Psychological support in times of COVID-19: the Essen community-based CoPE concept

Abstract The SARS CoV-2-virus (COVID-19) pandemic is pushing national and international structures to their limits. Little is known about treatment options to combat the novel virus, but the same applies to the effects of COVID-19 on people’s mental health. In Germany, as in many other countries, governmental actions impact peoples’ individual freedom. These highly necessary actions to slow down the spread of the virus, however, are a burden to the community. We established a structured concept to support psychological burdened people in Essen, which is located in the Ruhr area, a metropolitan region with more than 5.1 million inhabitants in the heart of the federal state North Rhine Westphalia. The psychological burden following the spread of the virus and individual restrictions should not be neglected.

Download Full-text

Compulsory treatment in the community: considerations for legislation in Europe

International Psychiatry ◽

10.1192/s1749367600000564 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 6 (3) ◽

pp. 55-56

Author(s):

James G. Strachan

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Treatment Options ◽

World Health ◽

Community Based ◽

Regional Office ◽

People With Mental Illness ◽

Almost Everywhere ◽

Compulsory Care ◽

Health Organization ◽

Mental Health Policies

In late 2008, the Regional Office for Europe of the World Health Organization (WHO, 2008) issued a report based on a survey of the policies and practices for mental health within its area of operation. Forty-two European states were examined and a great diversity in practice was recorded. Almost everywhere, the report suggested, policy making and legislative initiatives were seen; since 2005, some 57% of the countries studied had adopted new mental health policies and 48% had introduced new legislation. Many countries were reported to be closing mental hospital beds and replacing them with community-based services. In some countries, however, the report suggested, desks in ministries were collapsing under the weight of policies that had never been implemented, and compliance with legislation by planners and psychiatrists was distinctly variable. The WHO felt that even the role that general practitioners played in treating people with mental illness was limited in many European states and that the availability of home treatment options, assertive outreach for people with complex mental health needs and community-based early intervention was not only variable but often severely limited. Given the wide discrepancies of procedure and practice, it was difficult for the WHO to gain any clear perspective on such legislative matters as arrangements for compulsory care in the community.

Download Full-text

Community Mental Health Services in Italy

Consortium Psychiatricum ◽

10.17816/cp76 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2 (2) ◽

pp. 86-92

Author(s):

Gaia Sampogna ◽

Valeria Del Vecchio ◽

Corrado De Rosa ◽

Vincenzo Giallonardo ◽

Mario Luciano ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Care ◽

Mental Disorders ◽

Mental Health Care ◽

Treatment Options ◽

Community Mental Health Services ◽

Psychiatric Hospitals ◽

Residential Facilities ◽

Community Based ◽

Italian Model

In 1978, in Italy, approval of Basaglias reform law marked a shift from an asylum-based to a community-based mental health system. The main aim of the reform was to treat patients in the community and no longer in psychiatric hospitals. Following the Italian model, similar reforms of mental health care have been approved worldwide. The community-based model aims to promote integration and human rights for people with mental disorders on the basis of their freedom to choose treatment options. By 2000, all psychiatric hospitals had been closed and all patients discharged. Mental health care is organized through the Department of Mental Health, which is the umbrella organization responsible for specialist mental health care in the community; this includes psychiatric wards located in general hospitals, residential facilities, mental health centres, and day-hospital and day-care units. Approval of Law 180 led to a practical and ideological shift in the provision of care to patients with mental disorders. In particular, the reform highlighted the need to treat patients in the same way as any other patient, and mental health care moved from a custodialistic to a therapeutic model. Progressive consolidation of the community-based system of mental health care in Italy has been observed in the past 40 years. However, some reasons for concern still exist, including low staffing levels, potential use of community residential facilities as long-stay residential services, and a heterogeneity in the availability of resources for mental health throughout the country.

Download Full-text

Core belief disruption amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Japanese adults

Humanities and Social Sciences Communications ◽

10.1057/s41599-021-00976-7 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Izumi Matsudaira ◽

Yuji Takano ◽

Ryo Yamaguchi ◽

Yasuyuki Taki

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

Online Survey ◽

Preventive Measures ◽

Core Beliefs ◽

The Novel ◽

Psychological Burden ◽

Japanese Adults ◽

Rapid Spread ◽

Novel Coronavirus

AbstractDue to the rapid spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) worldwide, most people have been forced to alter their lifestyles. This situation may affect the mental health of individuals through the disruption of core beliefs about humans, the world, and the self. Therefore, in this study, an online survey of Japanese adults was conducted to investigate the associations between subjective achievement and the burden of cooperation in preventive measures, disruption of core beliefs, and psychological distress. The results showed that pandemic-induced disruption of core beliefs occurred at a relatively low level in the general population of Japan. In addition, the achievement and psychological burden of preventive measures, reduced income due to the pandemic, and stressfulness of the pandemic were significantly associated with the level of the disruption of core beliefs. Moreover, the greater the disruption of core beliefs, the greater the psychological distress. These findings indicate that the violation of fundamental assumptions about life are an important factor determining mental health during a pandemic.

Download Full-text

The Clinical and Treatment Challenges Posed by COVID-19

10.31487/j.jcmcr.2020.02.05 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-9

Author(s):

James Pandarakalam ◽

James Pandarakalam

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Professionals ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Senior Citizens ◽

Medical Profession ◽

The Novel ◽

Health Issues ◽

Mental Health Issues ◽

Novel Virus ◽

Medical Specialities

Medical profession was unprepared to face the corona virus pandemic and the pharmaceutical armamentarium is currently not robust enough to combat with SARS-CoV-2. Drugs that are used for other medical conditions are also on trial to treat COVID-19. The pandemic is bound to pose psychological and economical sufferings. Testing, treatments and vaccine are the three tools to combat with COVID-19. It is feared that this viral infection would lead to an amplification of existing mental health issues and result in a surge of cases of PTSD and depression. Senior citizens and people with compromised immunity becomes more vulnerable to this toxic pathogen. A sound knowledge of all aspects of COVID-19 becomes essential to deal with the aftermaths of this unprecedented pandemic and mental health professionals will have to refresh their knowledge of virology and immunology. All the medical specialities will have to work together to defeat the novel virus.

Download Full-text