scholarly journals Delays to diagnosis among people with severe mental illness in rural Vietnam, a population-based cross-sectional survey

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Trang Nguyen ◽  
Thach Tran ◽  
Sally Green ◽  
Arthur Hsueh ◽  
Tuan Tran ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Severe Mental Illness ◽  
Financial Burden ◽  
National Policy ◽  
Mental Health Program ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional

Abstract Background People with severe mental illness (SMI) living in low and middle-income countries can experience extended delays to diagnosis, which hinder access to medical treatment. The aims of this study were to describe the interval to diagnosis among these people in rural Vietnam and its associated factors. Methods A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted among people with SMI in two provinces in Vietnam. The delay to diagnosis was defined as the time between the first abnormal behaviour being observed by family members and the formal diagnosis of psychosis. A multilevel linear regression was used to examine the factors associated with the delay to diagnosis. Results Among 404 people with SMI from 370 households, the median delay to diagnosis was 11.5 months (IQR 0–168.0). Overall, 53.7% had a delay to diagnosis of less than one year (95% CI: 48.81–58.54). The financial burden of these people on their families was nearly USD 470/year. After adjusting for other factors at individual and household levels, living in a Northern province; older age, and having psychotic diagnosis before the implementation of the National Community Mental Health program (2003) were associated with a delay of more than twelve months to diagnosis. Conclusions These data indicate that the implementation of a national policy for community-based care has been effective in reducing the delay to diagnosis in rural Vietnam. Therefore, there is a need for strengthening the program and mental health policies, focusing on public communication to improve mental health literacy and reduce stigma against SMI.

scholarly journals Perceived quality of life and associated factors among patients with severe mental illness in Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Seid Shumye ◽  
Tadele Amare ◽  
Habtamu Derajew ◽  
Merdia Endris ◽  
Wondwosen Molla ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Support ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Severe Mental Illness ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
The Mean

Abstract Background Severe mental illness is strongly associated with an impaired quality of life. This intern can affect the treatment adherence and outcomes of the illness. However, there are insufficient studies in the literature pertaining to the quality of life of patients with severe mental illness in Ethiopia. Therefore, assessing the quality of life of patients with severe mental illness and its correlates is a yardstick measure of the effectiveness of the mental health service. Methods An institutional based cross-sectional study was conducted from May 1 to 16, 2019 at Amanuel Mental Specialized Hospital. A systematic random sampling technique was used to get a total number of 387 samples. Data were collected using interview-administered questionnaires; World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief Version, Morisky Medication Adherence Screening Tool, Oslo Social Support Scale, and Jacoby Stigma Scale. Simple and multiple linear regression analysis were used to assess the contributing factors of quality of life in the participants and B coefficient with 95% CI confidence interval was used. The statistical significance was accepted at p value < 0.05. Results The result showed that the Mean quality of life score of patients with severe mental illness for each domain (mean ± SD) was 41.3 ± 7.5, 42.8 ± 8.2, 38.9 ± 8.9, and 41.8 ± 6.5 for physical, psychological, social and environmental, respectively. Multiple regression analysis showed that age of participants was strongly positively correlated with all domains of quality of life. It predicts above 45% of the variability in each domain. Social support is also another strong predictor which was negatively correlated with all domains of quality of life, except physical. Conclusion This study revealed that the mean score quality of life of patients with severe mental illness in each domain was low. This demonstrates a need for improving the quality of life of people with severe mental illness by integration of a positive mental health approach and bio-psychosocial view with biological treatment of severe mental illness. Moreover, in Collaboration with medical professionals, people with severe mental illness should screen and managed for any comorbid medical conditions.

scholarly journals Mental Health of COVID-19 Patients—A Cross-Sectional Survey in Saudi Arabia

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (9) ◽  
pp. 4758
Author(s):  
Hasan Saeed Alamri ◽  
Wesam F. Mousa ◽  
Abdullah Algarni ◽  
Shehata F. Megahid ◽  
Ali Al Bshabshe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Personal Data ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Patients Experience ◽  
Self Administered Questionnaire

Background: This study aims to investigate the mental health of COVID-19 patients in Saudi Arabia. Method: A cross-sectional study was carried out targeting confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia. Due to travel and time constraints as well as the accessibility of patients, cases were included from East Jeddah Hospital, King Abdulaziz Hospital, and the Oncology Center in Jeddah. The data were collected using a predesigned self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire addressed COVID-19 cases, personal data, medical history, smoking, traveling abroad, and work-related conditions. Additionally, data regarding contact level with COVID-19 cases were considered. The mental health statuses of the patients were assessed using a validated Arabic version of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) scale. The study included 261 COVID-19 patients whose ages ranged from 18 to 65 years. Results: The survey findings revealed that 13% of COVID-19 patients had a borderline level of anxiety, 26.8% were considered anxiety cases, while 60.2% were normal. The findings also revealed that 29.9% had a borderline level of depression, 18.4% were considered depression cases, while 51.7% were normal. Conclusions: This study concluded that COVID-19 patients experience anxiety and depression, and as the COVID-19 epidemic continues to spread, the results of the study are particularly useful in developing a strategy to psychologically support COVID-19 patients.

Social stigma in severe mental illness in Tunisia: Clinical and socio-demographic correlates

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S577-S577 ◽  
Author(s):  
U. Ouali ◽  
R. Jomli ◽  
R. Nefzi ◽  
H. Ouertani ◽  
F. Nacef
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Severe Mental Illness ◽  
Cultural Context ◽  
Social Inclusion ◽  
Psychiatric Patients ◽  
Social Stigma ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Local Context ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Competing Interest

IntroductionMental patients generally internalize some of the negative conceptions about how most people view them: they might be considered incompetent or untrustworthy or believe that people would not want to hire, or marry someone with mental illness. A lot of research on stigma has been conducted in western countries; however, little is still known on the situation in Arab-Muslim societies.ObjectivesTo evaluate social stigma as viewed by patients suffering from severe mental illness (SMI)MethodsThis is a cross-sectional study on clinically stabilized patients with schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder (BD) according to DSM IV, who were interviewed in our out-patients clinic with the help of a semi-structured questionnaire, containing 8 opinions on the social inclusion and stigmatization of psychiatric patients, with special reference to the local cultural context (e.g.: “It is better to hide mental illness in order to preserve the reputation of my family”)ResultsWe included 104 patients, 51% with schizophrenia and 49% with BD. Mean age was 38.4 years (18–74 years); 59.6% were males. Overall social stigma scores were high. Social stigma in patients was correlated with gender, age, place of residence and diagnosis. Patients with BD showed significantly less social stigma than patients with schizophrenia.ConclusionOur results show the need for a better understanding of this phenomenon in patients with SMI, but also within Tunisian society, in order to elaborate anti stigma strategies adapted to the local context.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

scholarly journals Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Psychological Distress of Medical Students in Japan: Cross-sectional Survey Study (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoshito Nishimura ◽  
Kanako Ochi ◽  
Kazuki Tokumasu ◽  
Mikako Obika ◽  
Hideharu Hagiya ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Online Education ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
State Of Emergency ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Subjective Mental Health

BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected medical education. However, little data are available about medical students’ distress during the pandemic. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to provide details on how medical students have been affected by the pandemic. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted. A total of 717 medical students participated in the web-based survey. The survey included questions about how the participants’ mental status had changed from before to after the Japanese nationwide state of emergency (SOE). RESULTS Out of 717 medical students, 473 (66.0%) participated in the study. In total, 29.8% (141/473) of the students reported concerns about the shift toward online education, mostly because they thought online education would be ineffective compared with in-person learning. The participants’ subjective mental health status significantly worsened after the SOE was lifted (<i>P</i>&lt;.001). Those who had concerns about a shift toward online education had higher odds of having generalized anxiety and being depressed (odds ratio [OR] 1.97, 95% CI 1.19-3.28) as did those who said they would request food aid (OR 1.99, 95% CI 1.16-3.44) and mental health care resources (OR 3.56, 95% CI 2.07-6.15). CONCLUSIONS Given our findings, the sudden shift to online education might have overwhelmed medical students. Thus, we recommend that educators inform learners that online learning is not inferior to in-person learning, which could attenuate potential depression and anxiety.

scholarly journals Older adults experiences of technology use for socialization during the COVID-19 pandemic: A random cross-sectional survey (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristen R. Haase ◽  
Theodore Cosco ◽  
Lucy Kervin ◽  
Indira Riadi ◽  
Megan E. O'Connell
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
British Columbia ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Random Sampling ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Critical Approach ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional

BACKGROUND Technology has become the most critical approach to maintain social connectedness during the COVID-19 pandemic. Older adults (over age 65) are perceived as most physiologically vulnerable to COVID-19 and at risk of secondary mental health challenges related to social isolation imposed by virus containment strategies. To mitigate concerns regarding sampling bias we used a random sampling of older adults to understand uptake and acceptance of technologies to support socialization during the pandemic. OBJECTIVE To conduct a random population-based assessment of the barriers and facilitators to engaging in technology use for virtual socialization amongst older adults in the Canadian province of British Columbia during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional population-based survey using random-digit dialing to participants over age 65 living in British Columbia. Data were analyzed using SPSS, with open-text responses analyzed using thematic analysis. RESULTS Respondents included 400 older adults with an average age of 72 years old and 63.7% female. Most respondents (89.5%) were aware of how to use technology to connect with others and slightly more than half (56%) reported using technology differently to connect with others during the pandemic. 55.9% of respondents reported adopting new technology since the beginning of the pandemic. Older adults reported key barriers to using technology including: (1) lack of access (including finance, knowledge, and age); (2) lack of interest (including a preference for telephone, and a general lack of interest in computers); and (3) physical barriers (resultant of cognitive impairments, stroke, and arthritis). Older adults reported numerous facilitators, including: (1) knowledge of technologies (whether self-taught or via external courses); (2) reliance on others (family, friends, and general internet searching); (3) technology accessibility (including environments, user-friendly technology, and receiving clear instructions); and (4) social motivation (because everyone else is doing it). CONCLUSIONS Much data on older adults use of technology is limited by sampling biases, but the current study that used random sampling demonstrated that older adults used technology to mitigate social isolation during the pandemic. Virtual socialization is most promising to mitigate potential mental health effects related to virus containment strategies. Addressing barriers by mobilizing telephone training and task lists, and mobilizing facilitators described by participants such as facilitated socialization activities are important strategies that can be implemented within and beyond the pandemic to bolster the mental health needs of older adults.

scholarly journals Quality of life in patients with severe mental illness: a cross-sectional survey in an integrated outpatient health care model

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (8) ◽  
pp. 2073-2087 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Berghöfer ◽  
Luise Martin ◽  
Sabrina Hense ◽  
Stefan Weinmann ◽  
Stephanie Roll
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Severe Mental Illness ◽  
Care Model ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Health Care Model

scholarly journals Employment Precariousness and Poor Mental Health: Evidence from Spain on a New Social Determinant of Health

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alejandra Vives ◽  
Marcelo Amable ◽  
Montserrat Ferrer ◽  
Salvador Moncada ◽  
Clara Llorens ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Social Determinant ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Precarious Employment ◽  
Prevalence Proportion ◽  
Permanent Workers

Background.Evidence on the health-damaging effects of precarious employment is limited by the use of one-dimensional approaches focused on employment instability. This study assesses the association between precarious employment and poor mental health using the multidimensional Employment Precariousness Scale.Methods.Cross-sectional study of 5679 temporary and permanent workers from the population-based Psychosocial Factors Survey was carried out in 2004-2005 in Spain. Poor mental health was defined as SF-36 mental health scores below the 25th percentile of the Spanish reference for each respondent’s sex and age. Prevalence proportion ratios (PPRs) of poor mental health across quintiles of employment precariousness (reference: 1st quintile) were calculated with log-binomial regressions, separately for women and men.Results.Crude PPRs showed a gradient association with poor mental health and remained generally unchanged after adjustments for age, immigrant status, socioeconomic position, and previous unemployment. Fully adjusted PPRs for the 5th quintile were 2.54 (95% CI: 1.95–3.31) for women and 2.23 (95% CI: 1.86–2.68) for men.Conclusion.The study finds a gradient association between employment precariousness and poor mental health, which was somewhat stronger among women, suggesting an interaction with gender-related power asymmetries. Further research is needed to strengthen the epidemiological evidence base and to inform labour market policy-making.

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