collaboration between GPs and psychiatrists. Physician age, sex, place of practice, type of practice (such as seeing patients with or without appointments), and responsibility for administrative duties associated significantly with the degree of acceptance of the proposed strategies

Conclusion:

Communication and CME strategies for GPs in psychiatry can be an option to improve collaboration between GPs and psychiatrists. However, strategies of access to consulting psychiatrists require significant alterations to established clinical routines and professional roles.
Prevalence and Incidence Studies of Schizophrenic Disorders: A Systematic Review of the Literature
Authors: Goldner Elliot M , Hsu Lorena , Waraich Paul , Somers Julian M
Published: July 2017

Objective:

To present the results of a systematic review of the literature published between January 1, 1980, and December 31, 2000, that reports findings on the prevalence and incidence of schizophrenia and related disorders.

Method:

We conducted a literature search of schizophrenia-related epidemiological studies, using Medline and HealthSTAR databases and canvassing English-language publications. We used a set of predetermined inclusion-exclusion criteria to identify relevant studies. Eligible publications were restricted to age ranges of 18 years and over for prevalence studies and 15 years and over for incidence studies. Prevalence and incidence data were extracted and analyzed for heterogeneity.

Results:

A total of 18 prevalence and 8 incidence studies met eligibility criteria for the review. Heterogeneity analysis revealed significant differences across 1-year and lifetime prevalence and 1-year incidence of schizophrenia. The corresponding pooled rates were: 0.34 per 100, 0.55 per 100, and 11.1 per 100 000, respectively; the variation in rates between studies was generally between 2- and 5-fold.

Conclusions:

Although we restricted this review to studies using rigorous and relatively homogeneous methods, there remains significant heterogeneity of prevalence and incidence rates. This strengthens support for the hypothesis that there is real variation in the distribution of schizophrenia around the world. Health planners need to have local data on schizophrenia rates to improve the accuracy of their interventions, while clinicians and researchers need to continue to investigate the etiology of this variation.
Interrater Reliability of the Fitness Interview Test across 4 Professional Groups
Authors: Viljoen Jodi L , Roesch Ronald , Zapf Patricia A
Published: July 2017

Objective:

This study investigated the interrater reliability of the Fitness Interview Test (FIT), revised edition, a semistructured interview that assesses fitness to stand trial.

Method:

Physicians, forensic psychologists, nurses, and graduate students in psychology were trained in the FIT, and they subsequently viewed 2 videotaped interviews of actual fitness assessments. Using the FIT, they rated the fitness of each defendant portrayed in the videotapes.

Results:

For overall judgment of fitness, the average intraclass correlation based on the full samples of raters was found to be 0.98, and for most items on the FIT, intraclass correlations fell within the 0.80s and 0.90s. Reliability estimates were high across professional groups.

Conclusions:

Overall, this study provides further support for the psychometric properties of the FIT, as well as for the ability of various professionals to conduct reliable fitness assessments using the FIT.
Quality of Life in OCD: Differential Impact of Obsessions, Compulsions, and Depression Comorbidity
Authors: Masellis Mario , Rector Neil A , Richter Margaret A
Published: July 2017

Objective:

An anxiety disorder severely affects the sufferer's quality of life (QOL), and this may be particularly true of those with obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD). This study examines the differential impact of obsessions, compulsions, and depression comorbidity on the QOL of individuals with OCD.

Method:

Forty-three individuals diagnosed with OCD according to DSM-IV criteria and experiencing clinically significant obsessions and compulsions completed measures of QOL, obsessive–compulsive symptom severity, and depression severity.

Results:

Obsession severity was found to significantly predict patient QOL, whereas the severity of compulsive rituals did not impact on QOL ratings. Comorbid depression severity was the single greatest predictor of poor QOL, accounting for 54% of the variance.

Conclusions:

Given the importance of these symptoms, treatments that directly target obsessions and secondary depression symptoms in OCD are warranted. However, replication of these findings in a prospective cohort study is required, because although the the current study's cross-sectional design allows for the examination of the associations among obsessions, depression, and QOL, it cannot establish their temporal framework (that is, causal relations).
The Implications of Core Competencies for Psychiatric Education and Practice in the US
Authors: Scheiber Stephen C , Kramer Thomas AM , Adamowski Susan E
Published: July 2017

Physician competence is a universal concern, one that Canada and the US have addressed in differing, but also in similar, ways. Focusing on the roles physicians play, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) has implemented a uniform procedure for developing and assessing competencies. The US does not have a parallel body but has instead different organizations responsible for different phases of medical education from residency through practice. These groups are working with 6 categories of core competencies to be used for assessment purposes. The categories are patient care, medical knowledge, interpersonal and communication skills, practice-based learning and improvement, professionalism, and systems-based practice. This article presents the US core competencies for psychiatric practice as they are currently being implemented through the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Inc.
Residency Training: Challenges and Opportunities in Preparing Trainees for the 21st Century
Authors: Martin Lawrence , Saperson Karen , Maddigan Barbara
Published: July 2017

The future will see increased medicalization of psychiatry and will demand changes in training that better prepare residents for the realities of practice in a sustained period of physician shortage. Residency programs will need to move from the current apprenticeship model of training to competency-based programs built on the CanMEDS 2000 articulation of physician roles. Training will need to focus on evidence-based treatments, more efficient models of health care delivery, more attentive tracking of resident clinical work, and more reliable and standardized methods of evaluating resident competencies.
Weight Gain in First-Episode Psychosis
Authors: Addington Jean , Mansley Chrystal , Addington Donald
Published: July 2017

Objective:

To examine the extent of weight gain in the first year of treatment in an early psychosis program.

Method:

Subjects were 114 individuals who had experienced a first episode of psychosis and had completed 1 year in a comprehensive first-episode program. Weight and body mass index were calculated on entry to the program and at 6 and 12 months. Most of the subjects were all being prescribed second-generation antipsychotics.

Results:

Significant increases in mean weight were observed in these young individuals over the course of the first year of treatment.

Conclusions:

If we are to work toward optimum treatment for first-episode subjects then potential weight gain needs to be addressed at the beginning of treatment and monitored during treatment.
Time of Day Influences Nonattendance at Urgent Short-Term Mental Health Unit in Victoria, British Columbia
Authors: Weinerman Rivian , Glossop VI , Wong Randy , Robinson Lara , White Karen , Kamil Rif
Published: July 2017

Objectives:

To identify the patient profile of first-time no-shows (FTNS) and to examine which process variables predict FTNS.

Method:

We developed a questionnaire exploring variables that might impact attendance. Of 779 referrals over 9 months, all FTNS ( n = 60) and a sample of randomly selected control subjects ( n = 60) completed the questionnaire.

Results:

The FTNS rate was 7.7%. A set of 10 variables predicted FTNS at 80% accuracy. Most significant was our finding that “time of day of first appointment” showed a novel and practical difference between FTNS and control subjects. Patients were 3.6 times more likely to show for first appointments scheduled in the afternoon.

Conclusions:

Simply making first appointments in the afternoon could significantly decrease FTNS incidence.
Prevalence Studies of Substance-Related Disorders: A Systematic Review of the Literature
Authors: Somers Julian M , Goldner Elliot M , Waraich Paul , Hsu Lorena
Published: July 2017

Objective:

To present the results of a systematic review of literature published between January 1, 1980, and December 31, 2000, that reports epidemiologic estimates of substance-related disorders.

Method:

We conducted a literature search of substance-related epidemiologic studies, using medline and HealthSTAR databases and applying a set of predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria to identify relevant studies. We extracted and analyzed prevalence and incidence data for heterogeneity.

Results:

A total of 19 prevalence studies of substance-related disorders met inclusion criteria for this review. Heterogeneity analyses revealed significant variability across 1-year and lifetime prevalence of both alcohol and other substance use disorders. The corresponding 1-year and lifetime pooled rates were 6.6 per 100 and 13.2 per 100, respectively, for alcohol use disorders and 2.4 per 100 and 2.4 per 100, respectively, for other substance use disorders. We observed variability among countries and also among regions within the same country. In contrast to other drug problems, alcohol use disorders were substantially more common, were more likely to occur among male subjects, and were more likely to be associated with abuse symptoms. For other drugs, dependence was consistently more prevalent than abuse.

Conclusions:

Studies using rigorous and comparable methodologies report significant variability in rates of alcohol and other substance use disorders. These data suggest that different policies and regional practices are associated with variability in rates of disorders. Policy-makers and health planners require regular, regionally sensitive estimates of prevalence rates to respond effectively to unique patterns of need in their constituencies.
Stress and Psychological Impact on SARS Patients during the Outbreak
Authors: Chua Siew E , Cheung Vinci , McAlonan Grainne M , Cheung Charlton , Wong Josephine WS , Cheung Erik PT , Chan Marco TY , Wong Teresa KW , Choy Khai M , Chu Chung M , Lee Peter WH , Tsang Kenneth WT
Published: July 2017

Objective:

To examine stress and psychological impact in severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) patients during the 2003 outbreak. SARS is a novel, highly infectious pneumonia, and its psychological impact is still unclear.

Method:

At the peak of the outbreak, SARS patients ( n = 79) and healthy control subjects ( n = 145) completed the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and documented a range of psychological responses. Groups were balanced for age, sex, education, and living circumstances.

Results:

Stress was significantly higher in SARS patients than in healthy control subjects. Stress correlated significantly with negative psychological effects. Of SARS patients, 39% ( n = 30) were infected health care workers; these individuals reported significantly more fatigue and worries about health than did other patients. Of patients, 25% ( n = 20) requested psychological follow-up.

Conclusions:

General stress and negative psychological effects are increased in SARS patients, particularly among infected health care workers. This may increase the risk of mood and stress-related disorders. Functional impairment is apparent in the postrecovery phase.
The Psychosocial Effects of Being Quarantined following Exposure to SARS: A Qualitative Study of Toronto Health Care Workers
Authors: Robertson Emma , Hershenfield Karen , Grace Sherry Lynn , Stewart Donna Eileen
Published: July 2017

Objective:

To examine the psychosocial effects on health care workers of being quarantined because of exposure to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

Method:

We used semistructured qualitative interviews.

Results:

We identified 3 major themes concerning psychosocial effects: loss, duty, and conflict.

Conclusions:

Quarantined workers experienced stigma, fear, and frustration. We highlight the need for clear and easily accessible information on dealing with infectious diseases. Practical advice on coping and stress management techniques for health care workers are needed in preparation for potential future outbreaks of infectious diseases. Information on author affiliations appears at the end of the article.
Surrogate Decision Making: Special Issues in Geriatric Psychiatry
Authors: Cohen Carole A
Published: July 2017

Surrogate decision makers, usually family and friends, are often called on to assist seniors who are incapable of making certain decisions. The literature to date has focused primarily on decisions regarding medical treatment. Less has been written about issues faced by surrogates when making other types of decisions that often arise in the practice of geriatric psychiatry. This article outlines a case relating to personal care decision-making. The discussion focuses on areas that need to be addressed to understand and assist surrogates in making personal care decisions in the future.
Preventing Postpartum Depression Part I: A Review of Biological Interventions
Authors: Dennis Cindy-Lee E
Published: July 2017

Objective:

This paper critically reviews the literature to determine the current state of scientific knowledge concerning the prevention of postpartum depression (PPD) from a biological perspective.

Methods:

The criteria used to evaluate the interventions were derived from the standardized methodology developed by the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care. Databases searched for this review include Medline, PubMed, Cinahl, PsycINFO, Embase, ProQuest, the Cochrane Library, and the World Health Organization Reproductive Health Library. Studies selected were peer-reviewed English-language articles published between January 1, 1966, and December 31, 2003.

Results:

Seven studies that met criteria were examined. These studies focused on evaluating the preventive effect of antidepressant medication, estrogen and progesterone therapy, thyroid therapy, docosahexanoic acid, and calcium supplementation. Although some of these interventions have been examined rigorously for depression unrelated to childbirth, methodological study limitations render intervention efficacy equivocal for PPD; thus, there is limited strong evidence to guide practice or policy recommendations.

Conclusions:

Despite the recent upsurge of interest in this area, many questions remain unanswered, which has several implications for research.
The RCPSC Oral Examination: Patient Perceptions and Impact on Participating Psychiatric Patients
Authors: Tibbo Philip , Templeman Kelly
Published: July 2017

Objective:

To investigate patient perceptions and the impact of participating in the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) long case oral examination.

Method:

Immediately following the RCPSC exam, participating psychiatric patients completed a Participant Impact Questionnaire. We combined results for 2002 and 2003 from both the western and eastern sites.

Results:

Overall, there was a 93% response rate (132/142): 98% (65/66) for the western site and 88% (67/76) for the eastern site. Of the respondents, 94% said they would participate in the RCPSC oral exam again, if required. Most (92%) either agreed or strongly agreed that the exam was well organized; 76% either disagreed or strongly disagreed that the exam was stressful; only 9% agreed that they participated to earn extra money; and 82% strongly disagreed that they felt pressured by their psychiatrist to participate. Patients' written reasons for participating included, but were not limited to, helping to train future psychiatrists. We briefly discuss aspects of the use of real patients vs standardized patients in the RCPSC oral exam.

Conclusion:

Patients who participated in the RCPSC long case oral exam generally found this experience very positive. The exam did not appear to have a negative impact on patients.
Explaining Medically Unexplained Symptoms
Authors: Kirmayer Laurence J , Groleau Danielle , Looper Karl J , Dao Melissa Dominicé
Published: July 2017

Patients with medically unexplained symptoms comprise from 15% to 30% of all primary care consultations. Physicians often assume that psychological factors account for these symptoms, but current theories of psychogenic causation, somatization, and somatic amplification cannot fully account for common unexplained symptoms. Psychophysiological and sociophysiological models provide plausible medical explanations for most common somatic symptoms. Psychological explanations are often not communicated effectively, do not address patient concerns, and may lead patients to reject treatment or referral because of potential stigma. Across cultures, many systems of medicine provide sociosomatic explanations linking problems in family and community with bodily distress. Most patients, therefore, have culturally based explanations available for their symptoms. When the bodily nature and cultural meaning of their suffering is validated, most patients will acknowledge that stress, social conditions, and emotions have an effect on their physical condition. This provides an entree to applying the symptom-focused strategies of behavioural medicine to address the psychosocial factors that contribute to chronicity and disability.