scholarly journals Temperature-related deaths in people with psychosis, dementia and substance misuse

2012 ◽  
Vol 200 (6) ◽  
pp. 485-490 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa A. Page ◽  
Shakoor Hajat ◽  
R. Sari Kovats ◽  
Louise M. Howard

BackgroundClimate change is expected to have significant effects on human health, partly through an increase in extreme events such as heatwaves. People with mental illness may be at particular risk.AimsTo estimate risk conferred by high ambient temperature on patients with psychosis, dementia and substance misuse.MethodWe applied time-series regression analysis to data from a nationally representative primary care cohort study. Relative risk of death per 1° increase in temperature was calculated above a threshold.ResultsPatients with mental illness showed an overall increase in risk of death of 4.9% (95% CI 2.0–7.8) per 1° increase in temperature above the 93rd percentile of the annual temperature distribution. Younger patients and those with a primary diagnosis of substance misuse demonstrated greatest mortality risk.ConclusionsThe increased risk of death during hot weather in patients with psychosis, dementia and substance misuse has implications for public health strategies during heatwaves.

2007 ◽  
Vol 191 (2) ◽  
pp. 106-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa A. Page ◽  
Shakoor Hajat ◽  
R. Sari Kovats

BackgroundSeasonal fluctuation in suicide has been observed in many populations. High temperature may contribute to this, but the effect of short-term fluctuations in temperature on suicide rates has not been studied.AimsTo assess the relationship between daily temperature and daily suicide counts in England and Wales between 1 January 1993 and 31 December 2003 and to establish whether heatwaves are associated with increased mortality from suicide.MethodTime-series regression analysis was used to explore and quantify the relationship between daily suicide counts and daily temperature. The impact of two heatwaves on suicide was estimated.ResultsNo spring or summer peak in suicide was found. Above 18 °, each 1 ° increase in mean temperature was associated with a 3.8 and 5.0% rise in suicide and violent suicide respectively. Suicide increased by 46.9% during the 1995 heatwave, whereas no change was seen during the 2003 heat wave.ConclusionsThere is increased risk of suicide during hot weather.


2020 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 269-274 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. D. Kelly

Objectives:This paper seeks to provide a brief overview of epidemics and pandemics in Irish history and to identify any lessons that might be useful in relation to psychiatry in the context of COVID-19.Methods:A review of selected key reports, papers and publications related to epidemics and pandemics in Irish history was conducted.Results:Viruses, epidemics and pandemics are recurring features of human history. Early Irish sources record a broad array of plagues, pandemics and epidemics including bubonic plague, typhus, cholera, dysentery and smallpox, as well as an alleged epidemic of insanity in the 19th century (that never truly occurred). Like the Spanish flu pandemic (1918–20), COVID-19 (a new coronavirus) presents both the challenge of the illness itself and the problems caused by the anxiety that the virus triggers. Managing this anxiety has always been a challenge, especially with the Spanish flu. People with mental illness had particularly poor outcomes with the Spanish flu, often related to the large, unhygienic mental hospitals in which so many were housed.Conclusions:Even today, a full century after the Spanish flu pandemic, people with mental illness remain at increased risk of poor physical health, so it is imperative that multi-disciplinary care continues during the current outbreak of COVID-19, despite the manifest difficulties involved. The histories of previous epidemics and pandemics clearly demonstrate that good communication and solidarity matter, now more than ever, especially for people with mental illness.


2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. e000437 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elinor Rhian Bradley ◽  
Vijay Delaffon

People living with severe mental illness (SMI) have an increased risk of developing diabetes and are less likely to spontaneously report physical health concerns; they may therefore derive greater benefit from attending screening to prevent diabetic retinopathy.We conducted a literature review to consider the uptake of diabetic retinopathy screening (DRS) in people with mental illness.People with a diagnosis of SMI and those with self-reported mental ill-health have reduced attendance at DRS, within the context of poorer compliance with general diabetic care. Anxiety and depression were noted as barriers in attending DRS.People living with SMI require additional support to benefit from preventative health programmes such as DRS. Further research could support a better understanding of barriers to attendance, allowing effective support systems to be developed.


2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (4_suppl) ◽  
pp. 170-170
Author(s):  
Stuthi Perimbeti ◽  
Rishi Shrivastav ◽  
Prateeth Pati ◽  
Kristine Marie Ward ◽  
Michael Styler ◽  
...  

170 Background: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were half a million documented cases with 83,000 re-infections and 29,000 deaths due to Clostridium Difficile Infection(CDI) in the year 2011. The influence of CDI on outcomes in gastrointestinal(GI) malignancies is not well described, although the incidence is known to be higher in this subgroup of patients. Methods: National Inpatient Sample 1999-2014 was analyzed to identify adult admissions (>18 years of age) using ICD-9-CM codes with a primary diagnosis of esophageal(EC), Gastric(GC), Colorectal(CRC), Small intestinal(SIC), Hepatobiliary(HCC) and Pancreatic(PC) cancers. ICD-9 code 00845 was used to stratify these for the presence of CDI. We performed Chi-Square test to determine the in-hospital mortality percentage, and Cox Proportional Hazard model to control for confounders and determine the Hazard Ratio(HR) of death within 30 days of admission during hospitalization in patients with and without CDI. Results: See table. Conclusions: Despite controlling for potential confounders, patients with GI cancers and CDI are at an increased risk of death compared to those without CDI. Taking the more detrimental effects of CDI in this subgroup of patients into consideration, healthcare professionals should strive to avoid the inordinate use of antibiotics and strictly maintain current guidelines designed to prevent spread. It may be prudent to treat these patients as severe CDI, even if current criteria are not met. More scientific research is warranted in analyzing the specific outcomes of CDI in GI cancer patients and if more aggressive therapy for CDI is warranted, considering the limitations of this study. [Table: see text]


2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 2546-2554
Author(s):  
Davy Vancampfort ◽  
Andrew Watkins ◽  
Philip B Ward ◽  
Michel Probst ◽  
Marc De Hert ◽  
...  

Background: People with mental illness are at an increased risk for developing cardio-metabolic disorders. Routine screening following pharmacotherapy is however unacceptably low in sub-Saharan African countries with less than 1% adequately screened. It is unknown whether this is due to a lack of adequate competences.Objectives: The aim of this pilot study was to assess the barriers, attitudes, confidence, and knowledge of nurses regarding metabolic health, prevention and treatment in Uganda.Methods: Twenty-eight nurses (39% female, 30.9±6.9 years) completed the Metabolic – Barriers, Confidence, Attitudes and Knowledge Questionnaire and the physical activity prescription rate item of the Exercise in Mental Illness Questionnaire.Results: More than 75% had a positive attitude towards metabolic screening and intervention and more than 50% were confident in providing smoking cessation advice, and physical activity and nutritional counseling. However, 57% stated that their heavy workload prevented them from doing health screening and promotion activities. There was a negative correlation (ρ=-0.54, P=0.003) between the frequency of physical activity prescription and the perception of the inability of patients to change.Conclusion: The present findings suggest that nurses are generally supportive of metabolic health screening and intervention but their high workload prevents them from implementing metabolic health interventions.Keywords: Exercise, diet, metabolic syndrome, screening, smoking.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victor Mazereel ◽  
Tom Vanbrabant ◽  
Franciska Desplenter ◽  
Johan Detraux ◽  
Livia De Picker ◽  
...  

Background: Patients with mental illness are at increased risk for COVID-19-related morbidity and mortality. Vaccination against COVID-19 is important to prevent or mitigate these negative consequences. However, concerns have been raised over vaccination rates in these patients.Methods: We retrospectively examined vaccine uptake in a large sample of Belgian patients admitted to or residing in a university psychiatric hospital or community mental health care setting between 29th of March 2021 and 30th of September 2021 in the Flanders Region. All patients were offered vaccination. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data. Logistic regression was used to examine factors associated with vaccine uptake.Results: 2,105 patients were included in the sample, of which 1,931 agreed to be vaccinated, corresponding with a total vaccination rate of 91.7%. Logistic regression showed an effect of the diagnosis “other disorders” (OR = 0.08, CI = 0.005–0.45), age (OR = 1.03, CI = 1.02–1.04) and residing in the psychosocial care center (OR = 0.50, CI = 0.32–0.80) on vaccination status.Conclusion: Vaccine uptake among people with mental illness is high and comparable to the general population, when implementing a targeted vaccination program.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dalila Talevi ◽  
Alberto Collazzoni ◽  
Alessandro Rossi ◽  
Paolo Stratta ◽  
Monica Mazza ◽  
...  

Abstract Background. Interpersonal violence has increased as a health concern especially in the psychiatry practice over the last decades; nevertheless, most patients with stable mental illness do not present an increased risk of violence and a mental disorder is not a necessary or sufficient cause of violent behaviors. People with mental illness endorse more often a number of risk factors for violence that could confound this association, such as young age and male gender. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of age, gender, and diagnosis on reported levels of interpersonal violence in a sample of people with severe mental illnesses. Methods. The sample was composed of 160 inpatients: 73 with psychosis, 53 with mood disorder and 34 with personality disorder. All patients enrolled in the study were assessed for experiences of victimization and perpetration of interpersonal violence using the Karolinska Interpersonal Violence Scale interview. Demographic variables were also collected. Results. Violence negatively correlated with age. Compared to males, females were exposed to higher degree of violence (for both victimizations in childhood and adulthood), whereas males were more involved in the perpetration of violence (only for perpetration in childhood). Among diagnoses, personality disorders are associated with higher levels of interpersonal violence. An interaction effect of gender and diagnosis was also observed for expression of violence in adulthood. Distinct patterns of interpersonal violence did emerge for the diagnostic entities with mood disorder showing a victimization pattern, personality disorders a perpetration pattern and psychoses a less defined pattern. Conclusions. The main finding is that psychoses, mood disorders and personality disorders have different patterns of violent experiences when combined with age and gender. This study offers a step towards a better understanding of the extent to which gender and age could affect violent behaviors. Moreover, study findings may increase the comprehension of the reason why some mental disorders, compared to others, are more associated with the risk of victimization or perpetration of violence. These patterns could have pathophysiological or pathoplastic meaning addressing clinical and diagnostic trajectories interacting with other intervening risk factors.


2002 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 281-288 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tom Clark ◽  
Jeremy Kenney-Herbert ◽  
Martin S. Humphreys

It is not uncommon for people with mental illness to be convicted of a criminal offence. The relationship between the two is not necessarily simple. It may be diffuse and subtle, perhaps relating to the disinhibiting effect of severe mental illness or associated factors such as poor social integration, unemployment, lack of close and intimate relationships or substance misuse.


2012 ◽  
Vol 43 (9) ◽  
pp. 1869-1880 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. A. Morgan ◽  
F. Morgan ◽  
G. Valuri ◽  
A. Ferrante ◽  
D. Castle ◽  
...  

BackgroundLarge epidemiological studies are needed to better understand the prevalence and profile of offending by people with mental illness. This study used a whole-of-population design to examine the prevalence, type and pattern of offending across all psychiatric diagnoses, including schizophrenia, compared to the general population.MethodWe used whole-of-population longitudinal record-linked data for a cohort of all Western Australians born 1955–1969 to determine arrest history over the period 1985–1996 and to ascertain recorded history of psychiatric illness. Of the cohort, 116 656 had been arrested and 40 478 were on the psychiatric case register.ResultsThe period prevalence of arrest for people with any psychiatric illness was 32.1%. The highest arrest prevalence, by diagnostic category, was for substance use disorders (59.4%); the prevalence for schizophrenia was 38.7%. Co-morbid substance use disorders significantly increased risk of arrest in people with schizophrenia. The prevalence of mental illness among offenders was 11.1%: 6.5% of offenders had substance use disorders and 1.7% had schizophrenia. For the majority of offenders with a psychiatric illness, first arrest preceded first contact with mental health services; for schizophrenia only, this proportion was increasing over time. The mean percentage annual change in the number of arrests during 1985–1996 rose significantly for offenders with a psychiatric illness other than schizophrenia and dropped significantly for those with no mental illness. Compared to non-psychiatric offenders, offenders with schizophrenia were more likely to offend alone, to offend in open places and to target strangers.ConclusionsOur findings open the way to an informed approach to the management of offenders with mental illness.


2018 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 618-627 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katrina Witt ◽  
Allison Milner ◽  
Jean-François Chastang ◽  
Anthony D LaMontagne ◽  
Isabelle Niedhammer

ABSTRACT Background There has been little work into the relative effects of adolescent-onset, as compared to lifetime, mental illness on employment, income and occupational outcomes in adulthood. Methods Using data from the Santé et Itinéraire Professionnel Survey, a nationally representative survey of 13 648 French working-age people to investigate prospective associations between self-reported mental illness and employment, income and occupational outcomes. We further investigated whether these outcomes would differ for those reporting an onset of mental illness prior to 18 years of age. Results Adolescent-onset mental illness was associated with poorer employment outcomes, significantly increased risk of employment in low-skilled occupations, as well as reduced monthly wage earnings. Conclusions Results extend understandings of the risks of adolescent-onset mental illness on employment and occupational outcomes and suggest that vocational recovery services should take these factors into account when designing support services for adolescents with mental health problems, particularly for males.


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