Immigrant Afghan women׳s emotional well-being after birth and use of health services in Melbourne, Australia

Approximately one-third of refugee and humanitarian entrants to Australia are adult men. Many of these men and their families settle in regional areas. Little is known about the health status of refugee men and the use of health services, and whether or not there are differences between those living in urban and regional areas. This paper reports on the cross-sectional differences in health status and use of health services among a group of 233 recently arrived refugee men living in urban and regional areas of South-east Queensland. Overall, participants reported good levels of subjective health status, moderate to good levels of well-being, and low prevalence of mental illness. Men living in urban areas were more likely to have a long-standing illness and report poorer health status than those settled in regional areas. In contrast, men living in regional areas reported poorer levels of well-being in the environment domain and were more likely to visit hospital emergency departments. Targeted health promotion programs will ensure that refugee men remain healthy and develop their full potential as members of the Australian community. Programs that facilitate refugees’ access to primary health care in regional areas may promote more appropriate use of hospital emergency departments by these communities.

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Health-seeking cultural patterns in the use of available healthcare services among refugee groups in south-central Kentucky

International Journal of Migration Health and Social Care ◽

10.1108/ijmhsc-08-2018-0051 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 16 (1) ◽

pp. 12-21

Author(s):

Chika Ejike ◽

Grace Lartey ◽

Randy Capps ◽

David Ciochetty

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Health Services ◽

Care Facility ◽

Well Being ◽

Healthcare Services ◽

Health Seeking ◽

Content Type ◽

Refugee Population ◽

South Central ◽

Use Of Health Services

Purpose Refugees resettle in the USA every year to escape genocide, famine, civil wars and crises in their countries. The diverse cultural identities of the refugee population in south-central Kentucky make it essential to research into their health-care usage patterns. The purpose of this study is to examine the health-seeking patterns of refugees in relation to their culture and the usage of available health services. Design/methodology/approach This is a descriptive correlational study that culled 110 refugees who completed self-administered or interviewer-administered semi-structured questionnaires. Questionnaires were translated into four different languages. T-tests and ANOVA assessed differences between variables. Findings Findings indicate that a demographic factor such as refugees’ nationality plays a role in both the access and use of health services [F (5, 98) = 4.29, p < 0.001]. Refugees’ beliefs and social factors such as acculturation (t = −2.03, p < 0.04) and having health insurance (t = −3.35, p <0.001) also affect the use of health services. The level of cultural competency of the health-care facility or provider as depicted by the presence of interpreters (t = 1.92, p < 0.05) was associated with increased use of the health services provided. Research limitations/implications The sample of refugees is only representative of the general refugee population in south-central Kentucky; hence, there is inadequate generalization. Originality/value Cultural diversity should be included in the health and policymaking debates that surround the refugee population of south-central Kentucky to ensure their well-being.

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Well-being, physical functioning, and use of health services in the elderly with PTSD and subthreshold PTSD

International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry ◽

10.1002/gps.1448 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 21 (2) ◽

pp. 180-188 ◽

Cited By ~ 54

Author(s):

Willeke H. van Zelst ◽

Edwin de Beurs ◽

Aartjan T. F. Beekman ◽

Richard van Dyck ◽

Dorly D. H. Deeg

Keyword(s):

Health Services ◽

Physical Functioning ◽

Well Being ◽

The Elderly ◽

Use Of Health Services

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The Health Cost of Civil Law Problems: Evidence of Links Between Civil Law Problems, Morbidity, and the Consequential Use of Health Services

SSRN Electronic Journal ◽

10.2139/ssrn.912478 ◽

2006 ◽

Author(s):

Pascoe T. Pleasence ◽

Nigel J. Balmer ◽

Alexy Buck ◽

Marisol Smith ◽

Cate Fisher

Keyword(s):

Health Services ◽

Civil Law ◽

Health Cost ◽

Use Of Health Services

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Transdiagnostic versus Diagnosis-Specific Group Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety Disorders and Depression: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics ◽

10.1159/000516380 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-14

Author(s):

Nina Reinholt ◽

Morten Hvenegaard ◽

Anne Bryde Christensen ◽

Anita Eskildsen ◽

Carsten Hjorthøj ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Services ◽

Health Services ◽

Behavioral Therapy ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Well Being ◽

Major Depressive ◽

Outpatient Mental Health ◽

End Of Treatment

Introduction: The Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders (UP) delivered in a group format could facilitate the implementation of evidence-based psychological treatments. Objective: This study compared the efficacy of group UP and diagnosis-specific cognitive behavioral therapy (dCBT) for anxiety and depression in outpatient mental health services. Methods: In this pragmatic, multi-center, single-blinded, non-inferiority, randomized controlled trial (RCT), we assigned 291 patients with major depressive disorder, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, or agoraphobia to 14 weekly sessions in mixed-diagnosis UP or single-diagnosis dCBT groups. The primary test was non-inferiority, using a priori criteria, on the World Health Organisation 5 Well-Being Index (WHO-5) at the end of the treatment. Secondary outcomes were functioning and symptoms. We assessed outcomes at baseline, end-of-treatment, and at a 6-month follow-up. A modified per-protocol analysis was performed. Results: At end-of-treatment, WHO-5 mean scores for patients in UP (n = 148) were non-inferior to those of patients in dCBT (n = 143; mean difference –2.94; 95% CI –8.10 to 2.21). Results were inconclusive for the WHO-5 at the 6-month follow-up. Results for secondary outcomes were non-inferior at end-of-treatment and the 6-month follow-up. Client satisfaction and rates of attrition, response, remission, and deterioration were similar across conditions. Conclusions: This RCT demonstrated non-inferior acute-phase outcomes of group-delivered UP compared with dCBT for major depressive disorder, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and agoraphobia in outpatient mental health services. The long-term effects of UP on well-being need further investigation. If study findings are replicated, UP should be considered a viable alternative to dCBT for common anxiety disorders and depression in outpatient mental health services.

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The Determinants of Telehealth Provision: Empirical Evidence from OECD Countries

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18168288 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (16) ◽

pp. 8288

Author(s):

Fuhmei Wang ◽

Jung-Der Wang

Keyword(s):

Health Services ◽

Health Spending ◽

Well Being ◽

Oecd Countries ◽

Outcome Variable ◽

Explanatory Variables ◽

Telehealth Service ◽

Increase Productivity ◽

Number Of Individuals ◽

Health And Well Being

Health services provided through the telecommunications system aim to improve the population’s health and well-being. This research aims to explore what digital, economic, and health factors are associated with the provision of telehealth services, especially in ageing communities. Applying Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries’ experiences, this research tries to construct a logistic regression model between adopting a telehealth system or not, a binary outcome variable, and a group of potentially explanatory variables. Estimation results showed that there were thresholds for telehealth provision: The demand for telehealth service usually began when the provision of telecommunication accessibility reached 50%, the proportion of elders exceeded 10%, or the proportion of health spending occupied more than 3–5% of the gross domestic product (GDP); the slope of each variable seemed to correspond with an increase in demand for such a provision. A growing number of individuals in OECD countries are now readily served by telehealth systems under the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings could be regarded as a model for other countries for implementing the necessary infrastructure early on when any of these parameters reaches its threshold. Moreover, telehealth applied in developing countries could be elevated for wider populations to access basic health services and for the remote delivery of health care. A rational decision could be made to appropriately use additional resources in telehealth provision. With accessible e-health services, the population’s health could be improved, which in turn would possibly increase productivity and social welfare.

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Remote care for mental health: qualitative study with service users, carers and staff during the COVID-19 pandemic

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2021-049210 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (4) ◽

pp. e049210

Author(s):

Elisa Liberati ◽

Natalie Richards ◽

Jennie Parker ◽

Janet Willars ◽

David Scott ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Services ◽

Health Service ◽

Health Services ◽

Mental Healthcare ◽

Well Being ◽

Comparison Method ◽

Service Users ◽

Qualitative Interview Study ◽

Remote Care

ObjectivesTo explore the experiences of service users, carers and staff seeking or providing secondary mental health services during the COVID-19 pandemic.DesignQualitative interview study, codesigned with mental health service users and carers.MethodsWe conducted semistructured, telephone or online interviews with a purposively constructed sample; a lived experience researcher conducted and analysed interviews with service users. Analysis was based on the constant comparison method.SettingNational Health Service (NHS) secondary mental health services in England between June and August 2020.ParticipantsOf 65 participants, 20 had either accessed or needed to access English secondary mental healthcare during the pandemic; 10 were carers of people with mental health difficulties; 35 were members of staff working in NHS secondary mental health services during the pandemic.ResultsExperiences of remote care were mixed. Some service users valued the convenience of remote methods in the context of maintaining contact with familiar clinicians. Most participants commented that a lack of non-verbal cues and the loss of a therapeutic ‘safe space’ challenged therapeutic relationship building, assessments and identification of deteriorating mental well-being. Some carers felt excluded from remote meetings and concerned that assessments were incomplete without their input. Like service users, remote methods posed challenges for clinicians who reported uncertainty about technical options and a lack of training. All groups expressed concern about intersectionality exacerbating inequalities and the exclusion of some service user groups if alternatives to remote care are lost.ConclusionsThough remote mental healthcare is likely to become increasingly widespread in secondary mental health services, our findings highlight the continued importance of a tailored, personal approach to decision making in this area. Further research should focus on which types of consultations best suit face-to-face interaction, and for whom and why, and which can be provided remotely and by which medium.

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COVID-19 Barometer: Social Opinion – What Do the Portuguese Think in This Time of COVID-19?

Portuguese Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1159/000513740 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-9

Author(s):

Ana Rita Pedro ◽

Ana Gama ◽

Patrícia Soares ◽

Marta Moniz ◽

Pedro A. Laires ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Services ◽

Online Survey ◽

Well Being ◽

Point Of View ◽

Daily Lives ◽

The People ◽

Huge Impact ◽

The Impact ◽

Continue Monitoring

The COVID-19 pandemic brought new challenges to the global community, reinforcing the role of public health in society. The main measures to combat it had (and still have) a huge impact on the daily lives of citizens. This investigation aimed to identify and monitor the population’s perceptions about how it faced this period and the impact on health, well-being, and daily life. In this study, we describe the main trends observed throughout the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of mental health status, confidence in the capacity of the health services to respond to the pandemic, and the use of health services by participants. The online survey collected responses from 171,947 individuals ≥16 years of age in Portugal, over a period of 15 weeks that started on 21 March 2020. Participants could fill the questionnaire once or weekly, which enabled us to analyse trends and variations in responses. Overall, 81% of the respondents reported having felt agitated, anxious, or sad during the COVID-19 pandemic; 19% did not experience these feelings. During the confinement period, the proportion of participants feeling agitated, anxious, or sad every day/almost every day ranged between 20 and 30%, but since the deconfinement this proportion decreased. Around 30% reported having more difficulty getting to sleep or to sleep all night; 28.4% felt more agitated; 25.5% felt sadder, discouraged, or cried more easily; and 24.7% felt unable to do everything they had to do, women more frequently than men. Overall, 65.8% of the participants reported feeling confident or very confident in the health services’ capacity to respond to the challenges associated with the pandemic, and this confidence increased over time. Concerning the people who needed a consultation, 35.6% had one in person and 20.8% had one remotely, but almost 44% did not have one due to cancellation by the service (27.2%) or their own decision not to go (16.3%). At this unusual time in which we find ourselves and based on our findings, it is essential to continue monitoring how the population is facing the different phases of the pandemic until it officially ends. Analysing the effects of the pandemic from the point of view of citizens allows for anticipating critical trends and can contribute to preventative action.

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