scholarly journals Assessment tools of immediate risk of self-harm and suicide in children and young people: A scoping review

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 178-199
Author(s):  
Tim Carter ◽  
Gemma M Walker ◽  
Aimee Aubeeluck ◽  
Joseph C Manning
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Emotional Health ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Initial Assessment ◽  
Mental Health Crisis ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Self Harm

There are increasing numbers of children presenting to paediatric hospital settings in mental health crisis. Typically, non-mental health professionals are responsible for the initial assessment of these children and are required to identify immediate physical and emotional health needs. To ensure the safety of these children, immediate risk of suicide and self-harm should be assessed. However, no standardized assessment tool is used in clinical practice, and for those tools that are used, their validity and reliability is unclear. A scoping review was conducted to identify the existing assessment tools of immediate self-harm and suicide risk. Searches of electronic databases and relevant reference lists were undertaken. Twenty-two tools were identified and most assessed acute risk of suicide with only four tools incorporating a self-harm assessment. The tools varied in number of items (4–146), subscales (0–11) and total scores (16–192). Half incorporated Likert-type scales, and most were completed via self-report. Many tools were subject to limited psychometric testing, and no single tool was valid or reliable for use with children presenting in mental health crisis to non-mental health settings. As such, a clinically appropriate, valid and reliable tool that assesses immediate risk of self-harm and suicide in paediatric settings should be developed.

scholarly journals Psychoanalytic Perspectives on Moral Injury in Nurses on the Frontlines of the COVID-19 Pandemic

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 72-76
Author(s):  
Marsha Lesley
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Structural Model ◽  
Moral Injury ◽  
Mental Health Crisis ◽  
Multiple Sources ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Moral Hazards ◽  
Self Blame ◽  
Ego Strengths

OBJECTIVE: To raise awareness of the potential for moral injury in nurses working on the frontlines of COVID-19 patient care and to present aspects of mental functioning that may increase the likelihood of psychological distress. Approaches that draw on psychoanalytic thinking to support frontline nurses’ mental health are explained. METHOD: This article draws on recent work that is available from multiple sources, including published journal articles on moral injury, recent reports from news services highlighting the crisis state of the pandemic and effects on nurses, established literature on the structural model of the mind, and recent webinars and online lectures addressing mental health crisis interventions. The author draws on expertise from years of training in the Adult Psychoanalytic Training Program at the Michigan Psychoanalytic Institute and graduation as an academic analyst. RESULTS: How nurses navigate moral hazards inherent in the current state of frontline health care may depend on their existing ego strengths and levels of self-blame and guilt from a harsh superego. CONCLUSIONS: Mental health professionals need to be aware of the mental minefields that frontline nurses must navigate when providing care that, due to circumstances beyond their control, may be morally ambiguous. Educating nurses about the meaning of their own emotional and psychic responses amid the realities in the field may help to decrease the damaging effects of moral injury.

India is going partway to easing mental health crisis

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Mental Health Crisis ◽  
Indian Government ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Tertiary Healthcare ◽  
The Government ◽  
National Mental Health

Subject India's efforts to address a mental health crisis. Significance The Indian government is aiming to convert 150,000 primary health centres into health and wellness centres (HWCs) providing comprehensive care, including management of mental disorders. Its plans for secondary and tertiary healthcare include medical insurance for poorer families that will cover treatment of mental illness. According to a 2016 study conducted by India’s National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), 150 million out of the country’s 1.3 billion people urgently need mental healthcare. Impacts Expanding mental healthcare infrastructure could lead to an overemphasis on a biomedical model of treatment for mental health disorders. The government will come under pressure to increase funding for mental health professionals as well as technological resources. Future budgets will be key indicators of the government’s commitment to its National Mental Health Programme.

scholarly journals COVID-19: Emergence of Mental Health Upheaval and Transition in Human Future Perspectives: A Qualitative Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (6) ◽  
pp. 94-100
Author(s):  
Saba Khurshid ◽  
Sidra Mumtaz ◽  
Hafsa Khalil Toor ◽  
Rubina Hanif
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
General Population ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Psychological Services ◽  
Mental Health Crisis ◽  
Future Perspectives ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Major Transition

The outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic is constantly posing warning and creating mental health crisis among people without any discrimination. Therefore, the current study purpose is to explore mental health upheaval and transition in future perspectives due to COVID-19. Using exploratory study design, semi structure interviews were conducted. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analyzed by using Thematic Content Analysis. The major themes which were identified showed that COVID-19 is constantly eliciting panic and mental health issues such as anxiety, stress, and depression, fears of death, xenophobia, OCD and uncertainty about future among general population. Results also indicated the major transition in public future perspectives and perception. Concern related to adjustability in life after pandemic is major emerging future concern among Pakistani People. During pandemic outbreak, people are becoming vulnerable to different mental health problems. To overcome these issues successfully, role of mental health professionals cannot be denied. There is strong need to devise activities and strategies which help people to increase resilience and build strong relationships during the period of social distancing. This paper gives a deep insight into mental health problems among general population due to COVID-19 and it also implicates need of psychological services to overcome these issues.

scholarly journals Care-pathways for patients presenting to emergency ambulance services with self-harm: national survey

2020 ◽  
pp. emermed-2019-208967
Author(s):  
Mohammed Gaber Zayed ◽  
Victoria Williams ◽  
Alexander Charles Glendenning ◽  
Jenna Katherine Bulger ◽  
Tom Hewes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Hospital Admissions ◽  
Psychosocial Assessment ◽  
Mental Health Crisis ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Alternative Pathways ◽  
Mental Health Patients ◽  
Emergency Ambulance ◽  
Self Harm ◽  
The Uk

BackgroundSelf-harm is among the top five causes of acute hospital admissions and ambulance clinicians are often the first point of contact. However, the Emergency Department (ED) may not be the most appropriate place of care and little is known about the existence or nature of alternative pathways available to UK ambulance services. This survey describes the current management pathways used by ambulance services for patients who have self-harmed.MethodsA structured questionnaire was sent to all UK ambulance services by email and followed up by telephone in 2018. Three independent researchers (two clinical) coded responses which were analysed thematically.ResultsAll 13 UK ambulance services responded to the survey: nine by email and four by telephone interview. Two services reported a service-wide protocol for managing people presenting with self-harm, with referral to mental health crisis team available as an alternative to conveyance to ED, following on-scene psychosocial assessment. Four services reported local pathways for managing mental health patients which included care of patients who had self-harmed. Four services reported being in the process of developing pathways for managing mental health patients. Six services reported no service-wide nor local pathways for managing self-harm patients. No robust evaluation of new care models was reported.ConclusionPractice in ambulance services in the UK is variable, with a minority having a specific clinical pathway for managing self-harm, with an option to avoid ED. New pathways for patients who have self-harmed must be evaluated in terms of safety, clinical and cost-effectiveness.

scholarly journals Models of Mental Health Triage for Individuals Coming to the Attention of the Police Who May Be Experiencing Mental Health Crisis: A Scoping Review

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alice Park ◽  
Alison Booth ◽  
Adwoa J Parker ◽  
Arabella Scantlebury ◽  
Kath Wright ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Information Sharing ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Mental Distress ◽  
Mental Health Crisis ◽  
Personnel Training ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Do So

Abstract Police routinely encounter individuals experiencing mental distress, despite being ill-equipped to do so. Mental health triage aims to address these concerns. A range of approaches to triage has been introduced; however, no overview exists. We conducted a systematic scoping review of mental health triage co-responding schemes. Eleven databases were searched to identify the literature; each scheme was charted and described. Thirty-three studies describing 47 schemes were included. Intervention details were generally poorly reported, however, differences in personnel, training and information sharing were identified. There are multiple schemes in practice based on the co-responding model. Robust research into the cost and effectiveness of mental health triage is needed.

Digital psychiatry: implications for patients and services

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
James P Pandarakalam
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Substantial Effect ◽  
Modern Technology ◽  
Mental Health Crisis ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an increased burden on all medical services and healthcare professionals are applying new strategies to cope with the added demands. During the pandemic mental healthcare services in many parts of the world have been reorganised to incorporate modern technology and maintain efficient service delivery. Mental health professionals are playing a major role in alleviating the suffering resulting from this pandemic. A selective survey of the literature, including narrative reviews, was carried out to study the implications of digital psychiatry. Historically, epidemics have had a substantial effect on mental health and general health services. Telehealth appears to be the right solution to the present mental health crisis, but technology cannot substitute for human presence and proximity in mental health services, so the newer interventions have advantages and disadvantages. Remote methods of therapy are likely to continue to be used and proper assessment of these new ways of working in psychiatry is required. In the post-pandemic period, the challenge will be to combine digital and in-person therapies. Discussions about digital revolution in the field of psychiatry should be modified to digital evolution.

The Making of Mental Health Policy: The 1980s and the Challenge of Sanity in Quebec and Ontario

1987 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-47 ◽  
Author(s):  
Françoise Boudreau
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Policy ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Mental Health Policy ◽  
Mental Health Crisis ◽  
Political Language ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Volunteer Organizations ◽  
Patient Groups ◽  
Convergence And Divergence

This paper examines the current socio-political language in the formulation of mental health policy in Ontario and Quebec. “Before long,” coherent and rational policy has been promised in each province to “solve” today's mental health crisis—often identified as that of “deinstitutionaliztion.” However, there is not just one view. Here, we examine the arguments presented in the form of briefs, reports, and working documents on the part of mental health professionals, governments and unions, patient groups, and volunteer organizations in both provinces. We analyze the areas of convergence and divergence and attempt to make sense of this mass of material so important in the formulation of a sensible and sensitive government policy of action.

scholarly journals A Multicenter Study of Short-Term Changes in Mental Health Emergency Services Use During Lockdown in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Dainton ◽  
Simon Donato-Woodger ◽  
Charlene Chu
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Emergency Services ◽  
Suicide Attempts ◽  
Mental Health Crisis ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Waterloo Region ◽  
Self Harm ◽  
Ed Visits ◽  
Services Use

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown measures have led to increasing mental health concerns in the general population. We aimed to assess the short-term impact of the pandemic lockdown on mental health emergency services use in the Kitchener-Waterloo region of Ontario, Canada. Methods We conducted an observational study during the 6-month period between March 5 and September 5, 2020 using National Ambulatory Care Reporting System metadata from mental health visits to three regional Emergency Departments (ED); mental health and substance related police calls; and calls to a regional mental health crisis telephone line, comparing volumes during the pandemic lockdown with the same period in 2019. Poisson regressions were used to determine significant differences between numbers of each visit or call type during the lockdown period versus the previous year. Results Involuntary admissions, substance related visits, mood related visits, situational crisis visits, and self-harm related mental health visits to the EDs were significantly reduced during the lockdown period compared to the year before. Psychosis-related and alcohol-related visits were not significantly reduced. Among police calls, suicide attempts were significantly decreased during the period of lockdown, but intoxication, assault, and domestic disputes were not significantly different. Mental health crisis telephone calls were significantly decreased during the lockdown period. Conclusions Contrary to our hypothesis, the decrease in most types of mental health ED visits, mental health and substance-related police calls, and mental health crisis calls largely mirrored the overall decline in emergency services usage during the lockdown period. This finding is unexpected in the context of increased attention to acutely deteriorating mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Minds Behind the Technology

2021 ◽  
pp. 481-492
Author(s):  
Jessica Carson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
High Stress ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Mental Health Crisis ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Entrepreneurial Culture ◽  
History Of ◽  
Health And Well Being

Over the past few years, there has been a surge of interest in entrepreneur mental health and well-being. Research has shown 72% of entrepreneurs self-report a lifetime history of mental health concerns (depression, substance abuse, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and bipolar), and countless others incur varying degrees of emotional, physical, and spiritual distress. While many have been quick to declare a mental health “crisis” or “epidemic” among entrepreneurs, the reality may not be so simple. Entrepreneurs with mental health challenges may in fact have a competitive advantage—they may self-select into entrepreneurial work as a result of the adaptive qualities conferred onto them by their diagnosis. This article explores the myriad reasons for these high rates (from self-selection to diathesis–stress), including the hypermasculinized nature of entrepreneurial culture, the high-stress nature of entrepreneurial work, and the hidden superpowers embedded in the genetics of entrepreneurs. To conclude, the ways in which the entire ecosystem can become healthier through self-understanding and self-care are discussed.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document