Suicide and Aging in Japan: An Examination of Treated Elderly Suicide Attempters

1995 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 239-251 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoshitomo Takahashi ◽  
Hideto Hirasawa ◽  
Keiko Koyama ◽  
Osamu Asakawa ◽  
Matazo Kido ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Elderly Population ◽  
Total Population ◽  
Suicide Attempts ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
The Public ◽  
Geriatric Hospital ◽  
Elderly Japanese ◽  
Elderly Suicide

Although individuals aged 65 and over accounted for 12% of the total population of Japan in 1990, suicides in this age group consisted of 29% of all suicides. The elderly population of Japan is expected to grow rapidly to 24% of the total population by the year 2020, and suicide prevention for the elderly is an urgent mental health problem. Among a total of 1,216 elderly patients who were admitted to the Department of Psychiatry at Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital between April 1980 and March 1990, 50 were hospitalized immediately after suicide attempts in order to study their psychosociomedical problems. Because early diagnosis of depression and initiation of proper treatment are indispensable—even if patients do not show obvious depressive symptoms—those who develop persistent somatization and/or delirium should be considered highly suicidal and given special attention. With the cooperation of mental health professionals, it is necessary to educate general practitioners, the public, and the elderly themselves about characteristics of psychiatric disorders and various problems associated with aging. Further research on other elderly Japanese populations, as well as research that examines suicide completion, is needed to confirm the findings of the present study.

scholarly journals Health risk assessment and countermeasure analysis of the elderly population exposed to PM2.5 microenvironment

Work ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Yan Xu ◽  
Wantian Cui
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Risk ◽  
Elderly Population ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Exposure Concentration ◽  
Physical Diseases ◽  
The Impact

BACKGROUND: China’s atmospheric PM2.5 pollution is serious, and PM2.5 exerts a negative impact on the human respiratory system, cardiovascular, and mental health, and even more serious health risk for the elderly with weak immunity. OBJECTIVE: This work aims to analyse the impacts of PM2.5 microenvironment exposure on the health of the elderly and provide corresponding countermeasures. METHODS: The survey subjects are 118 retired elderly people in the community. PM2.5 exposure concentrations are monitored in summer (June 10 ∼ July 10, 2019) and winter (November 25 ∼ December 25, 2019). RESULTS: The exposure concentration in winter is higher than that in summer, with statistical difference (P <  0.05). Under the impact of PM2.5 microenvironment exposure, smoking in the elderly can increase the concentration of PM2.5, and long-term exposure to PM2.5 in the elderly can cause mental health problems. CONCLUSION: Long-term exposure of the elderly to the PM2.5 microenvironment leads to physical diseases and even psychological problems, which requires attention.

Legal Hazards and Protections for the Mentally Retarded: A Review

1979 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 359-375
Author(s):  
Richard R. Parlour ◽  
Virginia M. Goldsmith
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Health Service Delivery ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Therapeutic Goals ◽  
Mental Health Service Delivery ◽  
The Public ◽  
Human Service Providers ◽  
Part Time

The last two decades have seen major changes in mental health service delivery and a staggering proliferation of law related to mental health issues. Mental health professionals are reminded that law is made to serve the public interest and may frequently hamper therapeutic goals. To be a most effective therapist, one must be well informed about relevant law and ways to implement treatment despite legal impediments. Being so socially handicapped, the retarded depend on all human service providers to be part-time advocates for them or the justice system will fail.

scholarly journals It is ethical to diagnose a public figure one has not personally examined

2018 ◽  
Vol 213 (5) ◽  
pp. 633-637 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Gartner ◽  
Alex Langford ◽  
Aileen O'Brien
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Media ◽  
British Journal ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Public Figure ◽  
Duty To Warn ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Figures ◽  
The Press

SummaryShould psychiatrists be able to speculate in the press or social media about their theories? John Gartner argues the risk to warn the public of concerns about public figures overrides the duty of confidentiality; whereas Alex Langford suggests this is beyond the ethical remit of psychiatric practice.Declaration of interestA.O'B is joint debates and analysis Editor of the British Journal of Psychiatry. J.G. is the founder of Duty To Warn, an association of mental health professionals who advocate the president's removal under the 25th Amendment on the grounds that he is psychologically unfit and dangerous.

Violence Risk Assessment

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer L. Piel ◽  
Ronald Schouten
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Clinical Settings ◽  
Violence Risk ◽  
Mental Health Clinicians ◽  
The Public ◽  
Core Skill ◽  
Health Practitioners ◽  
Violent Acts ◽  
Single Standard

The problem of violence in our society has received increasing attention from the public and mental health professions in recent years, and assessing the risk of violence has become a core skill for mental health clinicians and forensic specialists alike. In fact, mental health practitioners in all clinical settings are tasked with assessing and managing their patients’ risk of violence. Although research on the nature of violence and factors that increase the likelihood that a person will commit violent acts has grown in the past several decades, there is no single standard protocol or tool for assessing the risk of violence. This chapter reviews the key risk factors for violence that are supported by research, examines the relationship between mental disorders and violence, and describes approaches that mental health professionals can use to assess the risk of violence.

scholarly journals Self-Reported Food Insecurity and Depression among the Older Population in South Africa

Psych ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ghose Bishwajit ◽  
Komlan Kota ◽  
Amos Buh ◽  
Sanni Yaya
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Regression Analysis ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Elderly Population ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Explanatory Variables ◽  
Multivariable Regression

South Africa represents one of the most rapidly aging countries in sub-Saharan Africa with a rising burden of age-related psychological morbidities. Despite having one of the highest human development scores in the region, the country faces serious poverty and food insecurity related challenges. Previous studies have shown a positive association between food insecurity and poor mental health among the adult population, however there is no systematic evidence on this association among the elderly population in an African setting. In the present study, we aimed to address this research gap by analyzing cross-sectional data (n = 931) on the over-50 population (>50 years) from the SAGE (Study on global AGEing and adult health) Well-Being of Older People Study (WOPS) of the World Health Organization, conducted between 2010 and 2013. The outcome variable was perceived depression and the explanatory variables included several sociodemographic factors including self-reported food insecurity. The independent associations between the outcome and explanatory variables were measured using multivariable regression analysis. Results showed that close to a quarter of the population (22.6%, 95% CI = 21.4, 24.7) reported having depression in the last 12 months, with the percentage being markedly higher among women (71.4%). In the multivariable regression analysis, self-reported food insecurity was found to be the strongest predictor of depression among both sexes. For instance, severe food insecurity increased the odds of depression by 4.805 [3.325, 7.911] times among men and by 4.115 [2.030, 8.341] times among women. Based on the present findings, it is suggested that national food security programs focus on promoting food security among the elderly population in an effort to improve their mental health status. Nonetheless, the data were cross-sectional and the associations can’t imply causality.

The Public's Ability to Recognize Mental Disorders and their Beliefs about Treatment: Changes in Australia Over 8 Years

2006 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony F. Jorm ◽  
Helen Christensen ◽  
Kathleen M. Griffiths
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
National Survey ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Psychiatric Ward ◽  
Treatment Beliefs ◽  
The Public ◽  
Low Level ◽  
Treatment Changes

Objective: A national survey of Australian adults in 1995 showed a low level of recognition of mental disorders and beliefs about treatment that were often discordant with those of professionals. The present study aimed to find out whether recognition and treatment beliefs have changed over 8 years. Method: A national survey of 2001 adults in 2003–2004 included the same questions as the 1995 survey. These interview questions were based on a vignette of a person with either depression or schizophrenia. Results: Over the 8 years, the public showed better recognition of depression and schizophrenia and gave more positive ratings to a range of interventions, including help from mental health professionals, medications, psychotherapy and psychiatric ward admission. Conclusions: The Australian public's beliefs have changed over 8 years to be more like those of mental health professionals. This change may have positive implications for helpseeking and treatment concordance.

scholarly journals The Current Situation of the Reform on World Public Pension and Its Enlightenment to China

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuna Liu
Keyword(s):  
Elderly Population ◽  
Total Population ◽  
Pension System ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Pension Scheme ◽  
Retirement Income ◽  
Emerging Market Countries ◽  
Formidable Challenge ◽  
Old Age Poverty

From a worldwide perspective, the proportion of the elderly in the total population is increasing. How to maintain the adequacy and fnancial sustainability of pension system will be a formidable challenge for all countries. Most OECD (the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) countries and many emerging market countries have reformed their pensions system. Structural reforms and parametric reforms are main reform measures. Meanwhile, employment promotion of the elderly and alleviating old age poverty are drawing much more attention. It can be concluded that , on the basis of empirical analysis of other countries' reforms and comparative analysis, China should combine measures of raising the retirement age with promoting the age management ; and lower the poverty of older people to ensure that the elderly population can receive adequate retirement income; and extend the coverage of voluntary pension scheme to attract more labor force employed in informal sectors to participate in ,thus increasing retirement income eventually

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