Abusive experiences and psychiatric morbidity in women primary care attenders

BackgroundAbusive experiences in childhood and adulthood increase risks of psychiatric morbidity in women and independently increase risks of further abuse over the lifetime. It is unclear which experiences are most damaging.AimsTo measure lifetime prevalence of abusive experiences and psychiatric morbidity, and to analyse associations in women primary care attenders.MethodA cross-sectional, self-report survey of 1207 women attending 13 surgeries in the London borough of Hackney, UK. Independent associations between demographic measures, abusive experiences and psychiatric outcome were established using logistic regression.ResultsChildhood sexual abuse had few associations with adult mental health measures, in contrast to physical abuse. Sexual assault in adulthood was associated with substance misuse; rape with anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder but not substance misuse. Domestic violence showed strongest associations with most mental health measures, increased for experiences in the past year.ConclusionsAbuse in childhood and adulthood have differential effects on mental health; effects are increased by recency and severity. Women should be routinely questioned about ongoing and recent experiences as well as childhood.

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Coming home may hurt: risk factors for mental ill health in US reservists after deployment in Iraq

The British Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1192/bjp.bp.110.084863 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 198 (2) ◽

pp. 136-142 ◽

Cited By ~ 42

Author(s):

Lyndon A. Riviere ◽

Athena Kendall-Robbins ◽

Dennis McGurk ◽

Carl A. Castro ◽

Charles W. Hoge

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Job Loss ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

National Guard ◽

Self Report ◽

Post Traumatic Stress ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Time Points ◽

Negative Effect ◽

Post Traumatic

BackgroundLittle research has been conducted on the factors that may explain the higher rates of mental health problems in United States National Guard soldiers who have deployed to the Iraq War.AimsTo examine whether financial hardship, job loss, employer support and the effect of deployment absence on co-workers were associated with depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).MethodCross-sectional data were obtained from 4034 National Guard soldiers at two time points. All measures were assessed by self-report.ResultsThe four factors were associated with depression and PTSD, with variability based on outcome and time point. For example, job loss increased the odds of meeting criteria for depression at 3 and 12 months and for PTSD at 12 months; the negative effect of deployment absence on co-workers increased the likelihood of meeting criteria for PTSD, but not depression, at both time points.ConclusionsThe findings demonstrate that National Guard soldiers have unique post-deployment social and material concerns that impair their mental health.

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Anger and Aggression in UK Treatment-Seeking Veterans with PTSD

Healthcare ◽

10.3390/healthcare6030086 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 6 (3) ◽

pp. 86 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

David Turgoose ◽

Dominic Murphy

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Self Report ◽

Treatment Seeking ◽

Prevalence Rates ◽

Post Traumatic Stress ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Assessment And Treatment ◽

Mental Health Difficulties ◽

Post Traumatic ◽

Cross Sectional Design

Prevalence rates of anger and aggression are often higher in military personnel. Therefore, it is important to understand more about why this is, and the factors with which it is associated. Despite this, there is little evidence relating to anger and aggression in UK veterans who are seeking treatment for mental health difficulties such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This study investigated the prevalence rates of anger and aggression in this population, as well as the associations between anger and aggression, and various sociodemographic, functioning and mental health variables. A cross-sectional design was used, with participants completing a battery of self-report questionnaires. Prevalence rates for significant anger and aggression were 74% and 28% respectively. Both women and those over 55 were less likely to report difficulties. Those with high levels of PTSD and other mental health difficulties were more likely to report anger and aggression. Other factors related to anger and aggression included unemployment due to ill health, and a perceived lack of family support. Findings showed that veterans who are seeking support for mental health are likely to be experiencing significant difficulties with anger and aggression, especially if they have comorbid mental health difficulties. The associations between anger, aggression, and other variables, has implications for the assessment and treatment of military veterans.

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Online Mental Health Assessments of COVID-19 Patients in South Korea

Frontiers in Psychiatry ◽

10.3389/fpsyt.2021.685445 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Jung Hyun Lee ◽

Dayoung Lee ◽

Soyoen Hyun ◽

Ji Sun Hong ◽

Chang-Hoon Kim ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

High Risk ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Health Problems ◽

Self Report ◽

Patient Health Questionnaire ◽

Health Questionnaire ◽

Post Traumatic Stress ◽

Patient Health ◽

Post Traumatic

Experiences of infectious diseases cause stressful and traumatic life events, hence, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients could suffer from various mental health problems requiring psychological support services. This study investigates the severity of mental health problems among confirmed COVID-19 patients. From March to November 2020, we collected the data from 118 COVID-19 patients who voluntarily participated in the National Center for Disaster Trauma's online mental health assessment consisting of self-report scales like Primary Care of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder screen (PC-PTSD), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15), and P4 Suicidality Screener. For control, 116 other disaster-experienced and 386 non-COVID-19-experienced participants were recruited. The COVID-19 patients showed more severe symptoms including post-traumatic symptoms, depression, anxiety, and somatic symptoms than control groups across all four screening scales (p < 0.001). Regarding high-risk, COVID-19 patients had an increased association with high-risk compared to the comparison groups (PC-PTSD: OR = 24.16, 95% CI = 13.52–43.16 p < 0.001; PHQ-9: OR = 14.45, 95% CI = 8.29–25.19, p < 0.001; GAD-7: OR=20.71, 95% CI = 10.74–39.96, p < 0.001; PHQ-15: OR = 5.65, 95% CI = 3.44–9.25, p < 0.001; P4: OR = 14.67, 95% CI = 8.95–25.07, p < 0.001). This study's results imply that there is a high-risk of overall mental health problems, especially stronger associations of post-traumatic stress symptoms, in COVID-19 patients. These findings help inform practitioners about the psychological responses to COVID-19 experiences and to prepare appropriate interventions and services for the incremental number of confirmed cases.

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Stigma, displacement stressors and psychiatric morbidity among displaced Syrian men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women: a cross-sectional study in Lebanon

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-046996 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (5) ◽

pp. e046996

Author(s):

Kirsty Clark ◽

John Pachankis ◽

Kaveh Khoshnood ◽

Richard Bränström ◽

David Seal ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ◽

Traumatic Stress ◽

Stress Disorder ◽

Psychiatric Morbidity ◽

Resource Scarcity ◽

Transgender Women ◽

Post Traumatic Stress ◽

Post Traumatic ◽

Sex With Men

BackgroundDisplaced Syrians face psychiatric morbidity often resulting from displacement-related stressors (eg, resource scarcity). Both men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women among the displaced Syrians are particularly vulnerable to mental health challenges given that they also often face stigma-related stressors (eg, discrimination).MethodsBetween January and December 2019 in greater Beirut, 258 Lebanese-born MSM and transgender women and 230 displaced Syrian MSM and transgender women were recruited via respondent-driven sampling to complete an in-person survey assessing displacement-related stressors, stigma-related stressors, depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. In the total sample, we first documented the prevalence of psychiatric morbidity among the displaced Syrians; we then assessed associations among displacement-related and stigma-related stressors and each psychiatric outcome.ResultsSixty-three per cent of Syrian participants met criteria for depression compared with 43.8% of Lebanese participants (p<0.001); 21.3% of Syrians met criteria for severe anxiety compared with 13.1% of Lebanese participants (p<0.05) and 33.0% of Syrians met criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder compared with 18.4% of Lebanese participants (p<0.001). Among Syrian MSM and transgender women, sociodemographic characteristics, displacement-related stressors and stigma-related stressors were uniquely associated with psychiatric morbidity.ConclusionDisplaced Syrian MSM and transgender women experience higher levels of psychiatric comorbidities than Lebanese MSM and transgender women in part due to compounding exposure to displacement-related stressors and stigma-related stressors. Informed by tenets of minority stress theory and intersectionality theory, we discuss mental health intervention implications and future directions.

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Cognitive therapy as an early treatment for children with PTSD: the outcomes for parents’ own PTSD, depression, anxiety and general mental health.

10.31234/osf.io/e657k ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Laura Hammond ◽

Richard Meiser-Stedman ◽

Anna McKinnon ◽

Tim Dalgleish ◽

Patrick Smith ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Cognitive Therapy ◽

Traumatic Stress ◽

Self Report ◽

Health Questionnaire ◽

Post Traumatic Stress ◽

Mental Health Symptoms ◽

Health Symptoms ◽

General Mental Health ◽

Post Traumatic

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) experienced by children can have a large impact on the wider family. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE, 2018) recommend that parents are involved in their child’s PTSD treatment. Studies have found that parents themselves also report high levels of PTSD and other mental health symptoms but few have explored whether these symptoms reduce following their child receiving trauma-focused CBT. In this study, parents (N=29) whose children (ages 8-17 years) were randomly assigned to either 10 sessions of Cognitive Therapy for PTSD (CT-PTSD) or a wait-list control condition (WL) completed the Post Traumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale (PDS), the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9; to measure depression), the Generalised Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire (GAD-7), and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28; to measure general mental health) for pre-post comparison. Parents whose children were allocated to CT-PTSD reported greater improvements on self-report PTSD, depression, anxiety and general mental health, relative to the WL condition. This trial provides preliminary support for the efficacy of CT-PTSD delivered to children for reducing parent PTSD, depression, anxiety and general mental health symptoms. Replication is needed as well as further exploration of parent factors and frequency of parental involvement required to predict improvements.

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Aftermath of anti-police protests in Nigeria: Burden and predictors of psychiatric morbidity among protesters and non-protesters

Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1177/00048674211049332 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 000486742110493

Author(s):

Olatunde Olayinka Ayinde ◽

Oluwasemiloore Peace Atere ◽

Ugonna Ibeawuchi ◽

Toyin Bello ◽

Abiola Ogunkoya ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Odds Ratio ◽

Online Survey ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Psychiatric Morbidity ◽

Northern Nigeria ◽

Willingness To Participate ◽

Post Traumatic Stress ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Ratio Range

Objectives: Anti-police (#EndSARS) protests took place in October 2020 across several Nigerian cities, resulting in deaths, injuries and loss of property, but the psychological sequelae of these protests have not been studied. Method: In a cross-sectional online survey, we collected data on psychiatric morbidity and potential risk factors from 426 Nigerian social media users, who self-identified as participants or non-participants in a recent anti-police protest. Results: We found elevated rates of psychiatric morbidity, with worse outcomes for protesters compared to non-protesters (psychological distress [44.2% vs 29.8%], depression [26.0% vs 14.9%], anxiety [51.0% vs 29.8%], post-traumatic stress disorder [7.4% vs 1.8%], current substance use [11.2% vs 4.5%] and suicidal ideation [7.1% vs 4.4%], respectively). After adjusting for the effects of COVID-19 pandemic and previous mental health diagnosis, the predictors of poor mental health among non-protesters were being unmarried (odds ratio = 7.4, p = 0.01) and low resilience (odds ratio range = 4.1–5.4, p < 0.03) while for the protesters, the predictors were low resilience (odds ratio range = 2.9–4.7, p < 0.01), being from Northern Nigeria (odds ratio = 4.7, p < 0.01) or residing in Northern Nigeria (odds ratio = 2.8, p = 0.03), being under-/unemployed (odds ratio range = 2.1–2.5, p < 0.04), holding the view that the protest was caused by the state of the economy (odds ratio = 2.0, p = 0.01), belief that the protest had a direct negative impact on the protester (odds ratio = 2.3, p = 0.04) and willingness to participate in future protests (odds ratio = 4.13, p = 0.02). Conclusion: We conclude that participating in the #EndSARS protest was associated with significant psychiatric morbidity. There is need to recognise and address the mental health sequelae of collective actions, and invest in programmes that build resilience and address socio-political determinants of mental health, especially with a focus on youth.

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The mental health burden of COVID-19 on cardiac healthcare workers and their patients

British Journal of Cardiac Nursing ◽

10.12968/bjca.2020.0129 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 15 (10) ◽

pp. 1-8

Author(s):

Barbara M Murphy ◽

Rosemary O Higgins ◽

Alun C Jackson

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Healthcare Workers ◽

Acute Stress ◽

Cardiac Patients ◽

Post Traumatic Stress ◽

Early Recovery ◽

Stress Symptoms ◽

Post Traumatic ◽

Mental Health Effects

The COVID-19 pandemic is taking a toll on the healthcare workforce across the world and, with many health professionals experiencing high levels of exposure to the coronavirus, the rate of infection among healthcare workers is high. Documented mental health effects on these workers are also concerning, with higher-than-usual levels of acute stress, post-traumatic stress symptoms, anxiety, depression and sleep disorders, particularly insomnia. Cardiac patients are particularly vulnerable, and health professionals caring for this group face additional stresses. This article provides an overview of the mental health impacts of the pandemic on healthcare workers, with an emphasis on those working in hospital settings and in cardiac care, as well as on the patients for whom they care. The specific impacts of COVID-19 are also discussed, as well as associated social restrictions on cardiac patients, both during hospitalisation and early recovery, and in terms of long-term risks. Strategies are proposed that healthcare workers can adopt to help preserve and improve their coping and enhance their resilience as they work through this unprecedented and unpredictable pandemic.

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A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Factors that Influence the Detection of Depression in Older Primary Care Patients

Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1080/j.1440-1614.2005.01563.x ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 39 (4) ◽

pp. 262-265 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Jon J Pfaff ◽

Osvaldo P Almeida

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Primary Care ◽

Older Patients ◽

Depressive Symptomatology ◽

Depression Scale ◽

Epidemiological Studies ◽

Self Report ◽

Screening Tools ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Summary Sheet

Objective: To determine the characteristics of depressed older patients whose mental health status is detected by their general practitioner (GP). Method: Cross-sectional analytical design of 218 patients scoring above the cut-off (≥ 16) of the Center for Epidemiological Studies – Depression Scale (CES-D), from a sample of 916 consecutive patients aged 60 years or over attending one of 54 randomly selected GPs in Western Australia. Prior to their medical consultation, patients completed a self-report questionnaire, which included questions about depressive symptomatology (CES-D). Following the consultation, general practitioners recorded the patient's presenting complaint(s), medication information, and mental health details on a patient summary sheet. Results: Among these 218 patients, 39.9% (87/218) were correctly classified as depressed by their GP. Detection of depressive symptomatology was associated with patients who acknowledged taking sleeping tablets (OR = 2.6, 95% CI = 1.3–5.4), had CES-D scores indicative of major depression (≥ 22) (OR = 2.8, 95% CI = 1.4–5.6) and were thought to be at risk for suicide (OR = 35.1, 95% CI = 4.5–274.2). Conclusions: While GPs are most apt to detect depression among older patients with prominent mental health symptoms, many patients in this age group silently experience significant depressive symptomatology and miss the opportunity for effective treatment. The routine use of screening tools in primary care is recommended to enhance the detection rate of depression in older adults.

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Mental health consequences of COVID-19: a nationally representative cross-sectional study of pandemic-related stressors and anxiety disorders in the USA

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-044125 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (8) ◽

pp. e044125

Author(s):

Salma M Abdalla ◽

Catherine K Ettman ◽

Gregory H Cohen ◽

Sandro Galea

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Anxiety Disorders ◽

Traumatic Stress ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Post Traumatic Stress ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

The Usa ◽

Post Traumatic ◽

Nationally Representative ◽

Sectional Analysis

ObjectiveTo document the prevalence of anxiety disorders in the USA during the COVID-19 pandemic.DesignA cross-sectional analysis.SettingA nationally representative sample in the USA between 31 March and 13 April 2020.Participants1450 English-speaking adult participants in the AmeriSpeak Panel. AmeriSpeak is a probability-based panel designed to be representative of households in the USA.Main outcome measuresPrevalence of probable generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) using the GAD-7 and post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) using the four-item PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) checklist. Both outcomes were stratified by demographics and COVID-19-related stressors.ResultsThe majority of participants were female (51.8%), non-Hispanic white (62.9%) and reported a household saving of $5000 or more. Those between 18 and 29 years old were the largest age group (38.1%) compared with 40–59 years (32.0%) and 60 years or more (29.9%). The prevalence of probable GAD was 10.9% (95% CI 9.1% to 13.2%) and the prevalence of PTSS was 21.7% (95% CI 19.1% to 24.6%). Among participants reporting five or more COVID-19-related stressors, the prevalence of probable GAD was 20.5% (95% CI 16.1% to 25.8%) and the prevalence of PTSS was 35.7% (95% CI 30.2% to 41.6%). Experiencing five or more COVID-19-related stressors was a predictor of both probable GAD (OR=4.5, 95% CI 2.3 to 8.8) and PTSS (OR=3.3, 95% CI 2.1 to 5.1).ConclusionsThe prevalence of probable anxiety disorders in the USA, as the COVID-19 pandemic and policies implemented to tackle it unfolded, is higher than estimates reported prior to the pandemic and estimates reported following other mass traumatic events. Exposure to COVID-19-related stressors is associated with higher prevalence of both probable GAD and PTSS, highlighting the role these stressors play in increasing the risk of developing anxiety disorders in the USA. Mitigation and recovery policies should take into account the mental health toll the pandemic had on the USA population.

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Well-being status and post-traumatic stress symptoms in health workers attending mindfulness sessions during the early stage of the COVID-19 epidemic in Mexico

Salud Mental ◽

10.17711/sm.0185-3325.2020.041 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 43 (6) ◽

pp. 303-310

Author(s):

Janet Real-Ramírez ◽

Luis Alberto García-Bello ◽

Rebeca Robles-García ◽

Montserrat Martínez ◽

Karime Adame-Rivas ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Compassion Fatigue ◽

Traumatic Stress ◽

Health Workers ◽

Early Stage ◽

Well Being ◽

Post Traumatic Stress ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Post Traumatic ◽

National Mental Health

Introduction. In Mexico, a National Mental Health Strategy was implemented to identify and attend the mental health repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic. It included the creation of five virtual clinics for health workers, being the Burnout, Post-traumatic Stress and Compassion Fatigue clinic one of them. Objective. To describe the basal sociodemographic and psychological characteristics of health workers attending online mindfulness sessions as part of the treatment of the aforementioned clinic. Method. This is a cross-sectional report part of a major nationwide and longitudinal project. All attendants responded to digital sociodemographics and COVID-19 questionnaires, the Extended Physician Well-Being Index (EPWBI), and the Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) TOP-8 index. Results. Of the 507 health workers that participated, 70.02% of them were at risk of burnout according to the Extended Well-Being Index and 57.31, 7.91 and 2.77% had a mild, moderate, and severe risk of PTSD, respectively. The most affected were the female health workers, from metropolitan or central areas of the country, and those diagnosed with COVID-19 or exposed to a person with the diagnosis. Discussion and conclusion. Mexican health workers attending mindfulness sessions presented high frequencies of PTSD symptoms and burnout. Female workers at urban hospitals could be at a special risk for developing PTSD or Well-ness alterations, and thus, they must be cared for closely, particularly those having direct contact with COVID 19 positive persons. The early participation in mental health strategies might lessen the immediate and long-term pandemic effects.

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