scholarly journals Against the Stream: religion and mental health – the case for the inclusion of religion and spirituality into psychiatric care

2018 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 127-129 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Dein
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Drug Abuse ◽  
Religious Coping ◽  
Religious Experience ◽  
Psychiatric Care ◽  
Clinical Implications ◽  
Religion And Spirituality ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Critical Overview

This paper argues for the inclusion of religion and spirituality in psychiatric care. After discussing the antagonism of psychiatrists and psychologists to religion, I present a critical overview of studies examining the relationships between spirituality, religion and diverse aspects of mental health: depression, suicide, anxiety, delinquency, drug abuse and schizophrenia. The need to assesses the impact of religion in different faith groups is discussed. Measures of religious coping, both positive and negative, may provide a more accurate portrayal as to how individuals deploy religion in their lives than global measures such as belief and attendance. I highlight the fact that there is a dearth of research on ritual, prayer and other aspects of religious experience. While many studies demonstrate positive effects of religion on mental health, others find detrimental effects. Finally I examine the clinical implications of these findings.Declaration of interestNone.

scholarly journals Joint assessment out of hours: assessing the benefits for patients and junior doctors

2013 ◽  
Vol 37 (8) ◽  
pp. 272-275
Author(s):  
Laura Boyd ◽  
Colin Crawford ◽  
Eugene Wong
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Clinical Implications ◽  
Junior Doctors ◽  
Out Of Hours ◽  
Assessment Protocol ◽  
Admission Rates ◽  
Mental Health Nurse ◽  
Health Nurse ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Joint Assessment

Aims and methodWe examined the impact of implementing a new Acute Mental Health Emergency Assessment Protocol (AMHEAP) on joint psychiatric assessments out of hours within Forth Valley, Scotland, over the course of 4 calendar months. The protocol states that assessments should be carried out by a junior doctor and a registered, qualified mental health nurse. The impact measures were taken as admission rates and experience of the doctor in training.ResultsIn the 4 months that were examined (1 June–30 September 2011), 79.5% of out-of-hours emergency assessments were performed jointly. Admission rates were significantly decreased (P<0.001) compared with a similar period in 2008, before the AMHEAP protocol was developed. Most junior doctors valued the experience of joint assessment.Clinical implicationsJoint assessment can enhance patient experience, reduce hospital admission, and provide a learning opportunity for junior doctors in emergency psychiatric assessments. However, it represents a move away from the doctor as sole decision maker.

scholarly journals The impact of suicide on community mental health teams: findings and recommendations

2002 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 50-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stuart Linke ◽  
Jenny Wojciak ◽  
Samantha Day
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Community Mental Health ◽  
Adverse Effects ◽  
Clinical Implications ◽  
Professional Lives ◽  
Patient Suicide ◽  
Personal Impact ◽  
Sources Of Support ◽  
Team Functioning ◽  
The Impact

Aims and MethodThe study investigated the personal impact of patient suicides on the members of community mental health teams and the sources of support utilised for coping with adverse effects.ResultsForty-four questionnaires were returned. Eighty-six per cent of staff reported having had at least one patient suicide, with an average of 4.2 suicides. The majority of staff reported that patient suicides had significant adverse effects on their personal and professional lives. Some of the effects were long-lasting (greater than 1 month). Staff found that peer support, reviews, dedicated staff meetings and support from senior colleagues were of most value.Clinical ImplicationsStaff require skilled and dedicated support following a patient suicide in order to minimise its detrimental effects on personal, professional and team functioning.

scholarly journals Do Child Tax Benefits Affect the Well-being of Children? Evidence from Canadian Child Benefit Expansions

2011 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 175-205 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin Milligan ◽  
Mark Stabile
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Test Scores ◽  
Family Income ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Family Type ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Child Benefits ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Child Benefit

We exploit changes in child benefits in Canada to study the impact of family income on child and family well-being. Using variation in child benefits across province, time, and family type, we study outcomes spanning test scores, mental health, physical health, and deprivation measures. The findings suggest that child benefit programs had significant positive effects on test scores, maternal health, and mental health, among other measures. We find strong and interesting differences in the effects of benefits by child sex: benefits have stronger effects on educational outcomes and physical health for boys, and on mental health outcomes for girls. (JEL I12, I31, I38, J13)

scholarly journals Triage in mental health – a new model for acute in-patient psychiatry

2005 ◽  
Vol 29 (7) ◽  
pp. 255-258 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gary Inglis ◽  
Martin Baggaley
Keyword(s):  
Psychiatric Care ◽  
Systems Approach ◽  
Psychiatric Service ◽  
Clinical Implications ◽  
Bed Occupancy ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
London Borough ◽  
New Model ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Whole Systems

Aims and MethodIn-patient psychiatric care needs urgent improvement and development. A new model of psychiatric care (triage) has been used for 6 months across an adult psychiatric service covering a London borough.ResultsPreliminary results show that the new model has reduced bed occupancy, leading to more-efficient throughput, with positive feedback from patients and staff. Important factors contributing to these positive changes include a whole-systems approach, senior medical input 6 days a week, creative use of information technology and a highly skilled multidisciplinary team.Clinical ImplicationsThe introduction of the new model has resulted in a more-efficient use of beds. Further evaluation will enable us to assess the impact on other parts of the service. As with all innovations, the improvements must be sustained once the initial enthusiasm has passed.

Interaction of Spirituality and Religion with Health, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruce Y. Lee ◽  
Andrew B. Newberg ◽  
Shahla J. Modir
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Substance Abuse ◽  
Mindfulness Meditation ◽  
Interactive Effect ◽  
Main Stream ◽  
Clinical Effects ◽  
Religion And Spirituality ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Religion And Health ◽  
The Impact

Medical and scientific communities have become interested in the effects of religion on health, mental health, and substance abuse. Coverage of the interplay of religion and health is more frequent in the main stream media. There is a surge in the popularity of spiritual activities, such as yoga and mindfulness meditation, that aim to improve physical and mental health, as well as help with substance abuse. Many patients consider religion to be important and have indicated they would like to discuss religious issues with their psychiatrists. This chapter reviews the clinical effects of religious and spiritual practices on physical, mental health and health-related behaviors. Additionally, we will review the interactive effect of AA on spirituality and recovery, and the impact spirituality can have on improving abstinence from substance abuse. We also will discuss future directions in the roles of religion and spirituality in health care.

scholarly journals ‘We've got another one for you!’ Liaison psychiatry's experience of stigma towards patients with mental illness and mental health professionals

2012 ◽  
Vol 36 (12) ◽  
pp. 450-454 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jim Bolton
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Patient Care ◽  
General Hospital ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Clinical Implications ◽  
Liaison Psychiatry ◽  
Clinical Communication ◽  
The Impact

Aims and methodTo assess stigmatising attitudes towards mental illness and psychiatric professionals experienced by UK liaison psychiatry staff. A questionnaire asked about the impact of these events on patient care and for suggestions for tackling stigma in the general hospital.ResultsOut of 72 multidisciplinary respondents, over three-quarters had experienced stigmatising attitudes towards mental illness by general hospital colleagues at least monthly. Two-thirds reported instances where stigmatisation had an adverse impact on patient care, and over a quarter reported stigmatising attitudes towards mental health professionals. Suggestions for combating stigma included educational initiatives, clear clinical communication, and the provision of high-quality liaison services.Clinical implicationsLiaison psychiatry is well placed to both recognise and combat stigma in the general hospital. This can help to ensure that patient care is comprehensive, safe and respectful.

Divinity and Distress: The Impact of Religion and Spirituality on the Mental Health of HIV-Positive Adults in Tanzania

2012 ◽  
Vol 16 (8) ◽  
pp. 2392-2398 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeremy Steglitz ◽  
Reuben Ng ◽  
John S. Mosha ◽  
Trace Kershaw
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Hiv Positive ◽  
Religion And Spirituality ◽  
Hiv Positive Adults ◽  
The Impact

Investigating the role of social media on mental health

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hassan Ebrahimpour Sadagheyani ◽  
Farin Tatari
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Body Image Dissatisfaction ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Poor Sleep ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Today with the internet expansion, social media has also been identified as a factor in evolutions. Social media is the title used to refer to the set of sites and tools that have been born and developed in the space created by modern media such as communication networks, the internet and mobile phones. The effects of emerging phenomena, such as social media on human health, especially mental health, are important. As the effects of social media on users mental health is unclear, and the evidence in this field is contradictory, this study aims to determine the role of social media on mental health. Design/methodology/approach The current study was a review conducted in 2020. According to keywords, an extensive search was conducted on Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, Magiran and SID databases. In total, 501 articles were obtained. The articles were screened in three stages. Finally, out of 501 evaluated articles, 50 cases were carefully assessed and included in the study. Findings The findings showed that social media has negative and positive effects on mental health. Negative effects included anxiety, depression, loneliness, poor sleep quality, poor mental health indicators, thoughts of self-harm and suicide, increased levels of psychological distress, cyber bullying, body image dissatisfaction, fear of missing out and decreased life satisfaction. Positive effects included accessing other people’s health experiences and expert health information, managing depression, emotional support and community building, expanding and strengthening offline networks and interactions, self-expression and self-identity, establish and maintain relationships. Originality/value The impact of social media on mental health can be considered as a double-edged sword. The important thing is to be able to reduce the negative effects of social media on mental health and turn it into an opportunity by implementing appropriate strategies and actions and to increase and strengthen the positive effects.

Digital Technologies for Mental Health Improvements in the COVID-19 Pandemic: Systematic Review (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jinhui Li
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Digital Technologies ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Cultural Groups ◽  
Intervention Participant ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Theoretical Approaches ◽  
Automatic Search ◽  
The Impact

BACKGROUND Digital technologies have been used to support mental health services for two decades, but the COVID-19 pandemic creates a unique opportunity for greater utilization and more data-driven assessment of these digital technologies. OBJECTIVE This research aims to provide a systematic review of the characteristics and effectiveness of digital inventions that were employed to improve mental health in the real context of COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS A combination of search terms was applied for automatic search of publications in the relevant databases. The key features of included studies were extracted, including the intervention, participant, and study details. RESULTS A total of 14 eligible studies were included in the final review, which were conducted across different geographic regions and among diverse cultural groups. Ten studies mainly examined the impact of digital technologies on healthy individuals, while only one study developed specific interventions for the isolated COVID-19 depressed patients in hospitals. Digital technologies identified in this study mainly include web-based interventions, smartphone or social media applications such as SMS messages, mobile games, and even video conferencing app. But only five of them were aligned with theoretical approaches from standardized psychological treatments. Most of the studies have reported positive effects of digital technologies, either on improving general mental and emotional well-being or addressing specific conditions (e.g., depression, loneliness). CONCLUSIONS This systematic review suggests that digital technologies hold promise in bridging the mental health-care gap during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, and calls for more rigorous studies to identify pertinent features that are likely to achieve more effective mental health outcomes.

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