scholarly journals In island containment: a qualitative exploration of social support systems among asylum seekers in a mental health care programme on Lesvos Island, Greece

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Episkopou ◽  
Emilie Venables ◽  
Katherine Whitehouse ◽  
Christos Eleftherakos ◽  
Federica Zamatto ◽  
...  
2021 ◽  
pp. 088626052110063
Author(s):  
Tingting Gao ◽  
Songli Mei ◽  
Muzi Li ◽  
Carl D’ Arcy ◽  
Xiangfei Meng

Childhood maltreatment is a major public health issue worldwide. It increases a range of health-risk behaviors, psychological and physical problems, which are associated with an increased need for mental health services in adulthood. Identification of mediating factors in the relationship between maltreatment and seeking mental health care may help attenuate the negative consequences of childhood maltreatment and promote more appropriate treatment. This study aims to examine whether the relationship between childhood maltreatment and perceived need for mental health care is mediated by psychological distress and/or moderated by social support. Data from the Canadian Community Health Survey-Mental Health 2012 are analyzed. A total of 8,993 participants, who had complete information on childhood maltreatment and diagnoses of mental disorders or psychological distress, are included in this study. Structural equation modeling and the PROCESS macro were used to identify relationships among childhood maltreatment, perceived needs for mental health care, and psychological distress. Hierarchical linear regression was then used to verify the moderated mediation model. We found that psychological distress partially mediated the effect of childhood maltreatment on perceived needs for mental health care in adulthood. Social support played an important role in terms of moderating the relationship between maltreatment and perceived needs for care. For those with a history of childhood maltreatment, those who perceived a low level of social support were more likely to have higher levels of psychological distress and perceived need for mental health care. This is the first study to identify the separate and combined roles of psychological distress and social support in the relationship between childhood maltreatment and perceived need for mental health care. Selective prevention strategies should focus on social support to improve mental health services among people with a history of childhood maltreatment.


2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 222
Author(s):  
Angela E. Elliott ◽  
Peter C. Elliott ◽  
Roger Cook

Australia’s federal, state, territory and local governments all have responsibilities, often overlapping, for policy and delivery of primary mental health care to postpartum women. Identification and treatment of postpartum distress is carried out by a broad range of professionals from diverse disciplines. Although there is evidence to show that anxiety and stress are important aspects of postpartum distress, substantially greater emphasis has been given to identification and treatment of depression. In addition, relatively little attention has been given to incorporating positive and negative social experiences in healthcare policy and practice. This study aimed to extend the postpartum literature by: (1) comparing the levels of depression, anxiety and stress (i.e. distress indicators) in a non-clinical sample of postpartum mothers to those in the general non-clinical population; (2) comparing the prevalence of anxiety and stress to that of depression in postpartum mothers; and (3) examining the consequences of negative social exchange, alongside perceived social support, on postpartum distress indicators. A self-report survey was completed by 242 postpartum women assessing levels of perceived social support, frequency of negative social exchange and distress indicators. Postpartum mothers were found to have significantly higher depression, anxiety and stress than the general population, and had anxiety and stress levels that were similar in severity to depression. In addition, both negative social exchanges and perceived social support were found to be important for postpartum depression, anxiety and stress. These findings suggest that Australia’s primary postpartum mental health care policy and practice guidelines, delivered through a broad range of professionals, may benefit from giving anxiety and stress equal weight to depression and by embracing the important effects, for good and for ill, of positive and negative social interactions.


2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Minh X. Nguyen ◽  
Vivian F. Go ◽  
Quynh X. Bui ◽  
Bradley N. Gaynes ◽  
Brian W. Pence

Abstract Background The HIV epidemic in Vietnam has been primarily driven by injection drug use. HIV-infected people who inject drugs (PWID) in Vietnam have very high rates of mental health problems, which can accelerate progression to AIDS and increase mortality rates. No research has explored the barriers and facilitators of mental health care for HIV-infected PWID in Vietnam. Methods We conducted 28 in-depth interviews among HIV-infected PWID (n = 16), HIV and MMT (methadone maintenance treatment) providers (n = 8), and health officials (n = 4) in Hanoi. We explored participants’ perceptions of mental health disorders, and barriers and facilitators to seeking and receiving mental health care. Results HIV-infected PWID were perceived by both PWID, HIV/MMT providers, and health officials to be vulnerable to mental health problems and to have great need for mental health care. Perceived social, physical, and economical barriers included stigma towards HIV, injection drug use, and mental illnesses; lack of awareness around mental health issues; lack of human resources, facilities and information on mental health services; and limited affordability of mental health services. Social support from family and healthcare providers was a perceived facilitator of mental health care. Conclusions Interventions should raise self-awareness of HIV-infected PWID about common mental health problems; address social, physical, economic barriers to seeking mental health services; and increase social support for patients.


Author(s):  
Andrea Tortelli ◽  
Florence Perquier ◽  
Maria Melchior ◽  
François Lair ◽  
Fabien Encatassamy ◽  
...  

Background: Migrants, and particularly asylum seekers, are at increased risk of psychiatric disorders in comparison with natives. At the same time, inequalities in access to mental health care are observed. Methods: In order to evaluate whether the Parisian public psychiatric system is optimally structured to meet the needs of this population, we examined data on mental health and service use considering three different levels: the global system treatment level, a psychiatric reception center, and mobile teams specializing in access to psychiatric care for asylum seekers. Results: We found higher treatment rates among migrants than among natives (p < 0.001) but inequalities in pathways to care: more mandatory admissions (OR = 1.36, 95% CI: 1.02–1.80) and fewer specialized consultations (OR = 0.56, 95% CI: 0.38–0.81). We observed a mismatch between increased need and provision of care among migrants without stable housing or seeking asylum. Conclusions: Inequalities in the provision of care for migrants are observed in the Parisian public psychiatric system, particularly for those experiencing poor social and economic conditions. There is a need to facilitate access to mental health care and develop more tailored interventions to reduce discontinuity of care.


2002 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 222-224 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Murphy ◽  
D. Ndegwa ◽  
A. Kanani ◽  
C. Rojas-Jaimes ◽  
A. Webster

What follows is an attempt to describe the provision of mental health care for refugees (including asylum seekers). Our views are based on our work with refugees in inner-London and on consultation with service providers.


2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. 11543-11543
Author(s):  
Kelly Marie Trevino ◽  
Christian J. Nelson ◽  
Rebecca Saracino ◽  
Beatriz Korc-Grodzicki ◽  
Saman Sarraf ◽  
...  

11543 Background: Surgery is a notable stressor for older adults with cancer who are often medically complex and frail. The American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer requires distress screening in accredited cancer care settings. The degree to which distress screening leads to mental health use is unclear. This study examined rates and predictors of post-surgical mental health care in older adults referred for a preoperative evaluation. Methods: Patients aged 75 years or older (n = 1,008) referred to the Geriatrics Service at a comprehensive cancer center were enrolled. Patients underwent elective surgery with a length of stay of 3 days or longer and were followed for at least 30 days after surgery. A comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) was administered as part of routine care. Surgical characteristics and post-surgical encounters with social work, psychology, and psychiatry were abstracted from the electronic medical record. Bivariate relationships between demographic and surgical characteristics and the CGA and post-operative receipt of mental health services were examined. Characteristics with significant (p < .01) bivariate relationships were entered into a multivariable regression predicting post-operative mental health service use. Results: One-quarter of the total sample (n = 246, 24.4%) received post-operative mental health services. In multivariable analyses, high distress (Distress Thermometer score≥4; p = .01), poor social support (p = .01), iADL dependence (p = .04), and longer length of stay (p < .001) were associated with receipt of mental health services after controlling for significant sociodemographic and surgical characteristics and CGA variables. Of patients with high distress, poor social support, or iADL dependence, only one-third (29-33%) received mental health care. Conclusions: Distressed older adults and those with low levels of support pre-operatively were more likely to receive mental health services after surgery, controlling for sociodemographic and surgical characteristics. Yet, only one-third of these patients received mental health care. These findings suggest that barriers to translating distress screening into provision of mental health services remain.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document