scholarly journals Fractured minds to flourishing minds

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Rebecca Wallace
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Psychiatric Hospitals ◽  
Mental Illnesses ◽  
High Rate ◽  
Youth Suicide ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Self Harm

<p>Youth suicide and self-harm are major public health concerns worldwide. The high rate of youth suicide and intentional self-harm in New Zealand, illustrates that there is a large amount of youth experiencing severe mental illness, as mental illness corresponds to suicidal/harmful behavior. Although more youth are seeking and receiving help, a large portion who are suffering are unwilling to engage in services, due to stigma surrounding mental health. Characteristics of the built environment can effect wellbeing and therefore architecture holds significant implications for the mental health of individuals.  Inpatient environments are an effective intervention for the treatment of a range of severe mental illnesses, however there is a definitive lack of acute inpatient facilities for youth in New Zealand. A shift in the way mental healthcare services are provided has meant that large psychiatric hospitals have been closed or downsized and compulsory inpatient treatment has given way to voluntary engagement with community mental health services. This has not eliminated the need for inpatient care and there still remains a need for these highly specialized environments. These current specialized environments are generally not designed to benefit the mental health and wellbeing of patients, but are just regarded as settings in which recovery takes place.  This thesis aims to explore how architecture can act therapeutically to support the wellbeing of individuals suffering mental illness. It looks at how architecture can retain the dignity of these patients, and challenge conventional norms of prior mental healthcare environments. This thesis aims to integrate Maori and Pacific models of health and wellbeing in order to allow improved care and treatment for Maori and Pacific groups. It responds to the lack and unsuccessful architectural responses for youth in New Zealand and in particular, the central region and aims to design a new mental health inpatient and outpatient facility specifically for youth suffering mental illness.</p>

scholarly journals Fractured minds to flourishing minds

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Rebecca Wallace
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Psychiatric Hospitals ◽  
Mental Illnesses ◽  
High Rate ◽  
Youth Suicide ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Self Harm

<p>Youth suicide and self-harm are major public health concerns worldwide. The high rate of youth suicide and intentional self-harm in New Zealand, illustrates that there is a large amount of youth experiencing severe mental illness, as mental illness corresponds to suicidal/harmful behavior. Although more youth are seeking and receiving help, a large portion who are suffering are unwilling to engage in services, due to stigma surrounding mental health. Characteristics of the built environment can effect wellbeing and therefore architecture holds significant implications for the mental health of individuals.  Inpatient environments are an effective intervention for the treatment of a range of severe mental illnesses, however there is a definitive lack of acute inpatient facilities for youth in New Zealand. A shift in the way mental healthcare services are provided has meant that large psychiatric hospitals have been closed or downsized and compulsory inpatient treatment has given way to voluntary engagement with community mental health services. This has not eliminated the need for inpatient care and there still remains a need for these highly specialized environments. These current specialized environments are generally not designed to benefit the mental health and wellbeing of patients, but are just regarded as settings in which recovery takes place.  This thesis aims to explore how architecture can act therapeutically to support the wellbeing of individuals suffering mental illness. It looks at how architecture can retain the dignity of these patients, and challenge conventional norms of prior mental healthcare environments. This thesis aims to integrate Maori and Pacific models of health and wellbeing in order to allow improved care and treatment for Maori and Pacific groups. It responds to the lack and unsuccessful architectural responses for youth in New Zealand and in particular, the central region and aims to design a new mental health inpatient and outpatient facility specifically for youth suffering mental illness.</p>

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>

scholarly journals Letter from Australia: mental healthcare in Victoria

2011 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-4 ◽  
Author(s):  
David J. Castle
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Substance Use ◽  
Intellectual Disability ◽  
Mentally Ill ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Psychiatric Hospitals ◽  
Mental Illnesses ◽  
Government Agencies ◽  
The Past

SummaryMental health services in the state of Victoria, Australia, have undergone enormous change over the past 15 years, with the closure of all stand-alone psychiatric hospitals and a shift of resources and services into the community. Although successful overall, various areas cause concern, including pressure on acute beds, a paucity of alternative residential options, and suboptimal integration of government and non-government agencies concerned with the care of people with mental illnesses. Certain groups, notably those with complex symptom sets such as substance use and mental illness, intellectual disability and forensic problems, remain poorly catered for by the system. Finally, community stigma and lack of work inclusion for mentally ill individuals are ongoing challenges.

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>

scholarly journals Rural youth in distress? Youth self-harm presentations to a rural hospital over 10 years

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 109 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isobel Ferguson ◽  
Stephanie Moor ◽  
Chris Frampton ◽  
Steve Withington
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Emergency Department ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Rural Community ◽  
Rural Youth ◽  
Youth Suicide ◽  
Suicide Rates ◽  
Exploratory Investigation ◽  
Chi Squared ◽  
Self Harm

ABSTRACT IntroductionDespite growing awareness of increasing rates of youth suicide and self-harm in New Zealand, there is still little known about self-harm among rural youth. AimThis study compared: (1) rates of youth self-harm presentations between a rural emergency department (ED) and nationally available rates; and (2) local and national youth suicide rates over the decade from January 2008 to December 2017. MethodsData were requested on all presentations to Ashburton Hospital ED coded for ‘self-harm’ for patients aged 15–24 years. Comparative data were obtained from the coroner, Ministry of Health and the 2013 census. Analyses were conducted of the effects of age, time, repetition, method, ethnicity and contact with mental health services on corresponding suicide rates. ResultsSelf-harm rates in Ashburton rose in the post-earthquake period (2013–17). During the peri-earthquake period (2008–12), non-Māori rates of self-harm were higher than for Māori (527 vs 116 per 100000 youth respectively), reflecting the national trend. In the post-earthquake period, although non-Māori rates of self-harm stayed stable (595 per 100000), there was a significant increase in Māori rates of self-harm to 1106 per 100000 (Chi-squared = 14.0, P &lt; 0.001). Youth living within the Ashburton township showed higher rates than youth living more rurally. DiscussionYouth self-harm behaviours, especially self-poisoning, have increased since the Canterbury earthquakes in the Ashburton rural community. Of most concern was the almost ninefold increase in Māori self-harm presentations in recent years, along with the increasing prevalence among teenagers and females. Possible explanations and further exploratory investigation strategies are discussed.

Industry partnerships in addressing mental health

2016 ◽  
Vol 56 (2) ◽  
pp. 537
Author(s):  
Carole James ◽  
Brian Kelly ◽  
Robyn Considine ◽  
Ross Tynan ◽  
Jaelea Skehan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Policy Research ◽  
Population Data ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Mental Illnesses ◽  
Targeted Interventions ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Promote Mental Health

Mental health issues are widespread across Australia, with the most common mental illnesses experienced by 20% of the population in any 12-month period. While no industry-specific data exists, general national population data suggests that all employers are managing workers affected by mental illness. Workplaces are ideally placed to prevent mental health problems, promote mental health, and support a person with mental illness. Investing in strategies to support mental health in the workplace has been associated with improvements in productivity, job satisfaction and significant returns on investment. This extended abstract discusses approaches to addressing mental health in the resources sector and reports on industry engagement, partnership with researchers from The University of Newcastle, and research into targeted interventions. A range of partnership activities included the development of a framework to support mental health in the workplace—a Blueprint for Mental Health and Wellbeing—and various workplace strategies to address mental ill-health and wellbeing. Discussion centres on the feasibility, acceptability and effectiveness of a multi-component mental health program that aims to promote: mental health awareness to employees; a peer-based support model; education to supervisors regarding the management of staff experiencing mental health problems; and, a review of organisational policy. Research in the coal-mining sector has demonstrated that through industry partnership, appropriate interventions can be developed and implemented that result in policy and practical changes that better the health and wellbeing of employees.

scholarly journals Parity of esteem: Addressing the inequalities between mental and physical healthcare

2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 196-205 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex J. Mitchell ◽  
Sheila Hardy ◽  
David Shiers
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Learning Objectives ◽  
High Rate ◽  
Policy Recommendations ◽  
Delivery Of Care ◽  
Medication Side ◽  
Inequalities In Mortality

SummaryParity of esteem means valuing mental health as much as physical health in order to close inequalities in mortality, morbidity or delivery of care. There is clear evidence that patients with mental illness receive inferior medical, surgical and preventive care. This further exacerbated by low help-seeking, high stigma, medication side-effects and relatively low resources in mental healthcare. As a result, patients with severe mental illness die 10–20 years prematurely and have a high rate of cardiometabolic complications and other physical illnesses. Many physical healthcare guidelines and policy recommendations address parity of esteem, but their implementation to date has been poor. All clinicians should be aware that inequalities in care are adversely influencing mental health outcomes, and managers, healthcare organisations and politicians should provide resources and education to address this gap.Learning Objectives• Understand the concept of parity of esteem• Be aware of the current inequalities in mental healthcare• Appreciate how parity of esteem may be improved

Logical structure of acceptance and exclusion in the history of mental health and welfare

Impact ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 (6) ◽  
pp. 48-49
Author(s):  
Minori Utsunomiya
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
World War Ii ◽  
Psychiatric Hospitals ◽  
Logical Structure ◽  
Mental Illnesses ◽  
Health Policies ◽  
People With Mental Illness ◽  
History Of ◽  
Mental Health Policies

Early traditional mental health policies in Japan did not protect the rights of patients with mental illnesses, with public safety prioritised over human rights. The situation has since improved, but these early perceptions have impacted on current mental health policies in Japan. Dr Minori Utsunomiya, Aichi Prefectural University, Japan, believes past policies are the root of many challenges facing people with mental illness and she is exploring Japan's complex history of mental health and psychiatric care to shed light on the correlation between past and present mental health policies. Key foci for Utsunomiya are the Psychiatric Custody Law of 1900, the Psychiatric Hospital Law of 1919 and the Mental Health Act of 1950 and she is exploring these laws from two perspectives: pre-World War II to post-war continuity/discontinuity and the structure of acceptance and exclusion for people with mental illnesses. As such, Utsunomiya embarked on an exploration of the process of the revision and abolition of laws and deliberation with respect to bills related to mental illness, investigated the roles and functions of public psychiatric hospitals and analysed the causal relationship between the revision of laws related to mental illness and social incident.

scholarly journals Data Analytics in Mental Healthcare

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Ayesha Kamran Ul haq ◽  
Amira Khattak ◽  
Noreen Jamil ◽  
M. Asif Naeem ◽  
Farhaan Mirza
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Data Analytics ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Mental Health Research ◽  
Mental Illnesses ◽  
Mental Condition ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Extensive Growth

Worldwide, about 700 million people are estimated to suffer from mental illnesses. In recent years, due to the extensive growth rate in mental disorders, it is essential to better understand the inadequate outcomes from mental health problems. Mental health research is challenging given the perceived limitations of ethical principles such as the protection of autonomy, consent, threat, and damage. In this survey, we aimed to investigate studies where big data approaches were used in mental illness and treatment. Firstly, different types of mental illness, for instance, bipolar disorder, depression, and personality disorders, are discussed. The effects of mental health on user’s behavior such as suicide and drug addiction are highlighted. A description of the methodologies and tools is presented to predict the mental condition of the patient under the supervision of artificial intelligence and machine learning.

scholarly journals “I Am Not My Illness!”: Navigating the Mental Healthcare System in New Orleans

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Saira Mehmood ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Critical Race Theory ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
New Orleans ◽  
Healthcare System ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Mental Illnesses

This research examines the experiences of individuals diagnosed with chronic mental illnesses and how they navigated the mental healthcare system in New Orleans, Louisiana. To realize the main research objective, I analyzed how individuals with chronic mental illnesses perceive mental illness and stigma; the services individuals use to address their mental health needs and the barriers they face in this process; who individuals disclose their mental illness to and under what contexts; and how individuals diagnosed with mental illness and their caregivers understand and embody recovery. Situated between medical anthropology and urban anthropology, it examines the challenges individuals diagnosed with chronic mental illness and caregivers encounter in utilizing mental health services. Using critical race theory and studies on whiteness, I analyze the intersectional identities of individuals to understand how various axes of identities such as race, gender, age, and religion affect how people utilize mental health services, conceptualize stigma, how this is related to disclosure, and what recovery means to them. While I use stigma scales to measure various types of stigma, I triangulate this data with observations from participant-observation and interviews to reconceptualize stigma in what Tyler and Slater (2018) argue for approaching the social and political dynamics of stigma and acknowledging history. I do this through the use of stigma syndemics. Central to this is the role of mental health professionals and other key stakeholders, and how they interact with individuals utilizing community mental health services. I examine how past experiences such as trauma and incarceration limit access to housing programs, employment, and how this affects recovery. Lastly, I argue that for effective advocacy on mental health to occur, synergistic activism through coalition building needs to transpire between all the entities that affect individuals who have mental illnesses.

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