scholarly journals Current Issues within the Perinatal Mental Health Care System in Aichi Prefecture, Japan: A Cross-Sectional Questionnaire Survey

Author(s):  
Kei Fujita ◽  
Tomomi Kotani ◽  
Yoshinori Moriyama ◽  
Takafumi Ushida ◽  
Kenji Imai ◽  
...  

Mental illnesses commonly occur in the reproductive age. This study aimed to identify the issues that exist within the perinatal mental health care system. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Aichi Prefecture in central Japan. Questionnaires on the situation between 2016 and 2018 were mailed to the head physicians of 128 maternity care units, 21 neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), and 40 assisted reproductive technology (ART) units. A total of 82 (52.6 per 100,000 births) women were admitted to mental health care units during the perinatal period, and 158 (1.0 per 1000 births) neonates born to mothers with mental illness were admitted to NICUs. Approximately 40% of patients were hospitalized in psychiatric hospitals without maternity care units. Eighty-four (71.1%) and 76 (64.4%) maternity care units did not have psychiatrists or social workers, respectively. Moreover, 20–35% of the head physicians in private clinics, general hospitals, and ART units endorsed the discontinuation of psychotropic drug use during pregnancy. However, the corresponding figures were only 5% among those in maternal-fetal centers. Resources for perinatal mental illness might be limited. Perspectives on psychotropic drug use differed based on the type of facilities where the doctors were working.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kei Fujita ◽  
Tomomi Kotani ◽  
Yoshinori Moriyama ◽  
Takafumi Ushida ◽  
Kenji Imai ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Mental illness commonly occurs in reproductive age, and its adverse effects on mothers and children are a major public health concern. However, the extent to which the perinatal mental health care system in Japan is functioning adequately remains unexplored. This study aimed to identify the issues that exist within the perinatal mental health care system in Japan. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted across medical facilities in Aichi prefecture in central Japan. Questionnaires were mailed to the head physicians of all 128 maternity care units, 21 neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), and 40 assisted reproductive technology (ART) units. The following data were collected: the number of admissions to mental health care units and admissions of neonates born to mothers with mental illness during the perinatal period between 2016 and 2018. Perspectives on psychotropic drug use during pregnancy were compared across different types of maternity care units, including maternal-fetal (MF) centers and private clinics by Fisher’s exact test. The multidisciplinary team system was also compared across different types of maternity care units by Fisher’s exact test. Results: The number of admissions to mental health care units was 82 (52.8 per 10 000 births), and 158 (1.0 per 1000 births) neonates born to mothers with mental illness were admitted to NICUs during the aforementioned period. With regard to the multidisciplinary team system, 84 (71.1 %) and 76 (64.4 %) maternity care units did not have any psychiatrists or social workers. Moreover, only 5 % of the head physicians in MF centers endorsed the discontinuation of psychotropic drug use during pregnancy. The corresponding figures were 20–35 % among those in general hospitals, private clinics, and ART units. Conclusions: Multidisciplinary system resources were perceived to be limited. Perspectives on psychotropic drug use during pregnancy differed significantly based on the type of units in which the doctors were working. There is a need for resources that will facilitate the admission of perinatal women with mental illnesses to mental health care units in Japan.


10.2196/19591 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (8) ◽  
pp. e19591
Author(s):  
Mostafa Mamdouh Kamel ◽  
Jean Nicolas Westenberg ◽  
Fiona Choi ◽  
Katarina Tabi ◽  
Adel Badawy ◽  
...  

Background Egypt is a country of nearly 100 million citizens, and there are less than 1000 registered psychiatrists. The mental health care system is under resourced and nearly inaccessible for the majority of the population. In addition, youth under the age of 25 years represent 50% of Egyptian citizens; however, there are no specific services addressing their unique needs. How can the needs of the largest population in the Middle East be effectively addressed? Is a web-based framework an option for Egyptian psychiatrists to serve the population? Objective The aims of this study were to better understand the opinions of psychiatrists on the current state of mental health care services in Egypt and their current knowledge on electronic mental health (EMH); assess the attitudes of Egyptian psychiatrists toward web-based interventions and telemedicine for mental health; and identify perceived advantages and barriers of EMH development in Egypt. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted online among 640 Egyptian psychiatrists. It included a total of 36 items within a set of 16 questions asking about EMH literacy, integrating EMH into the mental health care system, and the perceived priorities and barriers of EMH. The sampling was supported by Tanta University, a large academic institution close to Cairo. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 25 (IBM Corp). Descriptive statistics, the chi-square test, the independent sample t test, and analysis of variance were applied. Results A total of 188 participants responded (response rate of 29.4%), of which 54.2% (102/188) were female and 54.3% (102/188) were between 30 and 45 years old. Less than half of the participants thought that the current health care system was efficient for adults (69/155, 44.4%), and even less thought it was efficient for youth (44/155, 28.3%). Almost all participants agreed that EMH would be beneficial for patient care (147/155, 94.8%) and that integrating EMH into the current health care system would be a good idea (118/155, 76.2%). The highest rated utility of web-based solutions was documentation, followed by psychoeducation and communication with professionals. The main advantages were to improve access to care in rural areas of the country and its convenience. Conclusions There is scarcity of mental health resources in Egypt. Egyptian psychiatrists are interested in EMH and believe web-based platforms can become part of the solution for the Egyptian mental health care system.


2007 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 51-64
Author(s):  
J. Skehan ◽  
◽  
L. S. Burns ◽  
T. Hazell ◽  
◽  
...  

The Response Ability Project, funded under the Mindframe National Media Initiative in Australia, seeks to influence tertiary curricula so that graduates in journalism will be aware of and able to respond appropriately to issues relating to suicide and mental illness. Whilst the initial multi-media resources developed to support journalism educators have been received well, engagement with media organisations and individual journalists under other Mindframe projects have revealed further complexities associated with the reporting of suicide and mental illness. In particular, journalists have indicated that the issues become more problematic when they are required to report suicides in other contexts, such as murder-suicides, deaths in custody and voluntary euthanasia. Similarly, the reporting of mental illness was more complex in the context of crime and in the reporting of the mental health care system. This paper will highlight some of these new complexities of reporting and discuss how the Response Ability project has responded through the development of supplementary resources to allow educators to raise such issues with students.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mostafa Mamdouh Kamel ◽  
Jean Nicolas Westenberg ◽  
Fiona Choi ◽  
Katarina Tabi ◽  
Adel Badawy ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND Egypt is a country of nearly 100 million citizens, and there are less than 1000 registered psychiatrists. The mental health care system is under resourced and nearly inaccessible for the majority of the population. In addition, youth under the age of 25 years represent 50% of Egyptian citizens; however, there are no specific services addressing their unique needs. How can the needs of the largest population in the Middle East be effectively addressed? Is a web-based framework an option for Egyptian psychiatrists to serve the population? OBJECTIVE The aims of this study were to better understand the opinions of psychiatrists on the current state of mental health care services in Egypt and their current knowledge on electronic mental health (EMH); assess the attitudes of Egyptian psychiatrists toward web-based interventions and telemedicine for mental health; and identify perceived advantages and barriers of EMH development in Egypt. METHODS A cross-sectional survey was conducted online among 640 Egyptian psychiatrists. It included a total of 36 items within a set of 16 questions asking about EMH literacy, integrating EMH into the mental health care system, and the perceived priorities and barriers of EMH. The sampling was supported by Tanta University, a large academic institution close to Cairo. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 25 (IBM Corp). Descriptive statistics, the chi-square test, the independent sample <i>t</i> test, and analysis of variance were applied. RESULTS A total of 188 participants responded (response rate of 29.4%), of which 54.2% (102/188) were female and 54.3% (102/188) were between 30 and 45 years old. Less than half of the participants thought that the current health care system was efficient for adults (69/155, 44.4%), and even less thought it was efficient for youth (44/155, 28.3%). Almost all participants agreed that EMH would be beneficial for patient care (147/155, 94.8%) and that integrating EMH into the current health care system would be a good idea (118/155, 76.2%). The highest rated utility of web-based solutions was documentation, followed by psychoeducation and communication with professionals. The main advantages were to improve access to care in rural areas of the country and its convenience. CONCLUSIONS There is scarcity of mental health resources in Egypt. Egyptian psychiatrists are interested in EMH and believe web-based platforms can become part of the solution for the Egyptian mental health care system.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 216495612095273
Author(s):  
James D Duffy

Contemporary psychiatry has become increasingly focused on biological treatments. Many critics claim that the current paradigm of psychiatry has failed to address the escalating mental health-care needs of our communities and may even be contributing to psychopathology and the burden of mental illness. This article describes the foundations of Integral Theory and proposes that this model offers a framework for developing integral psychiatry and a more effective and compassionate mental health-care system. An integral model of psychiatry extends biopsychosocial approaches and provides the scaffolding for more effective approaches to integrative mental health care. Furthermore, rather than focusing on psychopathology, the Integral theory model describes the emergence of human consciousness and supports a mental health-care system that addresses mental illness but also promotes human flourishing.


Laws ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 22
Author(s):  
Sebastian von Peter ◽  
Martin Zinkler

In August 2019, a manuscript was published in this journal that aimed at imagining a mental health care system that renounces the judicial control to better focus on the will and preferences of those who require support. Alternative scenarios for dealing with risk, inpatient care, and police custody were presented that elicited strong and emotionally laden reactions. This article adds further reflections to this debate, aiming at contributing explanations for this unsettlement. A productive notion of criticism is discussed, and ways to achieve change toward a more human rights-oriented psychiatric practice are outlined.


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