Animal-Assisted Interventions and Psychiatric Disorders: Knowledge and Attitudes among General Practitioners, Psychiatrists, and Psychologists

2013 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 284-293 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bente Berget ◽  
Sverre Grepperud ◽  
Olaf G. Aasland ◽  
Bjarne O. Braastad

Abstract There appears to be a growing interest among farmers and researchers in animal-assisted interventions (AAI). However, less is known about the attitudes toward the use of such interventions among therapists. In this study, Norwegian general practitioners, psychiatrists, and psychologists were asked about their knowledge of, and experience with, AAI and their motivation for learning more about AAI. About two-thirds of the respondents had some or significant knowledge of AAI and were motivated to adapt AAI to their own practice. Almost 9 out of 10 thought that AAI should be used more in psychiatric treatment; however, GPs were not as positive as the psychiatrists/psychologists. More than 2 out of 3 respondents wanted to learn more about AAI, the men being more positive than the women. There were no professional differences on this question, while number of years with clinical work was negatively related, and earlier experiences with AAI positively related, to this motivation to learn more about AAI. Belief in treatment effects was a positive predictor.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ingrid Keilegavlen Rebnord ◽  
Tone Morken ◽  
Kjell Maartmann-Moe ◽  
Steinar Hunskaar

Abstract Background: Repeated studies of working hours among Norwegian regular general practitioners (RGPs) have shown that the average total number of weekly working hours has remained unchanged since 1994 and up until 2014. For both male and female RGPs, the mean total weekly working hours amounted to almost 50 hours in 2014. In recent years, Norwegian RGPs have become increasingly dissatisfied. They experience significantly increased workload without compensation in the form of more doctors or better payment. A study from the Norwegian Directorate of Health in 2018 (the RGP study) showed that Norwegian RGPs worked 55.6 hours weekly (median 52.5). 25% of the respondents worked more than 62.2 hours weekly. Based on data from the RGP study we investigated Norwegian RGP’s out-of-hours (OOH) work, how the working time was distributed, and to what extent the OOH work affected the regular working hours.Methods: In early 2018, an electronic survey was sent to all 4640 RGPs in Norway. Each RGP reported how many minutes that were spent that particular day on various tasks during seven consecutive days. Working time also included additional tasks in the municipality, other professional medical work and OOH primary health care. Differences were analysed by independent t-tests, and regression analyses. Results: 1876 RGPs (40.4%) responded, 640 (34.1%) had registered OOH work. Male RGPs worked on average 1.5 hours more doing regular work than did females (p=0.001) and on average 2.3 hours more OOH work than females (p=0.079). RGPs with no OOH work registered a mean of 1.0 hours more clinical work than RGPs working OOH (p=0.043). There was a large variation in OOH working hours. A linear regression analysis showed that male RGPs and RGPs in rural areas had the heaviest OOH workload. Conclusions: One in three Norwegian RGPs undertook OOH work during the registration week in the RGP study. OOH work was done in addition to a sizeable regular workload as an RGP. We found small gender differences. OOH work was not compensated with reduced regular RGP work.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Mercedes Pineyro ◽  
Patrica Agüero ◽  
Florencia Irazusta ◽  
Claudia Brun ◽  
Paula Duarte ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Pituitary tumors (PT) can present with neuropsychiatric symptoms. It has been associated with hormonal changes, as well as extension of the tumor to the diencephalon. Psychopathology has been reported in up to 83% in Cushing Disease (CD) and 35% in acromegaly (ACR). Psychiatric disorders (depression, anxiety and psychosis) have been reported up to 77% in CD and 63% in ACR. We present a rare case of a patient presenting with acute psychosis and a PT apoplexy. Case: A 27 year-old Caucasian female with a PMH of primary hypothyroidism presented with a 15-day history of delusions. She had delusional ideas on the subject of harm and prejudice, persecutory and mystical-religious. The mechanism was mainly intuitive and interpretive with false acknowledgments. She also had sleep disturbance, death ideation and subacute alteration of consciousness. There was no history of substance abuse or psychiatric disorders. She did not report headaches, visual disturbances, symptoms of hormone hypersecretion or hypopituitarism. She had regular menses on BCP. She had no family history of mental illnesses. Physical exam revealed reluctance, latency in responses and bradypsychia. She did not have acromegalic or cushingoid features. She was diagnosed with acute psychosis with atypical features so a brain CT was performed, which showed a sellar mass. Pituitary MRI revealed a sellar mass measuring 15x12x13 mm, with suprasellar extension, optic chiasm compression, hyperintense on T1- and hypointense on T2-weighted imaging compatible with subacute hemorrhage. She was treated with neuroleptics and benzodiazepines. Lab work revealed high prolactin (PRL) (114ng/dl), and normal 8 AM cortisol, FT4, LH, FSH and IGF-1 levels. Repeated PRL was 31,6 ng/dl after changing psychiatric treatment to aripiprazole. Her psychiatric symptoms improved. We postulate a diagnosis of PT apoplexy that presented with acute psychosis. In relation to the nature of the PT we postulate a non functioning pituitary adenoma (NFA) or a partial resolution of a prolactinoma after apoplexy. A follow up MRI is pending. Discussion: Infrequently, psychiatric symptoms may be the primary manifestation of brain tumors. Patients with PT have been reported to have altered quality of life, reduced coping strategies, increased prevalence of psychopathological alterations and maladaptive personality disorders. In addition, they can present with psychotic symptoms, mostly reported with hormone excess (GH and cortisol). Psychiatric symptoms such as anxiety and neurosis have been reported in NFA and prolactinomas. However, it is not clear a higher prevalence of psychiatric illnesses in these tumors. To our knowledge this is the first case of a pituitary tumor apoplexy presenting with acute psychosis. Conclusion: Psychiatric symptoms can be the first manifestation of PT, so atypical presentations should warrant further workup with brain imaging.


RELC Journal ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 51 (2) ◽  
pp. 212-226
Author(s):  
Saeedeh Jafari Pazoki ◽  
Minoo Alemi

Needs analysis is the key step to designing relevant and useful courses in English for Specific Purposes (ESP), but finding ways to deliver needs in a motivating and interesting way is also paramount. Therefore, investigating students’ motivation to learn ESP is central in needs analysis. Few studies have investigated needs from the perspective of ESP learners’ motivation. Focussing on engineering fields at three Iranian state universities, this study aimed to identify factors that affect engineering students’ motivation for learning technical English in ESP courses. Using a mixed method design, this study was conducted in two phases. In the first phase, semi-structured interviews with 40 undergraduate students helped to identify motivational variables, select a theoretical framework and develop instruments for the second phase. In the second phase, a survey using a 28-item questionnaire with 152 students, semi-structured interviews with 60 students, in-depth interviews with eight ESP practitioners and non-participant observation in seven ESP classes were done in parallel. Principal Component Analysis on survey data resulted in five motivational components of main sources of engineering students’ motivation to learn technical English: 1) ideal-self, 2) ought-to self, 3) instrumentality promotion motivation, 4) learning conditions, and 5) learning experience. These components were in agreement with Dӧrnyei’s L2 Motivational Self-system. Further quantitative and qualitative data analyses revealed that long-term goals and the practicalities of using technical English in every day life promote motivation more than a sense of obligation to learn technical English. Moreover, the results showed that Engineering students had negative attitudes towards elements of ESP learning experience, which best explained the reasons for students’ low motivation. The findings also supported the significant effect of academic levels on motivation. The factors that motivated students call for modifications in ESP courses which are discussed as pedagogical implications.


1990 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 238-251 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian Draper

The future development of new psychogeriatric services in Australia may well depend upon the demonstration of their potential effectiveness and efficiency. Descriptive accounts of effective services provide ample guidelines, although formal evaluation is lacking. Examining the major psychiatric disorders of the elderly shows that most are functional. Effective acute psychiatric treatment is available for these. In dementia cases, effective therapies exist for the reduction of secondary behavioural disabilities in the sufferer and the stress on carers. Adequately resourced comprehensive psychogeriatric services would be best equipped to deliver such treatments.


BMJ Open ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (7) ◽  
pp. e022101 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily A Karanges ◽  
Anastasia Suraev ◽  
Natalie Elias ◽  
Ramesh Manocha ◽  
Iain S McGregor

ObjectivesTo examine the knowledge and attitudes of Australian general practitioners (GP) towards medicinal cannabis, including patient demand, GP perceptions of therapeutic effects and potential harms, perceived knowledge and willingness to prescribe.Design, setting and participantsA cross-sectional survey completed by 640 GPs (response rate=37%) attending multiple-topic educational seminars in five major Australian cities between August and November 2017.Main outcome measuresNumber of patients enquiring about medicinal cannabis, perceived knowledge of GPs, conditions where GPs perceived it to be beneficial, willingness to prescribe, preferred models of access, perceived adverse effects and safety relative to other prescription drugs.ResultsThe majority of GPs (61.5%) reported one or more patient enquiries about medicinal cannabis in the last three months. Most felt that their own knowledge was inadequate and only 28.8% felt comfortable discussing medicinal cannabis with patients. Over half (56.5%) supported availability on prescription, with the preferred access model involving trained GPs prescribing independently of specialists. Support for use of medicinal cannabis was condition-specific, with strong support for use in cancer pain, palliative care and epilepsy, and much lower support for use in depression and anxiety.ConclusionsThe majority of GPs are supportive or neutral with regards to medicinal cannabis use. Our results highlight the need for improved training of GPs around medicinal cannabis, and the discrepancy between GP-preferred models of access and the current specialist-led models.


2002 ◽  
Vol 181 (3) ◽  
pp. 214-219 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pamela Mcconnell ◽  
Paul Bebbington ◽  
Roy Mcclelland ◽  
Kate Gillespie ◽  
Sharon Houghton

BackgroundThis is the first report on the epidemiology of psychiatric disorders and needs for psychiatric treatment in the District of Derry, Northern Ireland.AimsTo assess the prevalence of psychiatric disorder and the needs for treatment in the general population of Derry.MethodThe sample was drawn at random with a two-phase design using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ–28) during the first phase, and the Schedules for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (SCAN) with the Needs for Care Assessment (NFCAS–C) in the second phase.ResultsThe second phase (n=307) gave a weighted 1-month prevalence of hierarchically ordered ICD–10 psychiatric disorders of 7.5% and a 1-year prevalence of 12.2%. The equivalent prevalences for depressive disorders were 2.4% and 6.0%, respectively, and those for anxiety states were 3.5% and 3.7%. Only a quarter of needs for treatment were met, with the situation being better for depression than for anxiety.ConclusionsThe rates of psychiatric disorder in Derry were even higher than those reported by a similar survey in inner London. This almost certainly reflects the very high levels of social deprivation in the District. Needs for treatment were often unmet.


Vaccines ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 265 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongguo Rong ◽  
Xiaozhen Lai ◽  
Xiaochen Ma ◽  
Zhiyuan Hou ◽  
Shunping Li ◽  
...  

Seasonal influenza vaccination for healthcare workers (HCWs) is critical to the protection of HCWs and their patients. This study examined whether the separation of public health workers and general practitioners could affect the influenza vaccine uptake and recommendation behaviors among HCWs in China. A survey was conducted from August to October 2019, and HCWs from 10 provinces in China were recruited. A self-administered and anonymous questionnaire was used to assess HCWs’ demographic information, knowledge, and attitudes toward influenza vaccination, as well as vaccine uptake and recommendation behaviors. The primary outcome was HCWs’ vaccination and recommendation status of seasonal influenza vaccine. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to identify the influence factors of influenza vaccine uptake and recommendation among HCWs. Of the 1159 HCWs in this study, 25.3% were vaccinated against influenza in the previous season. “No need to get vaccinated” was the primary reason for both unvaccinated public health workers and general practitioners. Multivariate logistic regression showed that public health workers were more likely to get vaccinated against influenza (OR = 2.20, 95% CI 1.59–3.05) and recommend influenza vaccination to children (OR = 2.10, 95% CI 1.57–2.80) and the elderly (OR = 1.69, 95% CI 1.26–2.25) than general practitioners. Besides, the knowledge and perceived risk of influenza can give rise to HCWs’ vaccination and recommendation behaviors, and HCWs who got vaccinated in the past year were more likely to recommend it to children and the elderly in their work. The influenza vaccine coverage and recommendation among HCWs are still relatively low in China, especially for general practitioners. Further efforts are needed to improve the knowledge and attitudes toward influenza and influenza vaccination among HCWs, and coherent training on immunization for both public health workers and general practitioners might be effective in the face of separated public health and clinical services in China.


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