The Interventions of a Mobile Mental Health Unit on the Refugee Crisis on a Greek Island

This present study concerns refugees and asylum seekers who have been referred to a Mobile Mental Health Unit (MMHU-Ch) in rural Greece on a Northeast Aegean Island during the refugee crisis in 2015. Our objective is the examination and recording of psychopathology characteristics’, the presentation of the therapeutic interventions provided, and the difficulties. The sample is composed of 418 requests made by refugees, asylum seekers, adults, and children. The clinical and demographic data have been gathered from the MMHU-Ch’s charts. The study is retrospective, descriptive with quantitative and categorical variables. The data has been analyzed with the utilization of SPSS. The dominant diagnosis in children involves anxiety disorders, developmental disorders, and PTSD. One noteworthy finding is the high percentage of suicide behavior regardless of psychiatric diagnosis, which should be further examined. As far as interventions are concerned, the conclusions which have arisen are the gradually stronger commitment of the referents, but also the high percentage of requests that dropped out. Further examination of the interventions and their efficiency is recommended as well as probing the features of psychopathology in the long term with a view to clarifying the patronizing and aggravating factors.

How can I as a Māori music therapy student develop the use of taonga puoro in my practice to support client recovery in an inpatient mental health setting?

<p>This research focuses on developing the use of taonga puoro as part of an individual's music therapy practice, within the context of an acute mental health unit. This was qualitative research guided by Kaupapa Māori Theory, using a self-reflective action research design of three cycles. Through the three action research cycles, themes were observed and developed within the secondary analysis of clinical notes and a reflective journal, with action plans created as a response. At the end of the three cycles, a model for using taonga puoro in music therapy, 'Nga Pou e Ono', was created by looking retrospectively at the cycles. This research acknowledges the importance of narrative, depth of tpic, acknowledgment of self-determination, spirituality, personal power, and the environment within taonga puoro based music therapy. This research has been inspired by the works of other Māori and Indigenous music therapists such as Dennis Kahui (2008), Nolan Hodgson (2014), and Carolyn Kenny (1989), as well as acknowledging the traditions of taonga puoro for healing within Māori society, and the revivalists whose mahi aroha helped to further embed taonga puoro within te ao Māori.</p>

How can I as a Māori music therapy student develop the use of taonga puoro in my practice to support client recovery in an inpatient mental health setting?

<p>This research focuses on developing the use of taonga puoro as part of an individual's music therapy practice, within the context of an acute mental health unit. This was qualitative research guided by Kaupapa Māori Theory, using a self-reflective action research design of three cycles. Through the three action research cycles, themes were observed and developed within the secondary analysis of clinical notes and a reflective journal, with action plans created as a response. At the end of the three cycles, a model for using taonga puoro in music therapy, 'Nga Pou e Ono', was created by looking retrospectively at the cycles. This research acknowledges the importance of narrative, depth of tpic, acknowledgment of self-determination, spirituality, personal power, and the environment within taonga puoro based music therapy. This research has been inspired by the works of other Māori and Indigenous music therapists such as Dennis Kahui (2008), Nolan Hodgson (2014), and Carolyn Kenny (1989), as well as acknowledging the traditions of taonga puoro for healing within Māori society, and the revivalists whose mahi aroha helped to further embed taonga puoro within te ao Māori.</p>

An Analysis of Admissions to a Refugee Child Mental Health Unit in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background To examine the admissions to a refugee child outpatient mental health unit in the COVID-19 pandemic and to compare them with the pre-pandemic period. Methods This retrospective observational study, planned through the hospital information system and patient files, included the 1-year number of outpatient unit admissions, sociodemographic, and clinical data. Results Before the COVID-19 pandemic (March 2019–February 2020), a total of 2322 patients (local and refugee) applied to the same unit, and 236 (10.1%) of these patients were refugees. Since the commencement of the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey (March 2020–February 2021), 1209 patients applied, and 10.4% ( n = 126) of them were refugees. While 19.66 ± 6.31 refugees applied per month in the pre-pandemic period, this number decreased to 10.50 ± 5.31 during the pandemic period ( p = 0.01). During the pandemic period, there was a significant decrease in the number of female refugee patient admissions. In addition, while admissions for external disorders increased significantly during the pandemic period ( x 2 = 13.99, p = 0.001), admissions for internal disorders decreased significantly ( x 2 = 4.54, p = 0.03). Conclusions The decrease in the mental health unit demands with the pandemic may lead to negative consequences in the long term. To determine mental health and psychological needs of patients during the outbreak will greatly contribute to the pandemic management process.

He oro hauora: How do kaupapa Māori models of health relate to my music therapy practice in an adolescent acute mental health unit?

<p>This project explores the relationship between understandings of health within kaupapa Māori frameworks and music therapy with a particular focus on Durie’s Te Whare Tapa Whā (1998), Pere’s Te Wheke (1991) and ecological perspectives in music therapy. This research took place within an acute adolescent mental health unit that operates with a model of healthcare that emphasises Māori approaches to wellbeing. Secondary analysis of data involving techniques developed within grounded theory is used to investigate clinical notes from my music therapy practice in order to identify processes relevant to the four dimensions of Te Whare Tapa Whā. Themes that emerged were examined and used to investigate further data until a clearer picture of the relationship between music therapy and kaupapa Māori health frameworks became evident. This project particularly acknowledges the unique qualities of music and its practical application in music therapy in order to address and support a person's wairua within modern mental health practices. Specifically, the concepts of mana, mauri and whatumanawa appeared particularly relevant to the process of music therapy and the state of whakamā also emerged as significant within this mental health context. Parallels between kaupapa Māori understandings of health and ecological perspectives within music therapy were also noted and particular reference made to the work of Carolyn Kenny and her Field of Play (2006) model in developing the discourse linking indigenous perspectives with the music therapy profession.</p>

He oro hauora: How do kaupapa Māori models of health relate to my music therapy practice in an adolescent acute mental health unit?

<p>This project explores the relationship between understandings of health within kaupapa Māori frameworks and music therapy with a particular focus on Durie’s Te Whare Tapa Whā (1998), Pere’s Te Wheke (1991) and ecological perspectives in music therapy. This research took place within an acute adolescent mental health unit that operates with a model of healthcare that emphasises Māori approaches to wellbeing. Secondary analysis of data involving techniques developed within grounded theory is used to investigate clinical notes from my music therapy practice in order to identify processes relevant to the four dimensions of Te Whare Tapa Whā. Themes that emerged were examined and used to investigate further data until a clearer picture of the relationship between music therapy and kaupapa Māori health frameworks became evident. This project particularly acknowledges the unique qualities of music and its practical application in music therapy in order to address and support a person's wairua within modern mental health practices. Specifically, the concepts of mana, mauri and whatumanawa appeared particularly relevant to the process of music therapy and the state of whakamā also emerged as significant within this mental health context. Parallels between kaupapa Māori understandings of health and ecological perspectives within music therapy were also noted and particular reference made to the work of Carolyn Kenny and her Field of Play (2006) model in developing the discourse linking indigenous perspectives with the music therapy profession.</p>

Assessment of Catatonia and Inter-Rater Reliability of Three Instruments: A Descriptive Study in an Acute Mental Health Unit in Urban South Africa

BackgroundClinical assessment of catatonia includes the use of diagnostic systems, like the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual 5 (DSM-5) and International Classification of Disease Manual 10 (ICD-10), or screening tools such as the Bush Francis Screening Instrument (BFCSI)/Bush Francis Catatonia Rating Scale (BFCRS) and Braunig’s Catatonia Rating Scale. In this study, we describe the inter-rater reliability (IRR), utilizing the BFCSI, BFCRS and DSM-5 to screen for catatonia. MethodData from 10 participants recruited as part of a larger prevalence study were used to determine IRR by five assessors after they were trained in the application of the 14-item BFCSI, 23-item BFCRS and DSM-5 to assess catatonia in new admissions. Krippendorff α was used to compute the IRR, and Spearman’s correlation was used to determine concordance between screening tools. The study was performed at a 35-bed acute mental health unit in Dora Nginza Hospital, Nelson Mandela Bay Metro. Participants were mostly involuntary admissions under the Mental Health Care Act of 2002 and between the ages of 13 and 65 years and older.ResultsThe majority (8, 80%) were 35 years or less and males (8, 80%). At least six (60%) of the ten participants were found to have catatonia based on the BFCSI/BFCRS and DSM-5 criteria.The BFCRS (complete 23-item scale) had the greatest level of inter-rater agreement with an α=0.798, while the DSM-5 had the lowest level of inter-rater agreement with an α=0.565. The highest correlation coefficients were observed between the BFCRS and BFCSI.ConclusionThe BFCSI and BFCRS were found to be sensitive tools for screening for catatonia with high IRR and high correlation coefficients, while the DSM 5 showed some deficiencies in screening for catatonia with low IRR and lowest correlation with the other two tools.