Mental health disorders and alcohol misuse among UK military veterans and the general population: a comparison study

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Rebecca Rhead ◽  
Deirdre MacManus ◽  
Margaret Jones ◽  
Neil Greenberg ◽  
Nicola T Fear ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
General Population ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Alcohol Misuse ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Psychiatric Morbidity ◽  
Military Health ◽  
Male Veterans ◽  
Increased Risk

Abstract Background For a small minority of personnel, military service can have a negative impact on their mental health. Yet no studies have assessed how the mental health of UK veterans (who served during the recent operations in Afghanistan or Iraq) compares to non-veterans, to determine if they are at a disadvantage. We examine the prevalence of mental disorders and alcohol misuse in UK veterans compared to non-veterans. Methods Veteran data were taken from the third phase of the King's Centre for Military Health Research cohort study (n = 2917). These data were compared with data on non-veterans taken from two large general population surveys: 2014 Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey (n = 5871) and wave 6 of the UK Household Longitudinal Study (UKHLS, n = 22 760). Results We found that, overall, UK veterans who served at the time of recent military operations were more likely to report a significantly higher prevalence of common mental disorders (CMD) (23% v. 16%), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (8% v. 5%) and alcohol misuse (11% v. 6%) than non-veterans. Stratifying by gender showed that the negative impact of being a veteran on mental health and alcohol misuse was restricted to male veterans. Being ill or disabled was associated with a higher prevalence of CMD and PTSD for both veterans and non-veterans. Conclusion Whilst the same sociodemographic groups within the veteran and non-veteran populations seemed to have an increased risk of mental health problems (e.g. those who were unemployed), male veterans, in particular, appear to be at a distinct disadvantage compared to those who have never served.

scholarly journals Prevalence of mental disorders in prisons in the UK: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BJPsych Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (S1) ◽  
pp. S283-S284
Author(s):  
Nivedita Rebbapragada ◽  
Vivek Furtado ◽  
George William Hawker-Bond
Keyword(s):  
General Population ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Prison Population ◽  
Psychiatric Morbidity ◽  
Revolving Door ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Pooled Prevalence ◽  
Prevalence Estimates ◽  
The Uk

AimsTo report pooled prevalence of all mental disorders among the general prison population in the United Kingdom (UK). This includes individuals in Young Offender Institutions (YOI), youth custody and adult prisons across all categories. A secondary aim explores possible sources of heterogeneity by performing subgroup and meta-regression analysis across certain covariates (e.g. sex of prisoner). We hypothesise that contemporary estimates of mental disorders are higher than the general population.BackgroundPrevalence of mental health problems among prisoners are considerably higher than the general population; this poses an important public health concern. Individuals who require diversion to appropriate psychiatric services are becoming embroiled in the revolving door of the criminal justice system. However, there are no up-to-date reviews assessing prevalence of mental disorders across the general prison population in the UK. This study aims to address this gap.MethodWe conducted a systematic search of PsycINFO (1923 – October 2019), MEDLINE (1946 – October 2019), EMBASE (1947 – October 2019) and Web of Science (all years) of articles reporting prevalence of mental disorders in UK prison populations (PROSPERO registration number: CRD42019132685). The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Appraisal Checklist for Studies Reporting Prevalence Data assessed study quality and bias. Pooled prevalence of each mental disorder was calculated using Stata statistical software 16.0 via the metaprop command. Forest plots present prevalence estimates with study weights and associated 95% confidence intervals (CI). Overall, 20 studies satisfied inclusion criteria, comprising of 12,335 prisoners across England, Wales and Scotland.ResultWe identified higher rates of neurotic disorders (28.9%, 95% CI 0.71–74.7%), personality disorders (23.5%, 95% CI 13.6–35.2%), alcohol (22.7%, 95% CI 12.2–35.1%) and drug dependence (26.7%, 95% CI 15.0–40.4%). The lowest prevalence rates included schizophrenia (2.42%, 95% CI 0.78–4.84%), panic disorders (3.88%, 95% CI 3.17% – 4.64%), adjustment disorders (3.83%, 95% CI 1.19–7.84%) and intellectual disability (2.90%, 95% CI 0.90–5.80%). Meta-regressions for psychotic disorder and personality disorder revealed no significant differences across study year, sample size and gender.ConclusionOur prevalence estimates of mental disorders in prisons are higher than the general English population. However, we should acknowledge the influence of considerable heterogeneity. These findings demonstrate the need to quantify current prevalence of mental disorders amongst prisoners in the UK. We recommend for the government to consider performing an up-to-date census of psychiatric morbidity to facilitate service provision.

Psychiatric morbidity in December 2015 flood-affected population in Tamil Nadu, India

2019 ◽  
Vol 65 (4) ◽  
pp. 338-344 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shailaja Bandla ◽  
NR Nappinnai ◽  
Srinivasagopalan Gopalasamy
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Tamil Nadu ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Psychiatric Morbidity ◽  
Well Being ◽  
World Health ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Health Organization

Background: Floods are the most common type of natural disaster, which have a negative impact on mental health. Following floods, survivors are vulnerable to develop PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), depression, anxiety and other mental health problems. Aim: The aim is to study the psychiatric morbidity in the persons affected by floods during December 2015. Materials and methods: This study was carried out in Chennai and Cuddalore. In total, 223 persons who were directly exposed to floods were assessed. PTSD Checklist–Civilian Version, Beck’s Depression Inventory, Beck’s Anxiety Inventory and World Health Organization–Five Well-Being Scale (WHO-5) were used in the study. Chi-square test was used to compare the means. Results: Overall, psychiatric morbidity was found to be 45.29%; 60 (26.9%) persons had symptoms of PTSD. Anxiety was found in 48 (27.4%) and depression was found in 101 (45.29%) persons; and 11 (4.9%) persons have reported an increase in substance abuse. Conclusion: Following disaster like floods, there is a need for better preparedness in terms of basic necessities and medical and psychological assistance, particularly emphasizing the needs of older persons in order to prevent the development of psychiatric problems.

scholarly journals Psychiatric Morbidity among Spouses of Men with Alcohol Dependence

2017 ◽  
Vol 03 (01) ◽  
pp. 010-014
Author(s):  
Vishal Shah ◽  
Prakash Behere ◽  
K Mishra ◽  
Animesh Sharma ◽  
Kanika Kumar
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Alcohol Dependence ◽  
Common Mental Disorders ◽  
Global Mental Health ◽  
Psychiatric Morbidity ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
Suicidal Risk ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Self Harm

Abstract Objective: To assess the common mental disorders among spouses of men with alcohol dependence and to compare common mental disorders among spouses of alcoholics and nonalcoholics. Study design: This was a cross-sectional controlled study. We evaluated 50 cases (including the indoor and outdoor patients) whose husbands were diagnosed as having alcohol dependence and 50 controls whose husbands had no alcohol dependence but some other illness, admitted to our rural medical college using the global mental health assessment tool-primary care (GMHAT-PC) version including the sociodemographic profile sheet and history of patient's illness. Results: Anxiety (16%) and depression (36%) were higher in wives of alcohol-dependent men. Stress was higher (6%) in cases as compared with controls (4%). When comparing diagnosis and age-wise distribution, depression was higher in cases (28%) as compared with controls (14%) in age group of 31 to 40. There were 23 (46%) out of 50 spouses of men with alcohol dependence syndrome, whose diagnosis by GMHAT-PC came out as no mental illness; still they had some score in the anxiety rating, but this score was not enough for them to be diagnosed under anxiety disorder. Even in controls, anxiety score to a certain extent was present in 26% spouses. The GMHAT-PC self-harm scoring system was used to assess the risk of self-harm. It was found that three (6%) spouses had mild suicidal risk and one (2%) had severe suicidal risk, whereas in controls, it was absent. Conclusion: Alcohol abuse is associated with an increased risk of committing criminal offences. An alcoholic can disrupt the routine family life. The women are primary caregivers in most of these cases. Therefore, understanding mental health status of spouses of alcoholics is of utmost importance. It can help in early detection of psychiatric morbidities and help in early intervention.

scholarly journals Influence of prisoners’ mental health on the relational climate of prisons

2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 116-125
Author(s):  
N Calles-Rubiales ◽  
C Ibáñez del Prado
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Social Climate ◽  
Large Numbers ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Other Information ◽  
Prison Environment ◽  
A Current ◽  
Relational Climate

Introduction: Entry into prison involves adapting to a prison culture that is sometimes altered by the effect of imprisonment. Prisons are overcrowded and hold large numbers of inmates suffering from mental disorders and difficulties of adaptation, who affect the delicate equilibrium of the prison environment and can worsen the relational climate. Material and method: Several bibliographical databases on the influence of the mental health of adult inmates on the prison relationship climate and existing interventions in this regard that have been published in the last 15 years were reviewed. This data was complemented by other information obtained from the online bibliographic indexes of the Ministry of the Interior. Results: There is little literature on the influence of mental health on the relational climate of prisons and existing interventions. However, what literature there is does respond to a current prison reality where inmates with mental health problems have an increased risk of victimization and also a greater predisposition to penitentiary misconduct that causes violations of rules and the consequent application of disciplinary sanctions that lead to segregation. Discussion: The dysfunctional behaviour of such inmates, as well as the stigmatized treatment they receive, negatively impact the prison social climate, generating pathological relational styles and distorting the prison environment. This creates a need for an adequate number of programs and interventions of sufficient quality to prevent and mitigate their consequences.

scholarly journals Revisiting the one in four: the prevalence of psychiatric disorder in the population of England 2000–2014

2019 ◽  
Vol 216 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul E. Bebbington ◽  
Sally McManus
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Common Mental Disorders ◽  
Psychiatric Morbidity ◽  
Prevalence Rates ◽  
Population Surveys ◽  
A Value ◽  
The One ◽  
Psychiatric Problems

SummaryMental health problems are often said to affect one in four people in Britain, although with no consistent explanation of what the figure includes. We used three English national population surveys of psychiatric morbidity from 2000, 2007 and 2014 to provide prevalence rates for recent psychiatric problems. We combined disorders progressively to demonstrate the effects of cumulation. Psychosis had a prevalence of around 1%, severe common mental disorders added about 8%, and including less-severe common mental disorders gave a value around one in six. The figure of one in four required the inclusion of various other disorders. These values were strikingly stable over the surveys.

scholarly journals Hallucinations in the general population across the adult lifespan: prevalence and psychopathologic significance

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Kathryn Yates ◽  
Ulla Lång ◽  
Evyn M. Peters ◽  
Johanna T. W. Wigman ◽  
Fiona McNicholas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Suicidal Ideation ◽  
General Population ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Suicide Attempts ◽  
Psychiatric Morbidity ◽  
Early Adulthood ◽  
Adult Lifespan ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Developmental Features

Background Community studies have found a relatively high prevalence of hallucinations, which are associated with a range of (psychotic and non-psychotic) mental disorders, as well as with suicidal ideation and behaviour. The literature on hallucinations in the general population has largely focused on adolescents and young adults. Aims We aimed to explore the prevalence and psychopathologic significance of hallucinations across the adult lifespan. Method Using the 1993, 2000, 2007 and 2014 cross-sectional Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey series (N = 33 637), we calculated the prevalence of past-year hallucinations in the general population ages 16 to ≥90 years. We used logistic regression to examine the relationship between hallucinations and a range of mental disorders, suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. Results The prevalence of past-year hallucinations varied across the adult lifespan, from a high of 7% in individuals aged 16–19 years, to a low of 3% in individuals aged ≥70 years. In all age groups, hallucinations were associated with increased risk for mental disorders, suicidal ideation and suicide attempts, but there was also evidence of significant age-related variation. In particular, hallucinations in older adults were less likely to be associated with a cooccurring mental disorder, suicidal ideation or suicide attempt compared with early adulthood and middle age. Conclusions Our findings highlight important life-course developmental features of hallucinations from early adulthood to old age.

scholarly journals Effects of COVID-19 on maternal anxiety and depressive disease: a literature review

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 35-43
Author(s):  
I. Mappa ◽  
F. A. Distefano ◽  
G. Rizzo
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Maternal Mental Health ◽  
Developmental Outcomes ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Depression Symptoms ◽  
Psychological Resilience ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
The Impact

The coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) infection is a public health emergency of international concern. Pandemics pose a challenge to psychological resilience and can have an adverse impact on mental health. The impact of the ensuing social isolation and loneliness imposed by quarantine along with the worries about the risks of the infection and its economic fallout would appear likely to affect the mental health of the population. It has been reported that women are more likely to experience anxiety and depression symptoms during COVID-19 than men. COVID-19 pandemic had a profound impact on the level of anxiety and depression of pregnant women according to their basal level and pregnancy characteristics. Antenatal mental disorders may be a risk factor for maternal mental health problems such as an increased likelihood of postnatal depression and adverse obstetric and developmental outcomes. Effective coping strategies are associated with better psychological wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic, including reduced anxiety and depression. The increased risk of mental disorders due to COVID-19 requires policies to be developed to address prenatal and postpartum care to promote maternal-child wellbeing outcomes.

scholarly journals Patterns of mental health problems before and after easing COVID-19 restrictions: Evidence from a 105248-subject survey in general population in China

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (8) ◽  
pp. e0255251
Author(s):  
Depeng Jiang ◽  
Jian Chen ◽  
Yixiu Liu ◽  
Jing Lin ◽  
Kun Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
High Risk ◽  
General Population ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Latent Class ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
General Health Questionnaire ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Before And After

Background The COVID-19 pandemic has alarming implications for individual and population level mental health. Although the future of COVID-19 is unknown at present, more countries or regions start to ease restrictions. The findings from this study have provided the empirical evidence of prevalence and patterns of mental disorders in Chinese general population before and after easing most COVID-19 restrictions, and information of the factors associated with these patterns. Methods A cross-sectional population-based online survey was carried out from February to March 2020 in the general population across all provinces in China. The 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) was incorporated in the survey. Latent class analyses were performed to investigate the patterns of mental disorders and multinomial logistic regressions were used to examine how individual and regional risk factors can predict mental disorder patterns. Results Four distinctive patterns of mental health were revealed in the general population. After the ease of most COVID-19 restrictions, the prevalence of high risk of mental disorders decreased from 25.8% to 20.9% and prevalence of being high risk of unhappiness and loss of confidence decreased from 10.1% to 8.1%. However, the prevalence of stressed, social dysfunction and unhappy were consistently high before and after easing restrictions. Several regional factors, such as case mortality rate and healthcare resources, were associated with mental health status. Of note, healthcare workers were less likely to have mental disorders, compared to other professionals and students. Conclusions The dynamic management of mental health and psychosocial well-being is as important as that of physical health both before and after the ease of COVID-19 restrictions. Our findings may help in mental health interventions in other countries and regions while easing COVID-19 restrictions.

scholarly journals Abortion and mental health disorders: evidence from a 30-year longitudinal study

2008 ◽  
Vol 193 (6) ◽  
pp. 444-451 ◽  
Author(s):  
David M. Fergusson ◽  
L. John Horwood ◽  
Joseph M. Boden
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Pregnancy Outcomes ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Design Problems ◽  
Health History ◽  
Weak Evidence ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Mental Health History ◽  
History Of

BackgroundResearch on the links between abortion and mental health has been limited by design problems and relatively weak evidence.AimsTo examine the links between pregnancy outcomes and mental health outcomes.MethodData were gathered on the pregnancy and mental health history of a birth cohort of over 500 women studied to the age of 30.ResultsAfter adjustment for confounding, abortion was associated with a small increase in the risk of mental disorders; women who had had abortions had rates of mental disorder that were about 30% higher. There were no consistent associations between other pregnancy outcomes and mental health. Estimates of attributable risk indicated that exposure to abortion accounted for 1.5% to 5.5% of the overall rate of mental disorders.ConclusionsThe evidence is consistent with the view that abortion may be associated with a small increase in risk of mental disorders. Other pregnancy outcomes were not related to increased risk of mental health problems.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document