scholarly journals Mental illness, journalism investigation and the law in Australia and New Zealand

2011 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 90-101 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Pearson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Justice System ◽  
Compulsory Treatment ◽  
The Public ◽  
Treatment Regimes ◽  
The People ◽  
Societal Problem ◽  
Legal Restrictions

Mental illness, its terminologies, definitions, voluntary and compulsory treatment regimes, and its interface with the criminal justice system are defined and regulated remarkably differently across the 10 Australian and New Zealand jurisdictions. This presents a legislative and policy nightmare for the investigative journalist attempting to explain the workings of the mental health system or follow a case, particularly if the individual’s life has taken them across state or national borders. This article considers the extent to which legal restrictions on identification and reportage of mental health cases in Australia and New Zealand inhibit the pursuit of ‘bloodhound journalism’—the persistent pursuit of a societal problem and those responsible for it. It recommends the development of resources assisting journalists to navigate the various mental health regulatory regimes. It also calls for the opening of courts and tribunals to greater scrutiny so that the public can be better educated about the people affected by mental illness and the processes involved in dealing with them, and better informed about the decisions that deprive their fellow citizens of their liberty.

Owning the brand of psychiatry

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S740-S740
Author(s):  
A. Peters
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Public Space ◽  
Medical Training ◽  
The Public ◽  
Community Information ◽  
Zealand College ◽  
Competing Interest ◽  
Promotion Campaigns

In Australia and New Zealand, conversations around mental health are playing out in the public space with increasing frequency. Mental health promotion campaigns and organizations are embraced by mainstream and other forms of media, and supported by government. Whilst public knowledge of mental illness is increasing, the profile of psychiatrists as leaders and medical experts in mental illness is a more difficult brand to sell. With a somewhat tarnished history behind us, the modern evidence-based practice of psychiatry is not always at the forefront of public impression. Furthermore, in Australia, more than half of the population (56%) is unaware that psychiatrists have undertaken medical training as a doctor. This presentation will outline Royal Australian and New Zealand college of psychiatrists (RANZCP) action to improve community information about psychiatry, psychiatrists and treatment experiences.Disclosure of interestThe author has not supplied his/her declaration of competing interest.

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

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.

Mental Health Ontologies

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janna Hastings
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Public Discourse ◽  
Theoretical Frameworks ◽  
The Public ◽  
Holistic Understanding ◽  
Public Health Challenges ◽  
Health Related ◽  
The Media ◽  
The Way

Mental health presents one of the defining public health challenges of our time. Proponents of different conceptions of what mental illness is wage war for the hearts and minds of patients, practitioners, policy-makers, and the public. Debate and fragmentation around the nature of the entities that feature in the mental health domain divide resources and reduce progress. The way mental health is publicly discussed in the media has tangible effects, in terms of stigma, access to healthcare and resources, and private expectations of recovery. This book explores in detail the sorts of statements that are made about mental health in the media and public reporting of scientific research, grounding them in the wider context of the theoretical frameworks, assumptions and metaphors that they draw from. The author shows how a holistic understanding of the way that different aspects of mental illness are interrelated can be developed from evidence-based interpretation of the latest research findings. She offers some ideas about corrective, integrative approaches to discussing mental health-related matters publicly that may reduce the opposition between conceptualisations while still aiming to reduce stigma, shame and blame. In particular, she emphasises that discourse in the media needs to be anchored to an overview of all the research results across the field and argues that this could be achieved using new technological infrastructures. The author provides an integrative account of what mental health is, together with an improved understanding of the factors driving the persistence of oppositional accounts in the public discourse. The book will be of benefit to researchers, practitioners and students in the domain of mental health.

scholarly journals Policing, Crime and Mental Illness in England and Wales: Insights from the Literature

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 248
Author(s):  
Frank Kitt ◽  
Colin Rogers
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Criminal Justice ◽  
Justice System ◽  
Historical Context ◽  
Public Agencies ◽  
England And Wales ◽  
Police Service ◽  
High Profile ◽  
Made In

Mental illness pervades most societies, but it is only recently that its impact and effects upon individuals has slowly been recognised in England and Wales. When people suffering from this illness become involved with various public agencies, the way they are dealt with appears inconsistent and on occasions ends in tragedy. One agency that is constantly in contact with people who suffer mental health illness is the police service. Some high profile cases have clearly illustrated misunderstandings and the fact that the police are not generally equipped to deal with such individuals. This article considers a brief history and theoretical backcloth to police understanding and framing of mental illness in England and Wales, and explores the National Liaison and Diversion Model as an alternative to traditional police understanding and response. The article suggests that only by understanding the historical context, and literature, surrounding mental illness, can improvements be made in the criminal justice system as a whole and within the police service in particular.

scholarly journals Experience of stigma among Chinese mental health patients in Hong Kong

2004 ◽  
Vol 28 (12) ◽  
pp. 451-454 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. F. Chung ◽  
M. C. Wong
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Chinese People ◽  
The People ◽  
Mental Health Patients ◽  
Stigma Of Mental Illness

Aims and MethodThe study was intended to rectify the lack of data on how Chinese people experience the stigma of mental illness. A questionnaire on perceived stigmatisation, experiences of rejection and ways of coping with stigma was completed by 193 persons attending a psychiatric out-patient clinic in Hong Kong.ResultsMost of the participants were aware of the stigma associated with mental illness, but experiences of rejection were relatively less frequent. Eleven per cent of the respondents indicated that they were neglected by health care professionals and 8% had been avoided by family members. The most frequently reported coping method was maintaining secrecy about the illness.Clinical ImplicationsIn China, people with mental health problems experience stigma in various degrees. However, some of the people surveyed expressed feelings of relief that others were supportive and sympathetic towards their illness. Mental health professionals should maintain optimism in helping their patients to cope with the stigma.

Mental Illness and the Media: Part II. Content Analysis of Press Coverage of Mental Health Topics

1986 ◽  
Vol 31 (5) ◽  
pp. 431-433 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Matas ◽  
N. El-Guebaly ◽  
D. Harper ◽  
M. Green ◽  
A. Peterkin
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Public Image ◽  
Press Coverage ◽  
Negative Attitudes ◽  
The Public ◽  
Accuracy Check ◽  
The Media ◽  
Selection Of

The public image of psychiatry has been tarnished in recent years. In order to determine the extent to which press coverage has contributed to negative attitudes towards psychiatry, we conducted a content analysis of a random selection of newspaper articles which appeared over a twenty-year period in two different newspapers. We found that although there had been some minor, cosmetic changes over the years, such as more appropriate headlines and more direct quotes from psychiatric experts, on the whole, content and attitudes had changed very little. An accuracy check of media reporting of forensic cases over a 20-year period revealed that when reporters have access to written material, the accuracy levels are greatly improved.

scholarly journals Spaces of Wellbeing; A Framework for Tertiary Environments

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Tessa Lynch
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Mental Illnesses ◽  
Real Problem ◽  
Architectural Theory ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Maori Health

<p>Generally, one in five New Zealanders experience mental illness. Majority of lifelong mental illnesses begin before the age of 25, presenting a real problem for youth. In 2018, young people of New Zealand called for more help as they rallied outside parliament. The government responded by allocating more money towards student mental health. Yet, employing more counsellors, which is necessary, is not the only way to contribute to an urgent need for a new approach towards supporting mental health and wellbeing.   This research portfolio responded to this complex situation by developing ‘a guide’ for the design of tertiary spaces supportive of wellbeing. One of the most important goals of this work was to align the research closely with user needs and views, therefore research methods involved including students views in more than one phase of development. The work draws on evidence based design, geography, health and architectural theory and the existing wellbeing knowledge. Engagement with the users, observation, experiments and real life interventions were critical in refining a conceptual framework which kept the users at the centre of the process. The outcome of this research was a resource to guide the design of tertiary space for wellbeing, using five intervention points, which could have a positive effect on the student wellbeing if implemented as a system.  New Zealand must shift the current model of mental health care towards more holistic understandings of health, which better incorporates Māori health and wellbeing. Despite New Zealand’s bicultural values, Māori experience significantly higher rates of mental illness. This prompted to design with the same understandings of hauora (health). As a result, the conceptual framework presented a multi-dimensional, interconnected understanding of wellbeing through an integrated framework exploring physical, cultural, social, learning and spiritual environments.   While it is acknowledged that environments can affect our mental health, this is an under researched field requiring motivation to stimulate discussion and change. This research advocates wellbeing as a central focus in the design of our built environments and explores the opportunity for architecture to facilitate our student and national wellbeing goals.</p>

A brief history of the criminalization of mental illness

CNS Spectrums ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (5) ◽  
pp. 638-650 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joel A. Dvoskin ◽  
James L. Knoll ◽  
Mollie Silva
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
United States ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Community Mental Health ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
The United States ◽  
Mental Illnesses ◽  
The People ◽  
History Of ◽  
Serious Mental Illnesses

This article traces the history of the way in which mental disorders were viewed and treated, from before the birth of Christ to the present day. Special attention is paid to the process of deinstitutionalization in the United States and the failure to create an adequately robust community mental health system to care for the people who, in a previous era, might have experienced lifelong hospitalization. As a result, far too many people with serious mental illnesses are living in jails and prisons that are ill-suited and unprepared to meet their needs.

scholarly journals La réforme du Code criminel canadien en matière de troubles mentaux et son impact sur la détention des justiciables

Criminologie ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 61-83 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danielle Laberge ◽  
Daphné Morin ◽  
Marie Robert
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Mental Disorder ◽  
Justice System ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Research Trend ◽  
Major Research ◽  
Legal Process ◽  
Judicial Process ◽  
Troubles Mentaux

This article discusses how pre-trial detention has become an important instrument in the treatment of the accused whose mental state has been questioned during the judicial process. This study is part of a major research trend centered on the hypothesis of criminalization of the mental illness. This hypothesis has been defined as a shift of groups of the population from the mental health system to the criminal justice system. First, the authors examine how the Criminal Code's dispositions and those regarding mental disorder, which have been revised in February 1992, can be associated with the Court's decisions regarding the release of the accused during the legal process. Then, the authors continue to look into the question concerning the articulation of dual decisional logic (judicial and psychiatric) by studying approximately 1 000 cases heard before the Criminal and Penal Chamber of the Québec Court in Montréal in 1992-1993, in which the mental illness issue was raised. This analysis will try to demonstrate a link between pre-trial detention and mental health problems. It will also show that, despite the adoption of the principle of presumption against custody during assessment orders regarding mental disorder, the Court practices are changing slowly and the new dispositions are rarely used.

Identification and management of prisoners with severe psychiatric illness by specialist mental health services

2012 ◽  
Vol 43 (7) ◽  
pp. 1511-1520 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Senior ◽  
L. Birmingham ◽  
M. A. Harty ◽  
L. Hassan ◽  
A. J. Hayes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Justice System ◽  
Case Note ◽  
Public Health Issue ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Prevalence Survey ◽  
Complex Needs ◽  
Effective Care ◽  
Case Note Review

BackgroundThe prevalence of mental disorders among prisoners is considerably higher than in the general population. This is an important public health issue as the vast majority of prisoners stay in custody for less than 9 months and, when not in prison, offenders' lifestyles are frequently chaotic, characterized by social exclusion, instability and unemployment. Multi-disciplinary mental health inreach services were introduced to target care towards prisoners with severe mental illness (SMI) in a similar way to that provided by Community Mental Health Teams outside prison. The aim was to establish the proportion of prisoners with SMI who were assessed and managed by prison mental health inreach services.MethodA two-phase prevalence survey in six prisons in England measured SMI upon reception into custody. Case-note review established the proportion of those with SMI subsequently assessed and treated by inreach services.ResultsOf 3492 prisoners screened, 23% had SMI. Inreach teams assessed only 25% of these unwell prisoners, and accepted just 13% onto their caseloads.ConclusionsInreach teams identified and managed only a small proportion of prisoners with SMI. Prison-based services need to improve screening procedures and develop effective care pathways to ensure access to appropriate services. Improved identification of mental illness is needed in both the community and the Criminal Justice System to better engage with socially transient individuals who have chaotic lifestyles and complex needs.

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