scholarly journals Factors Affecting Infant Feeding Practices Among Women With Severe Mental Illness

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natasha Baker ◽  
Laura Potts ◽  
Stacey Jennings ◽  
Kylee Trevillion ◽  
Louise M. Howard

Background: The health benefits of breastfeeding are well-established but for mothers with severe mental illness (SMI), the decision to breastfeed can be complex. Very few prior studies have investigated the infant feeding choices of women with SMI, or the factors associated with this. Our aims were to examine antenatal infant feeding intentions and infant feeding outcomes in a cohort of women admitted for acute psychiatric care in the first postpartum year. We also aimed to examine whether demographic and clinical characteristics associated with breastfeeding were similar to those found in previous studies in the general population, including age, employment, education, BMI, mode of delivery, smoking status, and social support.Methods: This study was a mixed-methods secondary analysis of a national cohort study, ESMI-MBU (Examining the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of perinatal mental health services). Participants had been admitted to acute care with SMI in the first postpartum year. Infant feeding outcomes were retrospectively self-reported by women during a 1-month post-discharge interview. Free-text responses to questions relating to infant feeding and experience of psychiatric services were also explored using thematic analysis.Results: 144 (66.1%) of 218 women reported breastfeeding (mix feeding and exclusive breastfeeding). Eighty five percentage of the cohort had intended to breastfeed and of these, 76.5% did so. Factors associated with breastfeeding included infant feeding intentions, employment and non-Caucasian ethnicity. Although very few women were taking psychotropic medication contraindicated for breastfeeding, over a quarter (n = 57, 26.15%) reported being advised against breastfeeding because of their medication. Women were given this advice by psychiatry practitioners (40% n = 22), maternity practitioners (32.73% n = 18) and postnatal primary care (27.27% n = 15). Most women stopped breastfeeding earlier than they had planned to as a result (81.1% n = 43). Twenty five women provided free text responses, most felt unsupported with infant feeding due to inconsistent information about medication when breastfeeding and that breastfeeding intentions were de-prioritized for mental health care.Conclusion: Women with SMI intend to breastfeed and for the majority, this intention is fulfilled. Contradictory and insufficient advice relating to breastfeeding and psychotropic medication indicates that further training is required for professionals caring for women at risk of perinatal SMI about how to manage infant feeding in this population. Further research is required to develop a more in-depth understanding of the unique infant feeding support needs of women with perinatal SMI.

BJPsych Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yue-Hui Yu ◽  
Wei Luo ◽  
Man-Xi He ◽  
Xin Yang ◽  
Bo Liu ◽  
...  

Background Little is known about poverty trends in people with severe mental illness (SMI) over a long time span, especially under conditions of fast socioeconomic development. Aims This study aims to unravel changes in household poverty levels among people with SMI in a fast-changing rural community in China. Method Two mental health surveys, using ICD-10, were conducted in the same six townships of Xinjin county, Chengdu, China. A total of 711 and 1042 people with SMI identified in 1994 and 2015, respectively, participated in the study. The Foster-Greer-Thorbecke poverty index was adopted to measure the changes in household poverty. These changes were decomposed into effects of growth and equity using a static decomposition method. Factors associated with household poverty in 1994 and 2015 were examined and compared by regression analyses. Results The proportion of poor households, as measured by the headcount ratio, increased significantly from 29.8% in 1994 to 39.5% in 2015. Decomposition showed that poverty in households containing people with SMI had worsened because of a redistribution effect. Factors associated with household poverty had also changed during the study period. The patient's age, ability to work and family size were of paramount significance in 2015. Conclusions This study shows that the levels of poverty faced by households containing people with SMI has become more pressing with China's fast socioeconomic development. It calls for further integration of mental health recovery and targeted antipoverty interventions for people with SMI as a development priority.


2018 ◽  
Vol 63 (7) ◽  
pp. 492-500 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Rudoler ◽  
Claire de Oliveira ◽  
Binu Jacob ◽  
Melonie Hopkins ◽  
Paul Kurdyak

Objective: The objective of this article was to conduct a cost analysis comparing the costs of a supportive housing intervention to inpatient care for clients with severe mental illness who were designated alternative-level care while inpatient at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto. The intervention, called the High Support Housing Initiative, was implemented in 2013 through a collaboration between 15 agencies in the Toronto area. Method: The perspective of this cost analysis was that of the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. We compared the cost of inpatient mental health care to high-support housing. Cost data were derived from a variety of sources, including health administrative data, expenditures reported by housing providers, and document analysis. Results: The High Support Housing Initiative was cost saving relative to inpatient care. The average cost savings per diem were between $140 and $160. This amounts to an annual cost savings of approximately $51,000 to $58,000. When tested through sensitivity analysis, the intervention remained cost saving in most scenarios; however, the result was highly sensitive to health system costs for clients of the High Support Housing Initiative program. Conclusions: This study suggests the High Support Housing Initiative is potentially cost saving relative to inpatient hospitalization at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.


2007 ◽  
Vol 43 (6) ◽  
pp. 565-581 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter J. Kelly ◽  
Frank P. Deane ◽  
Robert King ◽  
Nikolaos Kazantzis ◽  
Trevor P. Crowe

2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 313-318 ◽  
Author(s):  
Todd P. Gilmer ◽  
Victoria D. Ojeda ◽  
Dahlia Fuentes ◽  
Viviana Criado ◽  
Piedad Garcia

2021 ◽  
pp. 136346152110583
Author(s):  
Evgeny Knaifel

The successful integration of cultural competence with evidence-based practices in mental health services is still limited for particular cultural populations. The current study explored culturally adapted family psychoeducation intervention for immigrants from the former Soviet Union (FSU) in Israel who care for a family member with severe mental illness (SMI). Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 18 immigrant mothers about their experience of taking part in Russian-speaking multi-family psychoeducation groups (MFPGs). Qualitative content analysis revealed five salient processes and changes that participants attributed to their engagement in the intervention: 1) from a language barrier to utilization of and satisfaction with services; 2) from a lack of information to acquiring new mental health knowledge; 3) from harboring a family secret to exposure and sharing; 4) from social isolation to cultural belonging and support; 5) from families blurring boundaries to physical and emotional separation. The results showed that these changes—linguistic, cognitive, emotional, socio-cultural and relational—improved family coping and recovery. Implications for cultural adaptation of family psychoeducation for Russian-speaking immigrants are discussed.


2021 ◽  
pp. 000486742110314
Author(s):  
Rachael C Cvejic ◽  
Preeyaporn Srasuebkul ◽  
Adrian R Walker ◽  
Simone Reppermund ◽  
Julia M Lappin ◽  
...  

Objective: To describe and compare the health profiles and health service use of people hospitalised with severe mental illness, with and without psychotic symptoms. Methods: We conducted a historical cohort study using linked administrative datasets, including data on public hospital admissions, emergency department presentations and ambulatory mental health service contacts in New South Wales, Australia. The study cohort comprised 169,306 individuals aged 12 years and over who were hospitalised at least once with a mental health diagnosis between 1 July 2002 and 31 December 2014. Of these, 63,110 had a recorded psychotic illness and 106,196 did not. Outcome measures were rates of hospital, emergency department and mental health ambulatory service utilisation, analysed using Poisson regression. Results: People with psychotic illnesses had higher rates of hospital admission (adjusted incidence rate ratio (IRR) 1.26; 95% confidence interval [1.23, 1.30]), emergency department presentation (adjusted IRR 1.17; 95% confidence interval [1.13, 1.20]) and ambulatory mental health treatment days (adjusted IRR 2.90; 95% confidence interval [2.82, 2.98]) than people without psychotic illnesses. The higher rate of hospitalisation among people with psychotic illnesses was driven by mental health admissions; while people with psychosis had over twice the rate of mental health admissions, people with other severe mental illnesses without psychosis (e.g. mood/affective, anxiety and personality disorders) had higher rates of physical health admissions, including for circulatory, musculoskeletal, genitourinary and respiratory disorders. Factors that predicted greater health service utilisation included psychosis, intellectual disability, greater medical comorbidity and previous hospitalisation. Conclusion: Findings from this study support the need for (a) the development of processes to support the physical health of people with severe mental illness, including those without psychosis; (b) a focus in mental health policy and service provision on people with complex support needs, and (c) improved implementation and testing of integrated models of care to improve health outcomes for all people experiencing severe mental illness.


1999 ◽  
Vol 174 (4) ◽  
pp. 346-352 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony F. Lehman ◽  
Lisa Dixon ◽  
Jeffrey S. Hoch ◽  
Bruce Deforge ◽  
Eimer Kernan ◽  
...  

BackgroundHomelessness is a major public health problem among persons with severe mental illness (SMI). Cost-effective programmes that address this problem are needed.AimsTo evaluate the cost-effectiveness of an assertive community treatment (ACT) programme for these persons in Baltimore, Maryland.MethodsA total of 152 homeless persons with SMI were randomly allocated to either ACT or usual services. Direct treatment costs and effectiveness, represented by days of stable housing, were assessed.ResultsCompared with usual care, ACT costs were significantly lower for mental health in-patient days and mental health emergency room care, and significantly higher for mental health out-patient visits and treatment for substance misuse. ACT patients spent 31% more days in stable housing than those receiving usual care. ACT and usual services incurred $242 and $415 respectively in direct treatment costs per day of stable housing, an efficiency ratio of 0. 58 in favour of ACT. Patterns of care and costs varied according to race.ConclusionACT provides a cost-effective approach to reducing homelessness among persons with severe and persistent mental illnesses.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Newbronner ◽  
Panagiotis Spanakis ◽  
Ruth Wadman ◽  
Suzanne Crosland ◽  
Paul Heron ◽  
...  

Aims: To explore: how satisfied people with severe mental illness (SMI) are with the support received during the pandemic; understand any difficulties encountered when accessing both mental health and primary care services; consider ways to mitigate these difficulties; and assess the perceived need for future support from mental health services. Materials and Methods: A representative sample was drawn from a large transdiagnostic clinical cohort of people with SMI, which was recruited between April 2016 and March 2020. The sample was re-surveyed a few months after the beginning of the restrictions. Descriptive frequency statistics were used to analyse the quantitative data. The free text responses were analysed thematically. Results: 367 participants responded to the survey. Two thirds were receiving support from mental health services with the rest supported in primary care or self-managing. A quarter thought they would need more mental health support in the coming year. Half had needed to used community mental health services during the pandemic and the majority had been able to get support. A minority reported that their mental health had deteriorated but they had either not got the supported they wanted or had not sought help. The biggest service change was the reduction in face-to-face appointments and increasing use of phone and video call support. Nearly half of those using mental health services found this change acceptable or even preferred it; acceptability was influenced by several factors. Participants were more likely to be satisfied with support received when seen in person. Discussion: Although most participants were satisfied with the mental health support they had received, a minority were not. This, couple with findings on future need for mental health support has implications for post pandemic demand on services. Remote care has brought benefits but also risks that it could increase inequalities in access to services.


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