scholarly journals Operationalizing the emergent management of psychiatric patients during the COVID-19 pandemic at an academic public hospital

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 24
Author(s):  
Ynhi Thomas ◽  
Sara Andrabi ◽  
Nidal Moukaddam ◽  
Asim Shah ◽  
Greg Buehler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Psychiatric Patients ◽  
Transmission Risk ◽  
Asynchronous Learning ◽  
Psychosocial Needs ◽  
Hospital Leadership ◽  
Health Related ◽  
New Challenges ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
The City

Background: While the volume of Emergency Department (ED) visits has declined during the 2019 novel coronavirus disease or COVID-19, the opposite has been observed with mental-health related visits. The need to screen and manage potential COVID-19 symptoms in parallel with psychiatric complaints have imposed new challenges in the ED at an academic public hospital.Objective: The objective is to share operational modifications in addressing the challenges related to the influx of ED mentalhealth related complaints at the departmental, hospital-wide, and city-wide level within an academic, public hospital.Methods: At the departmental level, a triage algorithm for screening patients with concerning symptoms was developed. A dedicated Respiratory Decision Unit with psychiatrically safe rooms that adhered to infection prevention protocol was also created. All staff were trained to utilize personal protective equipment through lectures, asynchronous learning, and multidisciplinary simulations. The ED team worked with hospital leadership to increase inpatient medical psychiatric bed capacity and to develop testing protocols for patients being admitted to allow for cohorting of symptomatic patients. At the city level, leadership within the three main organizations that provide mental health services to the city met regularly to address operational issues.Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic has imposed new challenges in terms of increased psychosocial needs while limiting transmission risks. Based on the experiences shared, a multitier approach is necessary. At all levels, the goals were to screen appropriately, decrease transmission risk, and maintain throughput. The purpose of this descriptive manuscript is to encourage dialogue and to raise awareness about the unique needs of the mental health system.

Prescribing stigma in mental disorders: A comparative study of Portuguese psychiatrists and general practitioners

2021 ◽  
pp. 002076402110025
Author(s):  
Bárbara Almeida ◽  
Ana Samouco ◽  
Filipe Grilo ◽  
Sónia Pimenta ◽  
Ana Maria Moreira
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Disorder ◽  
General Practitioners ◽  
Psychiatric Patients ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Medical Speciality ◽  
Diagnostic Overshadowing ◽  
Related Stigma ◽  
Health Related

Background: Physicians, including psychiatrists and general practitioners (GPs), have been reported as essential sources of stigma towards people diagnosed with a mental disorder (PDMDs), which constitutes an important barrier to recovery and is associated with poorer clinical outcomes. Therefore, psychiatrists and GPs are key populations where it is crucial to examine stigma, improve attitudes and reduce discrimination towards psychiatric patients. Aims: This study is the first to explore mental health-related stigma among Portuguese psychiatrists and GPs, examining the differences between these two specialities and assessing whether sociodemographic and professional variables are associated with stigma. Method: A cross-sectional study was performed between June 2018 and August 2019. A consecutive sample of 55 Psychiatrists and 67 GPs working in Porto (Portugal) filled a 25-item self-report questionnaire to assess their attitudes towards PDMDs in clinical practice. The instrument was designed by the authors, based on previous mental health-related stigma studies and validated scales. The questionnaire includes 12 stigma dimensions ( Autonomy, Coercion, Incompetence, Dangerousness, Permanence, Pity, Responsibility, Segregation, Labelling, Diagnostic Overshadowing, Shame and Parental Incompetence), and its total score was used to measure Overall Stigma (OS). Sample characteristics were examined using descriptive statistics, and the factors affecting stigma were assessed through regression analysis. Results: GPs exhibit significantly higher OS levels than psychiatrists, and present higher scores in the dimensions of dangerousness, parental incompetence, diagnostic overshadowing and responsibility. Besides medical speciality, several other sociodemographic variables were associated with sigma, including age, gender, having a friend with a mental disorder, professional category, agreement that Psychiatry diverges from core medicine and physician’s interest in mental health topics. Conclusions: Our data suggest that both psychiatrists and GPs hold some degree of stigmatizing attitudes towards PDMDs. Overall, these results bring new light to stigma research, and provide information to tailor anti-stigma interventions to Portuguese psychiatrists and GPs.

A longitudinal analysis of a work inclusion model for psychiatric patients in the Mental Health Departments of the city of Milan

2021 ◽  
pp. 002076402110429
Author(s):  
Luca Ferrara ◽  
Alberto Varinelli ◽  
Valentina Caricasole ◽  
Chiara Dragoni ◽  
Sonia Mazzardis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Psychotic Disorders ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Psychiatric Patients ◽  
Specific Treatment ◽  
Fundamental Aspect ◽  
Age Group ◽  
Treatment Plans ◽  
Age Range ◽  
The City

Background: Work functioning impairment is a key diagnostic and transnosographic criterion for psychiatric disorders in both DSM-5 and ICD-11. Occupational inclusion is a fundamental aspect of the care path for patients attending the territorial services provided by the Italian Mental Health and Addiction Departments (DSMDs). Since 2009, the Regional Innovative Programme (PIR) TR106, promoted by the Fatebenefratelli-Sacco hospital of Milan, Italy, in collaboration with six other metropolitan DSMDs, was created to promote integration for people suffering from mental health problems in the city of Milan. Method: Here we present the results of a retrospective epidemiologic analysis on 2,142 interventions on 1,066 patients, conducted between 2012 and 2019. Results: Most of the interventions were conducted with people with psychotic disorders (39%), followed by personality disorders (25.2%) and affective disorders (22.2%). The age range of 25 to 54 years represented 91.5% of the whole sample, mainly in the 35 to 44 years range (36.4%). Significant age group-related changes in interventions were observed in the observation period, with a reduction in the interventions provided to subjects of the 35 to 44 age group, and an increase in the 25 to 34 age group. Conclusions: PIR TR106 provided the most accurate assessment and data collection so far for the city of Milan. Our data characterised psychiatric groups in order to develop specific treatment plans and work inclusion interventions.

scholarly journals Nursing Home Social Work With Residents With Severe Mental Illness, Thoughts of Suicide, or Dementia

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 117-117
Author(s):  
Mercedes Bern-Klug ◽  
Amy Restorick Roberts
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Nursing Home ◽  
Severe Mental Illness ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Nursing Home Residents ◽  
Severe Depression ◽  
Psychosocial Needs ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Nationally Representative

Abstract Many of the close to 3 million persons who receive care in a U.S. nursing home in any given year face mental-health-related challenges that range from minor to severe. One of the core professionals involved with care planning for the psychosocial needs of nursing home residents with mental health concerns is the social worker. Reporting data from a 2019 nationally representative survey of nursing home social services directors, this session provides information about the training needs of nursing home social workers in terms of their work with residents diagnosed with a severe mental illness such as schizophrenia or severe depression, residents who are suicidal, and residents with dementia.

Understanding the Spatial Patterns of Police Activity and Mental Health in a Canadian City

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 221-240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tarah Hodgkinson ◽  
Martin A. Andresen
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Spatial Patterns ◽  
Spatial Dynamics ◽  
Point Pattern ◽  
Calls For Service ◽  
Canadian City ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Density Analysis ◽  
Kernel Density Analysis ◽  
The City

Mental health–related calls for service are increasing across Canadian communities. However, the spatial dynamics of these calls for service and their potential relationship with concentrations of crime has not been fully investigated in the Canadian context. The current study examines mental health and other calls for service in a medium-sized (approximate population of 250,000), midwestern Canadian city in the year 2014. Using kernel density analysis and a spatial point pattern test, the study explores the concentration and spatial patterns of mental health calls for service across the city. Findings indicate that mental health calls for service differ from other crime-related calls for service, except for violent crime. Possible explanations for this pattern and considerations for policy and policing are discussed.

scholarly journals Resiliency and the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Hidden Strengths of Those with Lived Experience of Mental Health Conditions

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (20) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharon Leahy-Lind ◽  
Gillian Simons
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Health Conditions ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Mental Health Conditions ◽  
New Challenges ◽  
Novel Coronavirus

To keep the spread of the novel coronavirus down people are asked to continue following social distancing guidelines, which can impact employment and feelings of connectedness. Many people have not seen loved ones in-person for months. These are all very difficult on one’s mental health. Building or strengthening resiliency can help one adapt to the new challenges each of us are facing. We can look to persons with lived experience of mental health conditions as examples of how to develop resiliency.

scholarly journals Financial Fraud, Mental Health, and Quality of Life: A Study on the Population of the City of Madrid, Spain

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (18) ◽  
pp. 3276 ◽  
Author(s):  
Encarnación Sarriá ◽  
Patricia Recio ◽  
Ana Rico ◽  
Manuel Díaz-Olalla ◽  
Belén Sanz-Barbero ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Economic Impact ◽  
Functional Health ◽  
Financial Fraud ◽  
Health Related Quality ◽  
Related Quality ◽  
Health Related ◽  
The City

Over the past few decades, the financial system has engaged in abusive practices that meet the definition of fraud. Our objective is to compare the prevalence of psychological distress and levels of health-related quality of life according to having been exposed to financial fraud and its economic impact on family finances. The City of Madrid Health Survey 2017 included specific questions on exposure to financial fraud—this section was administered to half of the participants (n = 4425). Mental health need or caseness was defined by a score greater than two on the 12-item version of the Goldberg health questionnaire. Health-related quality of life was assessed by the Darmouth Coop Functional Health Assessment Charts/WONCA (COOP/WONCA). The prevalence of financial fraud was 10.8%. The prevalence rate ratio for caseness of those who experienced severe economic impact due to fraud was 1.62 (95%, CI 1.17–2.25; reference: no fraud), after adjustment by age, sex, social class, and immigrant status. Women experienced a decreased quality of life, even with a moderate impact of fraud, while men experienced a decreased quality of life related to fraud with severe economic impact. The current study contributes to a growing body of literature showing the effects of economic shocks on health as a result of financial fraud.

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