scholarly journals Mental health in the republic of Paraguay

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-3
Author(s):  
Anne Aboaja ◽  
Alina Wahab ◽  
Yang Yang Cao ◽  
Marcelo O'Higgins ◽  
Julio Torales
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Health Policies ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
The Past ◽  
High Risk Populations ◽  
The Republic ◽  
Mental Health Policies

Paraguay is a landlocked country in South America. It is a democratic low-middle-income nation, and the Ministry of Public Health and Social Welfare is responsible for its healthcare system. Mental health services receive just 1–2% of healthcare budgets, and there are only 1.6 psychiatrists per 100 000 inhabitants. There are insufficient resources to adequately assess and treat mental disorders in high-risk populations such as children, adolescents and prisoners. Despite several improvements to mental health policies within the past two decades, the nation still lacks a Mental Health Act and specific policies required to optimise the mental health of the population.

scholarly journals Our psychiatric future and the (bio)politics of Mental Health: dialogues with Nikolas Rose

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sérgio Resende Carvalho ◽  
Henrique Sater de Andrade ◽  
Luana Marçon ◽  
Fabrício Donizete da Costa ◽  
Silvio Yasui
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Mental Disorder ◽  
Health System ◽  
Public Health System ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Health Policies ◽  
Psychiatric Drugs ◽  
Mental Health Policies

Here we present the last of a series of four interviews with English sociologist Nikolas Rose. We explore central aspects of the recently published work entitled “Our Psychiatric Future: politics of Mental Health policies”, which has as background issues and problems that we consider absolutely relevant for facing the complex and difficult challenges posed to the implementation of Brazilian Public Health system and to the reform of Mental Health in our country. In this interview, we seek to discuss with the author: psychiatry as a (bio)politics; the ‘epidemics’ of mental disorders’; the role and consequences of psychiatric diagnostic practice in defining what is defined as mental disorder or illness; the use and abuse of psychiatric drugs in the contemporary; strengths and weaknesses of discursive psychiatric practices in ‘developed’ countries; limits and possibilities of users’ participation in Mental Health.

scholarly journals The Use of Antidepressants, Anxiolytics, Sedatives and Hypnotics in Europe: Focusing on Mental Health Care in Portugal and Prescribing in Older Patients

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (22) ◽  
pp. 8612
Author(s):  
Marta Estrela ◽  
Maria Teresa Herdeiro ◽  
Pedro Lopes Ferreira ◽  
Fátima Roque
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Mental Health Care ◽  
Older Patients ◽  
Common Mental Disorders ◽  
Health Policies ◽  
Depression And Anxiety ◽  
Treatment Gap ◽  
Mental Health Policies

(1) Background: Mental disorders are a growing concern in the 21st century. The most prevalent common mental disorders include depression and anxiety. It is predicted that half of the population will at some point in their lives experience one or more mental disorders. Although common mental disorders are highly prevalent, some of the most significant related problems are the wide treatment gap and the excessive use of antidepressants, anxiolytics and sedatives/hypnotics, especially among older patients. (2) Methods: This study aimed to analyze mental health care in Portugal, with a focus on the consumption of antidepressants, anxiolytics, sedatives and hypnotics among older patients. (3) Results: The use of antidepressants, anxiolytics, sedatives and hypnotics has increased overall across Europe. In Portugal, a downward trend of sedatives and hypnotics consumption can be observed. Anxiolytics and antidepressants, on the other hand, have been increasing. Patients aged ≥60 years old consume more than half of the aforementioned drugs. (4) Conclusions: Mental health policies should be designed to improve the conscientious use of antidepressants, anxiolytics, sedatives and hypnotics, particularly among older adults.

Representing the citizenship of mental health users in French mental health policy: A critical analysis of the official French texts on mental health policies since 2005

2020 ◽  
pp. 026101831989737
Author(s):  
Dimitrios Lampropoulos ◽  
Thémis Apostolidis
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Social Inclusion ◽  
Mental Health Policy ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Health Policies ◽  
Self Management ◽  
Neoliberal Governmentality ◽  
Mental Health Policies ◽  
French Texts

Research has shown that mental healthcare policies aimed at achieving autonomy and integration for people with mental disorders have been developing all over the world. Critics working from a governmentality perspective have argued that these changes are associated with broader neoliberal strategies and aims. In France however, there is no systematic work on this development. In this study, we have applied Bacchi’s ‘What’s the Problem Represented to Be’ approach to the main texts published by the French Ministry of Health since 2005, in order to study how the citizenship of mental health users is problematized. According to our analysis, the objectives of the autonomization, responsibilization and self-management of users have become increasingly central, following the recognition of users’ rights, social inclusion and the fight against the stigma of mental disorders. These developments have many points of contact with neoliberal governmentality. We conclude with recommendations for empirical research on discourses and practices in the field, where mental health policies are translated into mental health projects and practice.

scholarly journals Where there is no psychiatrist: A mental health programme in Sierra Leone

2014 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 6
Author(s):  
Pino Alonso ◽  
Brian Price ◽  
Abdul R Conteh ◽  
Carmen Valle ◽  
Patrick E Turay ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Sierra Leone ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Mental Health Programme ◽  
Drug Use Disorders ◽  
Health Programme

<p><strong>Background.</strong> For most low- and middle-income countries, mental health remains a neglected area, despite the recognised burden associated with neuropsychiatric conditions and the inextricable link to other public health priorities.</p><p><strong>Objectives.</strong> To describe the results of a free outpatient mental health programme delivered by non-specialist health workers in Makeni, Sierra Leone between July 2008 and May 2012. </p><p><strong>Methods.</strong> A nurse and two counsellors completed an 8-week training course focused on the identification and management of seven priority conditions: psychosis, bipolar disorder, depression, mental disorders due to medical conditions, developmental and behavioural disorders, alcohol and drug use disorders, and dementia. The World Health Organization recommendations on basic mental healthcare packages were followed to establish treatment for each condition. </p><p><strong>Results.</strong> A total of 549 patients was assessed and diagnosed as suffering from psychotic disorders (<em>n</em>=295, 53.7%), manic episodes (<em>n</em>=69, 12.5%), depressive episodes (<em>n</em>=53, 9.6%), drug use disorders (<em>n</em>=182, 33.1%), dementia (<em>n</em>=30, 5.4%), mental disorders due to medical conditions (<em>n</em>=39, 7.1%), and developmental disorders (<em>n</em>=46, 8.3%). Of these, 417 patients received pharmacological therapy and 70.7% were rated as much or very much improved. Of those who could not be offered medication, 93.4% dropped out of the programme after the first visit. </p><p><strong>Conclusions.</strong> The identification and treatment of mental disorders must be considered an urgent public health priority in low- and middle-income countries. Trained primary health workers can deliver safe and effective treatment for mental disorders as a feasible alternative to ease the scarcity of mental health specialists in developing countries.</p>

scholarly journals Public mental health and the COVID-19 pandemic

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-4
Author(s):  
John R. Ashton
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Public Mental Health ◽  
Health Policies ◽  
Service Development ◽  
Public Health Threat ◽  
History Of ◽  
Mental Health Policies ◽  
Global Population ◽  
Health Service Development

COVID-19 has presented society with a public health threat greater than any in living memory, leaving us to question almost every aspect of our society. An ever increasing concern is how we protect the global population from mental illness and whether public mental health policies can achieve this. In this article I reflect on the history of mental health service development, and furthermore on how COVID-19 might impact on the delivery of public mental health strategies into the future.

scholarly journals Mental health law in Nepal

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-3
Author(s):  
Rakesh Singh ◽  
Seema Khadka
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
Mental Health Policy ◽  
Health Policies ◽  
Mental Health Needs ◽  
Strategic Action ◽  
Effective Implementation ◽  
The Past ◽  
National Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Policies

During the past three decades Nepal has gone through series of reforms to address the mental health needs of the Nepalese population by promulgation of an exclusive National Mental Health Policy and related Strategic Action Plan. Small but significant improvements have been achieved in Nepal with regard to mental health policies and plans. This article discusses the evolution of mental health policies in Nepal and analyses the challenges to be overcome for their effective implementation.

scholarly journals Impact of ambient temperature on mental health in Bern, Switzerland: a time-series study

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
M Bundo ◽  
E de Schrijver ◽  
A Federspiel ◽  
J Luterbacher ◽  
O H Franco ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Climate Change ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Health Policies ◽  
Climate Change Scenarios ◽  
Ambient Temperatures ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Neuropsychiatric Diseases ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Previous studies suggest that people with mental disorders are more vulnerable to increased ambient temperatures (AT). In Switzerland, neuropsychiatric diseases contribute up to 35.1% of the total burden of disease. This burden could possibly increase in the future under current climate change scenarios, if no appropriate public health measures were implemented. However, there is lack of evidence on the impact of AT on mental health in Switzerland. Objective This study aimed to investigate the short-term association between AT and mental health hospitalizations in Bern, Switzerland. Methods From 1973 to 2010, we collected individual data on daily hospitalizations for mental disorders (71,931) from the University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy in Bern. We used population-weighted daily mean AT for the canton of Bern derived from the 2.2-km gridded weather data provided by MeteoSwiss. We applied conditional Poisson regression with distributed lag linear models to assess the association and to account for delayed effects up to 3 days after the exposure. We conducted stratified analysis and by age, sex and diagnosis. Results The overall risk of hospitalizations increased linearly by 3.0% (95% CI: 0.0%, 6.0%) for every 10C°C-increase in mean daily AT. No differences in risk estimates were found across sex (3.0% in males (95% CI: 0%, 7.0%) and 4.0% in females (95% CI: 0%, 8.0%)) and age groups (≥ 45 years old: 4.0% (95% CI: 0%, 9.0%) and &lt;45 years old: 3.0% (95% CI 0%, 7%)). Larger association estimates were found for schizophrenia (10.0%; 95% CI 4%, 16%), while no association was found for substance abuse (0.0%; 95% CI -7.0%, 6.0%). Conclusions Our preliminary findings suggest that increasing AT are associated with an increased risk in hospitalizations due to mental disorders in Bern. Specific public health policies should be urgently implemented in order to protect this vulnerable population sub-group from the challenges of climate change. Key messages Increased ambient temperatures are associated with an increased risk in hospitalizations due to mental health disorders. Specific health policies should be implement to protect mental health patients from the challenges of climate change.

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