Psychiatry in post-apartheid Namibia: a troubled legacy

I recently spent 6 months in Namibia as a Fellow of the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation. The purpose of my visit was twofold: the establishment of a database for trauma-related mental health disorders and the development of a validated, self-report screening instrument for mental illness. In the process, I was able to meet with Namibian colleagues and visit a number of health care centres in the country. This article will focus on my impressions of psychiatry in Namibia that were formed during my visit. A brief summary of Namibian history, in particular the country's relations with neighbouring South Africa, will help place my observations in a more meaningful context.

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Serious mental illness, other mental health disorders, and outpatient health care as predictors of 30-day readmissions following medical hospitalization

General Hospital Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2021.02.004 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 70 ◽

pp. 10-17

Author(s):

Judith A. Cook ◽

Jane K. Burke-Miller ◽

Lisa A. Razzano ◽

Pamela J. Steigman ◽

Jessica A. Jonikas ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Care ◽

Mental Illness ◽

Serious Mental Illness ◽

Mental Health Disorders ◽

Health Disorders

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The Perspective of General Practitioners about Mental Illness: A Cross-sectional Observational Study from a Tertiary Care Centre, Pakistan

Journal of Pharmaceutical Research International ◽

10.9734/jpri/2021/v33i43b32523 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 42-49

Author(s):

Muhammad Iqbal Afridi ◽

Jawed Akbar Dars ◽

Chooni Lal ◽

Rakesh Kumar ◽

. Sadia ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Care ◽

Mental Illness ◽

Observational Study ◽

General Practitioners ◽

Tertiary Care ◽

Mental Health Disorders ◽

Mental Illnesses ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Health Disorders

Objectives: To assess the general practitioner's perspective on mental illness in a tertiary health care setting. Study Setting and Duration: Online seminar in March 2020, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi. Study Design: Cross-sectional, Observational study Methodology: A total of 152 general practitioners were enrolled in the study. All house officers, psychiatric specialists, staff members, and patients were excluded from the study. An online survey instrument was used to collect data from general practitioners through social media. The questionnaire was related to the biodata of the physicians and their perspective on mental health disorders. Data was analyzed by using SPSS Version 26. Results: A total of 152 general practitioners participated in the study. The mean age of participants was 39.76 (11.540) years. The majority of them were male and married with an average experience of 12.80 (10.90) years. According to the participants, the most common symptoms experienced by patients with mental disorders were loss of appetite, hopelessness, and the loss of interest in day to day activities. The majority of the doctors confessed they find the treatment and management of psychiatric illnesses the hardest. Most of the participants were aware of the diagnostic criteria used for common mental health disorders. Over a hundred (66.4%) participants considered mental health disorders to be a medical disorder while 16 (10.5%) assumed it is the possession by supernatural creatures. 65 (42.7%) of the doctors confessed that they would not feel comfortable having a coworker or befriending a person with a diagnosed mental health issue. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that general physicians had good knowledge about common mental illnesses; however they found the management of these patients difficult. Mental health awareness and training intervention tools are needed to help improve the perspective of health care professionals towards patients with suspected mental illnesses.

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Burden of mental health disability in Kerala: A secondary time trend analysis from 2002 to 2018

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckaa166.1073 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽

Author(s):

J Joseph ◽

H Sankar ◽

D Nambiar

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Illness ◽

Mental Retardation ◽

Public Sector ◽

Human Resources ◽

Mental Health Disorders ◽

The State ◽

The Public ◽

Health Infrastructure ◽

Health Disorders

Abstract The fourth target of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3 advocates for the promotion of mental health and wellbeing. The Indian state of Kerala is recognized for its gains in health and development but has substantial burden of mental health ailments. Historical analysis is vital to understand the pattern of mental health morbidity. The current study focusses on comparable estimates available from three largescale population-based surveys in India to explore trends in prevalence of mental health disorders over the years and map resources and infrastructure available for mental health care in Kerala. We undertook a secondary analysis of national demographic surveys from 2002 to 2018 which reported information on mental health and availability of health infrastructure and human resources. Data were collated and descriptive analyses were conducted. We compared the national and state level estimates over the years to study the trend in the prevalence of mental health disability. The prevalence of mental retardation and intellectual disability in Kerala increased from 194 per hundred thousand persons in 2002 to 300 per hundred thousand persons in 2018, two times higher to the national average. The prevalence of mental illness increased from 272 per hundred thousand people to 400 per hundred thousand people in sixteen years. The prevalence was higher among males (statistical significance was not indicated) in mental illness and mental retardation. 2018 data showed that the public sector had 0.01 hospitals and 5.53 beds per hundred thousand persons available for mental health treatment. Results showed a substantial increase in mental health illness over the 16-year study period that has affected males and females, as well as all social classes of the state. The current health infrastructure and human resources in the public sector of the state are inadequate to meet the current burden of the problem and to ensure universal access to care for its population. Key messages The trend in prevalence of mental health disorders in the state is increasing across the years. There is a mismatch between the extend of the problem and resources available in public sector.

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Vocational and Educational Training in Family and Community Nursing as a European Priority: The ENhANCE Erasmus+ Project. Aspects for Mental Health Care

Mental Health: Global Challenges Journal ◽

10.32437/mhgcj.v1i1.27 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 67

Author(s):

Ioanna V. Papathanasiou ◽

Evangelos C. Fradelos ◽

Sofia Kastanidou ◽

Konstantinos Tsaras ◽

Francesca Pozzi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Care ◽

Mental Health Care ◽

Nursing Care ◽

Mental Health Disorders ◽

Community Mental Health Care ◽

Educational Training ◽

Patient Centered ◽

Essential Condition ◽

Health Disorders

Concerning community mental health care, current studies’ results have shown many benefits for individuals that are suffering from mental disorders and their families also, of the nursing care that is provided from Family and Community Nurses. According to these results the patient – centered, adequate and continuing nursing care is an essential condition for better health outcomes of chronic mental health disorders, can reduce relapses and hospitalizations, saving significant fund

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Critical Association Between Mental Health Disorders and Medical Status: Depression Intervention Use Indicates a Two-Fold Risk for Subsequent Medical Events in Older American Home Health Care Patients

Journal of Gerontological Nursing ◽

10.3928/00989134-20160701-03 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 42 (10) ◽

pp. 42-55 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Jinjiao Wang ◽

Haomiao Jia ◽

Jingjing Shang ◽

Joan A. Kearney

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Care ◽

Home Health Care ◽

Mental Health Disorders ◽

Home Health ◽

Medical Status ◽

Health Disorders ◽

Depression Intervention

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Association of Mental Health Disorders With Health Care Spending in the Medicare Population

JAMA Network Open ◽

10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.1210 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 3 (3) ◽

pp. e201210

Author(s):

Jose F. Figueroa ◽

Jessica Phelan ◽

E. John Orav ◽

Vikram Patel ◽

Ashish K. Jha

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Care ◽

Mental Health Disorders ◽

Health Care Spending ◽

Medicare Population ◽

Health Disorders

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The Role of Rural and Urban Geography and Gender in Community Stigma Around Mental Illness

Health Education & Behavior ◽

10.1177/1090198120974963 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 109019812097496

Author(s):

Shawnda Schroeder ◽

Chih Ming Tan ◽

Brian Urlacher ◽

Thomasine Heitkamp

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Illness ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Mental Health Disorders ◽

Mental Illness Stigma ◽

Stigma Scale ◽

Rural And Urban ◽

Health Disorders ◽

And Gender

Empirical evidence describes the negative outcomes people with mental health disorders experience due to societal stigma. The aim of this study was to examine the role of gender and rural-urban living in perceptions about mental illness. Participants completed the Day’s Mental Illness Stigma Scale, a nationally validated instrument for measuring stigma. Directors of Chambers of Commerce in North Dakota distributed the electronic survey to their members. Additionally, distribution occurred through use of social media and other snowball sampling approaches. Analysis of data gathered from 749 participants occurred through examination of the difference in perceptions based on geography and gender. The zip codes of residence were sorted to distinguish between rural and urban participants. Application of weighting measures ensured closer alignment with the general population characteristics. Findings indicate that for the majority of the seven stigma measures the Day’s Mental Illness Stigma Scale examines, the coefficient of rural–gender interactions was positive and highly significant with higher levels of stigma in rural areas. Females exhibited lower stigma perceptions than males. However, women living in rural areas held higher degrees of stigma compared to urban residing females. Implications of the study include the need to advance mental health literacy campaigns for males and people residing in rural communities. Additional empirical studies that examine the role of geography and gender in understanding stigma toward people with mental health disorders will result in improved treatment outcomes due to increased and focused educational efforts.

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