scholarly journals Inequalities in the Universal Right to Health

Author(s):  
Maurizio Bonati ◽  
Gianni Tognoni ◽  
Fabio Sereni

Child health inequalities violate children’s rights to optimal wellbeing. Different issues worldwide affect children’s physical and mental health as well as their development, influencing their future as adults. Inequities are avoidable inequalities. Despite improvements in the past two decades, the ambitious goals of global agendas have, for the most part, remained as expectations with regard to childhood rights, social justice, and health equity in practice. The concept of social determinants of health has become part of the common language in certain settings, but this is still too little to improve health in practice on a global scale, particularly for underprivileged subgroups of the community, as children and adolescents often are. Pediatric health professionals and their organizations are also responsible for guaranteeing children’s and adolescents’ right to health and better wellbeing, helping to reduce health inequalities.

2019 ◽  
Vol 216 (4) ◽  
pp. 180-181 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raquel Catalao ◽  
Sue Mann ◽  
Claire Wilson ◽  
Louise M. Howard

SummaryIt is increasingly recognised that the preconception period is a window of opportunity to intervene to improve outcomes for women and the next generation. The importance of preconception mental health and comorbidity problems has not traditionally been taken into account by policy makers or mental health service providers. We argue that by addressing preconception physical and mental health in men and women, medical health professionals could improve health outcomes across the whole life course.


BJPsych Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (S1) ◽  
pp. S85-S85
Author(s):  
Nosa Igbinomwanhia ◽  
Kathleen McCurdy

AimsThis was a re-audit of off-label prescribing of quetiapine in order to identify the number of patients on off-label quetiapine in HMP Elmley, to monitor compliance by the Mental Health Inreach Team (MHIRT) psychiatrists with the Royal College of Psychiatrists guideline on off-license prescribing, to compare findings with the baseline audit and to identify areas for improvement.MethodAll patients on quetiapine in HMP Elmley were identified and their electronic patient record was reviewed against the standards outlined in the Royal College of Psychiatrists “Use of licensed medicines for unlicensed applications in psychiatric practice (2nd edition).ResultThere were 60 residents on off-license quetiapine prescription in HMP Elmley.Of this number, four had their prescription initiated by a general practitioner, either while in prison or in the community. Two residents were on quetiapine first prescribed while they were on admission in hospital. 5 patients had been initiated by the MHIRT psychiatrists. 38 residents were commenced off-license quetiapine by another psychiatrist, either while they were in the community or in another prison. In 17 patients, electronic records were inadequate to determine who had prescribed the quetiapine.The number of inmates prescribed off-label quetiapine in HMP Elmley had dropped from 82 to 60 in the 1 year since the initial audit. Of these figures, prescriptions initiated by the MHIRT psychiatrists, had dropped from 28.1% (23/82) to 8.3% (5/60).For those prescribed quetiapine by the HMP Elmley psychiatrists, notes were audited against the RCPsych guidelines: Licensed medication was considered first in 80.0%Risks and benefits were considered and documented in 80.0%The benefits and potential risks were explained to patient in 80.0%There was documentation of informed consent in 80.0%Quetiapine was started at a low dose and monitored in 100%No residents required withdrawal of medication due to ineffectiveness or adverse effects.Baseline physical health assessment was performed in 80.0%, though all had an ECG done.ConclusionOver the past year there has been an improvement in off-label antipsychotic prescribing practice within the MHIRT.However, the number of off-label antipsychotic prescriptions still remains high throughout the prison. There should be continued effort at minimizing off-label prescribing within the MHIRT, monitored by auditing. However, work needs to be done jointly with other prescribers, such as GP colleagues, in order to avoid unnecessary prescriptions and to monitor regularly the physical and mental health of those on off-label quetiapine.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lee Edson P. Yarcia ◽  
Jan Michael Alexandre C. Bernadas

Purpose This paper aims to examine key obligations of states to persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) under the right to health framework in the context of COVID-19. As a case study, it also describes the state of health in places of detention in the Philippines during the pandemic, with an end view of providing granular recommendations for prison policy reforms. Design/methodology/approach Relevant rules under international human rights law related to places of detention were thematically analyzed to articulate the scope of the right to health of PDLs. To describe the state of places of detention in the Philippines, this paper relied on archival research of news from selected local mainstream and specialized media. Findings The right to health framework provides a foundation for the response to COVID-19 in places of detention. Key concerns include increase in the number of infections, vulnerabilities in physical and mental health, and the spread of infection among correctional staff. Long-standing structural constraints and limited health information compound the threat of COVID-19. The Philippines must comply with its human rights obligations to PDLs to effectively address COVID-19-related concerns. Practical implications Policy reforms in Philippine places of detention must include application of community standards on physical and mental health, implementation of emergency release and application of non-custodial measures for long-term prison decongestion. Originality/value This is one of the few papers to analyze human rights in health care in places of detention during a pandemic, as nuanced in the context of the Philippines.


Author(s):  
Beatriz Gómez ◽  
Shigeru Iwakabe ◽  
Alexandre Vaz

Interest in psychotherapy integration has steadily expanded over the past decades, reaching most continents of the world and more mental health professionals than ever. Nevertheless, a country’s cultural and historical background significantly influences the nurturance or hindrance of integrative endeavors. This chapter seeks to explicate the current climate of psychotherapy integration in different continents and specific countries. With the aid of local integrative scholars, brief descriptions are presented on integrative practice, training, and research, as well as on cultural and sociopolitical issues that have shaped this movement’s impact around the world.


Author(s):  
Martha Kamanga ◽  
Jennifer Hall ◽  
Address Malata

Pregnancy and childbirth have a huge impact on the physical, mental, emotional, and socioeconomic health of women and their families. Poor maternal health remains a significant problem both in developed and developing countries. While motherhood offers a rewarding experience, for too many women it is associated with suffering, ill health, and even death. Many women, including adolescents, die from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth. Maternal deaths are classified as direct or indirect. Direct causes are those related to obstetric complications of pregnancy, labour, delivery, and the postnatal period, while indirect causes are those relating to pre-existing medical conditions that may be aggravated by the physiological demands of pregnancy. Opportunities to prevent and control diseases occur at multiple stages of life. Identifying which groups of women experience poorer physical and mental health, and understanding risk factors, will enable midwives and other health professionals to better support women before, during, and after pregnancy and childbirth.


1999 ◽  
Vol 175 (2) ◽  
pp. 106-113 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael King ◽  
Annie Bartlett

BackgroundOpposition to homosexuality in Europe reached a crescendo in the 19th century. What had earlier been regarded as a vice evolved as a perversion or psychological illness. Official reviews of homosexuality as both an illness and (for men) a crime led to discrimination, inhumane treatments and shame, guilt and fear for gay men and lesbians. Only recently has homosexuality been removed from all international diagnostic glossaries.AimsTo review how British psychiatry has regarded homosexuality over the past century.MethodReview of key publications on homosexuality in British psychiatry.ResultsThe literature on homosexuality reflects evolving theories on sexuality over the past century. The assumptions in psychoanalysis and the behavioural sciences that sexuality could be altered led to unscientific theory and practice.ConclusionsMental health professionals in Britain should be aware of the mistakes of the past. Only in that way can we prevent future excesses and heal the gulf between gay and lesbian patients and their psychiatrists.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Margaret DeJong ◽  
Simon Wilkinson ◽  
Carmen Apostu ◽  
Danya Glaser

Summary This article addresses some of the common uncertainties and dilemmas encountered by both adult and child mental health workers in the course of their clinical practice when dealing with cases of suspected emotional abuse or neglect (EAN) of children. We suggest ways of dealing with these according to current best practice guidelines and our own clinical experience working in the field of child maltreatment.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann Kipling Brown ◽  
Anne Penniston Gray

Telling stories about our experiences in dance brings to light unconscious knowledge and memories of the past and helps us understand our own decisions and practices. Reflexivity and story telling is central in the process of remembering and embodies some of the key aspects of autoethnography as a research tool. We are directed to examine and reflect on our experiences, analyzing goals and intentions, making connections between happenings and recounting each single experience. Dance has the potential for positive impact on both physical and mental health among professional dancers as well as among dance students and has the power to connect them to culture and community in unique and important ways. Research has provided evidence that arts engagement provides positive forms of social inclusion, opportunities to share arts, culture, language, and values and points to the value of the arts in the prevention and amelioration of health problems. Together with those benefits of a dance experience there is clear evidence of what can be learned in, through and about dance. In this time of the Covid-19 pandemic it seemed more relevant and poignant to examine our own experiences in dance as well as those experiences of others that have influenced our lives.


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