Epidemiology of emergency ambulance service calls related to mental health problems and self harm: a national record linkage study

Objectives: This study aimed to (1) examine the strength of the association between mental disorders/mental health problems, risk behaviours and tobacco smoking among Australian adolescents, (2) compare rates of tobacco smoking among Australian adolescents with major depressive disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and/or conduct disorder in 2013/14 vs 1998, and (3) identify the extent to which an association between tobacco smoking and mental health problems among adolescents can be attributed to non-mental health risk factors. Methods: The study utilised data from the first (1998) and second (2013/14) child and adolescent components of the National Surveys of Mental Health and Wellbeing. Both surveys identified nationally representative samples of Australian young people aged 4–17 years, living in private dwellings. Information was collected from parents and 13- to 17-year-olds about mental disorders, mental health problems, risk behaviours and tobacco smoking. Results: In the 2013/14 survey, the rate of current tobacco smoking among those with a mental disorder was 20% compared to 5% in those without a mental disorder. Rates were highest for young people with conduct disorder (50%), major depressive disorder (24%) and anxiety disorders (19%). In 2013/14, 38% of current tobacco smokers had a mental disorder and 32% reported self-harm and/or suicidal ideation vs 10% and 5%, respectively, among adolescents who had never smoked. Females with mental disorders or reporting self-harm or suicidal ideation had higher rates of current smoking than males. Other significant factors associated with current smoking included school-related problems, binge eating and having had more than one sexual partner. Conclusion: While smoking rates in 13- to 17-year-olds with mental disorders had declined since 1998, the strength of the association between mental disorders and smoking had increased, especially among females. Our findings highlight the need to address the tobacco smoking among adolescents with mental disorders, particularly females.

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Severe and enduring mental health problems within an established substance misuse treatment partnership

Psychiatric Bulletin ◽

10.1192/pb.bp.113.045138 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 38 (5) ◽

pp. 216-219 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Kathryn Walsh ◽

Alex Copello

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Substance Use ◽

Suicide Risk ◽

Substance Misuse ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Health Problems ◽

Clinical Implications ◽

The Past ◽

Self Harm ◽

Effective Service

Aims and methodThe study reports findings of an investigation into the presence of severe and enduring mental health problems within the four statutory and non-statutory teams of an established substance misuse treatment partnership.ResultsOf a total of 772 clients in the four teams surveyed, 69 (8.9%) were identified as having severe and enduring mental health problems and problem substance use in the past 12 months. Alcohol was the most prevalent substance used by this predominantly male group. Different rates were found across the four teams, with higher numbers in the non-statutory teams. The clients displayed significant levels of self-harm and suicide risk and were responsible for 131 acute service contacts over the past 12 months.Clinical implicationsClients with severe and enduring mental health problems engaged with substance misuse services display high levels of complex need. It is important to identify the best and most effective service response to this group.

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Maternal thoughts of self-harm and their association with future offspring mental health problems

Journal of Affective Disorders ◽

10.1016/j.jad.2021.06.058 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Elise Paul ◽

Alex Kwong ◽

Paul Moran ◽

Susan Pawlby ◽

Louise M. Howard ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Health Problems ◽

Self Harm

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Mental health of the non-heterosexual population of England

The British Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1192/bjp.bp.110.082271 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 198 (2) ◽

pp. 143-148 ◽

Cited By ~ 130

Author(s):

Apu Chakraborty ◽

Sally McManus ◽

Terry S. Brugha ◽

Paul Bebbington ◽

Michael King

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Sexual Orientation ◽

Drug Dependence ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Perceived Discrimination ◽

Health Problems ◽

Service Utilisation ◽

Compulsive Disorder ◽

Self Harm ◽

Depressive Episodes

BackgroundThere has been little research into the prevalence of mental health problems in lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) people in the UK with most work conducted in the USA.AimsTo relate the prevalence of mental disorder, self-harm and suicide attempts to sexual orientation in England, and to test whether psychiatric problems were associated with discrimination on grounds of sexuality.MethodThe Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey 2007 (n = 7403) was representative of the population living in private UK households. Standardised questions provided demographic information. Neurotic symptoms, common mental disorders, probable psychosis, suicidality, alcohol and drug dependence and service utilisation were assessed. In addition, detailed information was obtained about aspects of sexual identity and perceived discrimination on these grounds.ResultsSelf-reported identification as non-heterosexual (determined by both orientation and sexual partnership, separately) was associated with unhappiness, neurotic disorders overall, depressive episodes, generalised anxiety disorder, obsessive–compulsive disorder, phobic disorder, probable psychosis, suicidal thoughts and acts, self-harm and alcohol and drug dependence. Mental health-related general practitioner consultations and community care service use over the previous year were also elevated. In the non-heterosexual group, discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation predicted certain neurotic disorder outcomes, even after adjustment for potentially confounding demographic variables.ConclusionsThis study corroborates international findings that people of non-heterosexual orientation report elevated levels of mental health problems and service usage, and it lends further support to the suggestion that perceived discrimination may act as a social stressor in the genesis of mental health problems in this population.

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Levels of mental health problems among UK emergency ambulance workers

Emergency Medicine Journal ◽

10.1136/emj.2003.005645 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 21 (2) ◽

pp. 235-236 ◽

Cited By ~ 83

Author(s):

P Bennett

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Health Problems ◽

Emergency Ambulance

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Estimating income-related and area-based inequalities in mental health among nationally representative adolescents in Australia: The concentration index approach

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0257573 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (9) ◽

pp. e0257573

Author(s):

Md Irteja Islam ◽

Gail M. Ormsby ◽

Enamul Kabir ◽

Rasheda Khanam

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Suicidal Ideation ◽

Mental Disorders ◽

Household Income ◽

Concentration Index ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Health Problems ◽

Socioeconomic Inequalities ◽

Bullying Victimization ◽

Self Harm

Despite the awareness of the importance of mental health problems among adolescents in developed countries like Australia, inequality has not been widely researched. This study, is therefore, aimed to measure and compare household income-related and area-based socioeconomic inequalities in mental health problems (bullying victimization, mental disorders–single and multiple, self-harm and suicidality–ideation, plan and attempt) among Australian adolescents aged 12–17 years. Young Minds Matter (YMM)—the 2nd national cross-sectional mental health and well-being survey involving Australian children and adolescents conducted in 2013–14, was used in this study to select data for adolescents aged 12–17 years (n = 2521). Outcome variables included: bullying, mental disorders, self-harm, and suicidal ideation, plan and attempt. The Erreygers’s corrected concentration index (CI) approach was used to measure the socioeconomic inequalities in mental health problems using two separate rank variables–equivalised household income quintiles and area-based Index of Relative Socioeconomic Advantage and Disadvantage (IRSAD) quintiles. The prevalence of mental health problems in the previous 12-months among these study participants were: bullying victimization (31.1%, 95% CI: 29%-33%), mental disorder (22.9%, 95% CI: 21%-24%), self-harm (9.1%, 95% CI: 8%-10%), suicidal ideation (8.5%, 95% CI: 7%-10%), suicidal plan (5.9%, 95% CI: 5%-7%) and suicidal attempt (2.8%, 95% CI: 2%-3%). The concentration indices (CIs) were statistically significant for bullying victimization (CI = -0.049, p = 0.020), multiple mental disorders (CI = -0.088, p = <0.001), suicidal ideation (CI = -0.023, p = 0.047) and suicidal attempt (CI = -0.021, p = 0.002), implying pro-poor socioeconomic inequalities based on equivalized household income quintiles. Similar findings revealed when adolescents mental health inequalities calculated on the basis of area based IRSAD (Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage) quintiles. Overall, adolescents from economically worse-off families experienced more mental health-related problems compared to those from economically better-off families. This has implications for prevention strategies and government policy in order to promote mental health and provide equitable healthcare facility.

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Prevention of self-harm and suicide in adolescents

Zinc supplementation improves heme biosynthesis in rats exposed to lead ◽

10.18051/univmed.2020.v39.1-2 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 39 (1) ◽

pp. 1

Author(s):

Erita Istriana

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Young People ◽

Anxiety Disorders ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Health Problems ◽

Psychological Development ◽

Transitional Stage ◽

Social Changes ◽

Self Harm ◽

Highly Correlated

<p>Adolescence is a transitional stage in physical and psychological development, and in this stage multiple physical, emotional and social changes, can make adolescents vulnerable to mental health problems like self-harm and suicide. Self-harm and suicide are serious problems in children, adolescents and young people with the highest rates seen in those aged 16-24 years, and self-harm is highly correlated with the presence of anxiety disorders and depression.</p>

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