Demand For Mental Health Services Research Articles

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the work of clinical psychologists in Austria: results of a mixed-methods study.

Clinical psychologists in Austria shouldered a large part of the massive increase in demand for mental health services caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to find out how the pandemic affected their work and to gather information on how best to support the profession in the event of a crisis. N = 172 Austrian clinical psychologists participated in a cross-sectional online survey between 11 April 2022 and 31 May 2022, including both closed and open-ended questions about their work. Open-ended questions were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. A mixed-methods analysis was conducted to test correlations between the categories derived from the qualitative analysis and professional variables. The analyses revealed that clinical psychologists, especially those with more years of experience, perceived an increased need for clinical psychological treatment, especially for children and adolescents, a lack of coverage for clinical psychological treatment by health insurance, a change to remote treatment formats, and a number of burdens associated with complying with COVID-19 measures. Clinical psychologists reported an urgent need to increase resources in both outpatient and inpatient settings and to promote health insurance coverage. To support the clinical psychology profession in providing high-quality work in times of crisis, there is a need to facilitate more opportunities for team and peer exchange, as well as financial support in the event of loss of income.

Implementing a Treatment for People with Serious Mental Illness in Jail: A Mixed-Methods Study of Stakeholder Perspectives on Feasibility and Acceptability.

People with mental illness are over-represented in the U.S. criminal legal system. Jail presents an optimal opportunity to provide needed mental health care as the entry point to corrections. However, there is a lack of programming available in jails, which may be partly due to limited understanding of how to successfully implement interventions in this complex setting. We implemented a nine-session psychotherapeutic intervention for people with serious mental illness in a county jail. As part of a larger implementation-effectiveness hybrid study, we gathered mixed-methods data from stakeholders (treatment recipients and jail administrators) on the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention's implementation. In focus group discussions and qualitative interviews, treatment recipients (n = 29) provided qualitative and quantitative data on their perceptions of the implementation's feasibility and acceptability. Jail administrators (n = 6) completed two quantitative self-report measures on their perceptions of the treatment's feasibility and acceptability. Qualitative analyses were conducted by two coders using inductive thematic template analysis; seven global themes relating to treatment recipients' perceptions of the assets and hindrances to feasibility and acceptability were developed and are presented with supporting quotations. Quantitatively, all treatment recipients endorsed the intervention's feasibility (100%), and nearly all (97%) endorsed its acceptability. On both self-report measures, jail administrators' mean scores fell above a-priori thresholds indicating feasibility and acceptability. We found qualitative and quantitative support for the use of this intervention in jail from both sets of stakeholders. These results have implications for clinical service and policy in jail, where service providers struggle to meet the considerable demand for mental health services.

The COVID-19 pandemic, psychologists' professional quality of life and mental health.

Psychologists are at known risk of work-related stress, secondary trauma, and burnout. The COVID-19 pandemic increased stress and anxiety for communities worldwide and corresponded with an increased demand for mental health services. Our study investigated the impact of COVID-19 on psychologists' professional quality of life, psychological symptoms, and work-related stress in Aotearoa, New Zealand (NZ). Ninety-nine registered psychologists were recruited via NZ professional psychology organizations, representing 3% of the total workforce. Survey data collected included symptoms of compassion fatigue and satisfaction, psychological symptoms, COVID-19-related stress and resilience, and professional and personal circumstances during the third year of the pandemic, 2022. Seventy percent reported that their work stress had increased, and 60% reported that their caseload intensity had increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Psychologists reported receiving little to no additional personal or professional support, while 55% reported increased personal responsibilities during the pandemic (for example, closed childcare and schools during lockdowns). High rates of compassion fatigue (burnout and secondary traumatic stress) and low resilience were reported. We observed that psychological distress was higher than the community averages before the pandemic and comparable with frontline healthcare professionals. Compassion fatigue was associated with COVID-related stress, psychological distress, years in practice, and more frequent supervision, but not with working with at-risk clients, levels of personal support, or having children at home. Despite these difficulties, high Compassion Satisfaction scores were also reported, with over 90% indicating they had no intention of leaving the profession in the foreseeable future. Psychologists' compassion fatigue appears to have worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic, as have their symptoms of psychological distress. Increased workplace and clinical demands, telehealth difficulties, stress relating to the pandemic, inadequate support, and increased personal responsibilities were reported by psychologists. Mental health workforces are not immune to the personal and professional impacts of crises and are at risk of burnout and secondary traumatic stress. We hope that increased awareness and understanding of psychologists' own difficulties during COVID-19 can be used to better tackle future crises and support mental health professionals.

Integrating Board-Certified Psychiatric Pharmacists in a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic.

Demand for mental health services has dramatically increased in recent years, raising concerns about the availability of service providers to meet these increased needs. One approach to expanding access to care is the use of highly qualified board-certified psychiatric pharmacists (BCPPs). However, the implementation of programs for integrating BCPPs has not been well characterized in community mental health settings. This column describes the development and implementation of a comprehensive practice model to incorporate BCPPs in a certified community behavioral health clinic. The authors report the results from the first 14 months of BCPP integration (based on 3,221 direct patient care interventions), offer recommendations, and highlight lessons learned.

Understanding the barriers to integrating maternal and mental health at primary health care in Vietnam.

The prevalence of common perinatal mental disorders in Vietnam ranges from 16.9% to 39.9%, and substantial treatment gaps have been identified at all levels. This paper explores constraints to the integration of maternal and mental health services at the primary healthcare level and the implications for the health system's responsiveness to the needs and expectations of pregnant women with mental health conditions in Vietnam. As part of the RESPONSE project, a three-phased realist evaluation study, we present Phase One findings which employed systematic and scoping literature reviews, and qualitative data collection (focus groups and interviews) with key health system actors, in Bac Giang province, Vietnam, to understand the barriers to maternal mental healthcare provision, utilisation, and integration strategies. A four-level framing of the barriers to integrating perinatal mental health services in Vietnam was used in reporting findings, which comprised individual, socio-cultural, organisational, and structural levels. At the socio-cultural and structural levels, these barriers included: cultural beliefs about the holistic notion of physical and mental health, stigma towards mental health, biomedical approach to healthcare services, absence of comprehensive mental health policy, and a lack of mental health workforce. At the organisational level, there was absence of clinical guidelines on the integration of mental health in routine antenatal visits, a shortage of staff, and poor health facilities. Finally, at the provider level, a lack of knowledge and training on mental health was identified. The integration of mental health into routine antenatal visits at the primary care level has the potential help to reduce stigma towards mental health and improve health system responsiveness by providing services closer to the local level, offering prompt attention, better choice of services, and better communication while ensuring privacy and confidentiality of services. This can improve the demand for mental health services and help reduce the delay of care-seeking.

A graduate student-staffed, low-cost mental health program: a community-based model to increase access to services

ABSTRACT Student-run and student-staffed behavioral health clinics increase service capacity and access to low-cost services and are usually created by medical schools and behavioral health graduate programs. There is little information about student-staffed programs developing independently of academic institutions. As the demand for mental health services continues to grow, it is essential that successful models of community-based service provision are shared so other agencies can replicate models and increase service capacity. This article outlines the elements of a student-staffed behavioral health program model run by a nonprofit. Details on staffing, student selection, supervision, evaluation methods, supplemental training, and funding are included.

A protocol for a cross-sectional survey exploring the work lives and wellbeing of the mental health nursing workforce in the UK

Background/Aims Demand for mental health services is high, but so are vacancy levels for registered nurses in mental health. To effectively address the workforce disparity, we need to engage with nurses to understand better the rewards and challenges of being part of the UK's mental health nursing workforce. The aim of the study set out in this protocol will be to identify modifiable workplace factors impacting nurses' work lives and wellbeing. Methods A protocol for an online cross-sectional survey exploring the work lives and wellbeing of registered nurses working in mental health in the UK. Implications This survey will provide an understanding of the daily challenges and rewards of mental health nursing. In understanding the modifiable workplace factors impacting nurses, the authors will provide the evidence and recommendations necessary to develop and implement workplace policies and interventions supporting nurse retention, recruitment and wellbeing.

Burnout and Moral Injury Among Black Psychiatrists and Other Black Mental Health Professionals.

This column discusses burnout and moral injury among Black psychiatrists and other Black mental health professionals and highlights the contribution of racism to these outcomes. In the United States, the COVID-19 pandemic and racial turmoil have revealed stark inequities in health care and social justice, and demand for mental health services has increased. To meet the mental health needs of communities, racism must be recognized as a factor in burnout and moral injury. The authors offer preventive strategies to support the mental health, well-being, and longevity of Black mental health professionals.

Exploring the Barriers to Mental Health Care and Mitigation Strategies in Kenya

Barriers to mental health care globally remain a health concern, however, these are more pronounced in low- and middle-income countries. The prevalence of mental illness is approximately 10%. A gap exists between the need or demand for mental health services due to a set of barriers that limit access. Based on this gap, this paper aims to explore barriers to mental health services, treatment and services sought. This might contribute to mitigating them. The barriers include inadequate funds, poverty, stigma attached to mental health conditions, lack of faith in mental health services, high cost of medication, poor awareness, socio-cultural and religious influences and inadequate mental health facilities. These barriers have been shown to affect mental health. After decades of neglect, recent efforts by governments such as in Kenya to address barriers to mental health can demonstrate the growing importance of this issue. Evidence shows that barriers to mental health impacts on mental health in Africa, moreso Kenya and demonstrates that there is need for more contextual awareness and research in this area in Africa to mitigate potential mental health crises in the near future. It is important that institutions and governments in Africa, Kenya to begin paying attention to this emerging threat to the health of the population.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN FUTURE MENTAL HEALTH INDUSTRY

The high demand for mental health services and scarce supply of healthcare professionals are increasingly suppressing the mental healthcare industry. The emergence of artificial intelligence shows the potential to be able to transform the landscape of this industry. The application of artificial intelligence has offered a promising hope to bridge the gap between the long-lasting demand and supply issues in the industry, and to provide better healthcare support, as it reduces the fear of judgement while increasing self-awareness. Nevertheless, some challenges need to be overcome before the mental healthcare industry can truly capitalise on artificial intelligence.

Cross Sectional study to evaluate Psychosocial impact of Covid 19 among medical students of BMCTH

Introduction: COVID-19, a profoundly contagious viral disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has had a devastating impact globally, leading to over 6 million fatalities worldwide. Covid 19 caused isolation, anxiety, grief, economic stress, and disrupted routines, leading to mental struggles, strained relationships, and increased demand for mental health services globally.
 Objectives: The objectives of this study were to find out psychosocial impact of covid 19 among medical students of BMCTH and to assess the factors associated with psychosocial impact of covid 19.
 Methodology: A cross-sectional study was carried out among all medical students of Birat medical college teaching hospital from August, 2022 to January 2023. Data was collected from 258 eligible participants using GHQ12 questionnaire. Chi-square test was applied for assessing association between dependent and independent variables and binary logistic regression analysis was used to find the determinants.
 Results: Present study was conducted among 258 medical students. Among them 43.0% had normal psychological status, 27.5% were in borderline 15.5% showed evidence of psychological distress and 14.0% were experiencing severe psychological distress. Bivariate analysis between socio-demographic characteristics and psychosocial status showed gender, work overload, work hours in covid ward, exposure to false covid information and covid quarantine were significantly associated with psychological distress at p- value < 0.05. Further important  variables were run for multivariate analysis which revealed age (B=3.46, CI:1.45-8.23  and P=0.005), gender (B=3.20, CI: 1.61-6.37  and P=0.001) and work overload (B=9.63, CI: 4.32-21.49  and P=0.000) were found as significant predictors/determinants of psychological distress. Age greater than 24 years, female gender and higher work load were significantly associated with psychological distress.
 Conclusion: The psychological distress among the medical students due to covid 19 was in appalling situation. The study found age >24 years, female gender and higher workload were the predictor of the psychological distress Integrated efforts from medical college, parents, peers and faculties are to be initiated to address the existing problems.

Seasonal trends in antidepressant prescribing, depression, anxiety and self-harm in adolescents and young adults: an open cohort study using English primary care data

BackgroundThere is an increasing demand for mental health services for young people, which may vary across the year.ObjectiveTo determine whether there are seasonal patterns in primary care antidepressant prescribing and...

Peer helpers at the forefront of mental health promotion at Nelson Mandela University: Insights gained during Covid-19

Student counselling centres are struggling to meet the demand for mental health services, which has intensified in recent years. The increased need for mental health services often needs to be managed with limited resources, posing numerous challenges to addressing the demand for mental health support. This challenge calls for innovative ways to address the mental health needs of students and optimise the limited resources available. During the Covid-19 pandemic the peer helpers at Emthonjeni Student Wellness at Nelson Mandela University, in collaboration with the programme coordinator, introduced innovative psycho-educational workshops, virtually, to support students. In reflecting on our journey, we realise our peer helpers were at the forefront of mental health prevention initiatives at a time when many of our students were in dire need of support. The content discussed in the workshops offered valuable insights and tips and these tips could be applied, by participating students, before their mental health deteriorated. These peer-led initiatives expanded our reach and capacity during a period of great stress brought by the Covid-19 pandemic, and they will continue to do so beyond the pandemic. This reflective paper shares the details of our virtual workshops and the insights gained from the process.    

Mental health policy and implementation from 2009 to 2020 in China

Mental health is a major component of overall health. Before 2009, the inequity between supply and demand of mental health services in China was extremely prominent, and the mental health service system faced significant challenges. In 2009, China embarked on its new healthcare system reform. The government attributed much more importance to mental health services and introduced a series of policies and measures to improve the mental health service system, as well as personnel service capability and service models. For example, the Mental Health Law was issued, community mental health services were expanded to the whole country, more psychiatric hospitals and clinics were built, the number of psychiatrists was increased through academic education, and a comprehensive mechanism of interdepartmental cooperation in mental health was established to improve service delivery. Furthermore, the mental health of key groups such as children, adolescents and older people was emphasized, and more attention was gradually paid to patients with common mental disorders to realize the stepwise transformation from an individual-focused mental health approach to a public-focused one. Most of the implementations began with pilot projects that developed practical experience and then expanded all over the country. This article summarizes and analyses the important mental health policies and implementations in China from 2009 to 2020 and prioritizes the next steps.

Child and adolescent mental health and social psychiatry

This article stages a discussion on the role of social psychiatry in present-day child and adolescent mental health care. Taking a broad perspective, it considers the growing demand for mental health services for children and young people and how social psychiatry can be situated in the current framework of psychiatry as a medical specialty as well as within child and adolescent mental health care provision more widely. Avenues available to expand social psychiatry’s reach and impact in the field of child and adolescent mental health are also addressed.

Provision of community mental health care before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: A time series analysis in Peru.

A consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic was that the provision of mental health services was reduced in several countries around the world, while the demand for mental health services increased. Our study aims to determine any variation in the number of users served, health appointments, and care activities conducted at 58 Peruvian community mental health centers (CMHCs) between March 2019 and October 2021. Our study used an observational design and analyzed information from the care provided in CMHCs. We evaluate the number of users served, health appointments, and care activities performed per month. The main statistical analysis used segmented regression with Newey-West standard errors, taking into account each month of the evaluation. We had 988,456 unique users during the period evaluated. Regarding diagnoses, 7.4% (n = 72,818) had a severe mental problem, 39.4% (n = 389,330) a common mental problem, and 53.2% (n = 526,308) others health problems. The study found a reduction in the number of users served and health care appointments at the 58 CMHCs in March 2020, the month in which the closure measures were declared to reduce COVID-19 infections in Peru. This reduction was followed by an upward trend in the three variables during the pandemic in the 58 CMHCs studied. In, November 2020, 9 months after the pandemic started, the deficit in the average number of users served per month was recovered. Our study suggests that CMHCs in the Peruvian system were able to regain care capacity approximately 1 year after the pandemic. In addition, we discuss the efforts made to respond to mental health needs in the context of a global health crisis.

The effectiveness of nurse practitioner care for patients with mental health conditions in primary care settings: A systematic review

BackgroundThe nurse practitioner (NP) workforce is key to meeting the demand for mental health services in primary care settings. PurposeThe purpose of this study is to synthesize the evidence focused on the effectiveness of NP care for patients with mental health conditions in primary care settings, particularly focused on primary care NPs and psychiatric mental health NPs and patients with anxiety, depression, and substance use disorders. MethodsStudies published since 2014 in the United States studying NP care of patients with anxiety, depression, or substance use disorders in primary care settings were included. FindingsSeventeen studies were included. Four high-quality studies showed that NP evidence-based care and prescribing were comparable to that of physicians. Seven low-quality studies suggest that NP-led collaborative care is associated with reduced symptoms. DiscussionMore high-quality evidence is needed to determine the effectiveness of NP care for patients with mental health conditions in primary care settings.

Practice Exploration and Satisfaction Comparison Based on TEPS Clinical Psychological Counseling Talent Training Model

With the increasing demand for mental health services in society, due to unclear positioning, inconsistent practice, and imperfect system of clinical psychological counseling professional training, the training of clinical psychological counseling professionals cannot meet the needs of society. In order to improve the training level of clinical psychological counseling, this paper constructs an innovative "TEPS" training model for universities and specialized mental health institutions, which for the first time innovates the internship model, enriches and diversifies practical opportunities, exploits strengths and avoids weaknesses, enhances reputation, and cooperates with medical schools in depth, which not only makes up for the lack of discipline training practice, but also improves the professional practice skills of clinical psychological counseling, and at the same time, 50 psychological interns and trainees from a public psychiatric hospital in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province were selected as research objects by the method of cluster sampling. Questionnaire survey and SPSS analysis were used to compare and analyze the satisfaction survey of students under the model to verify the rationality of the model in talent training. The "TEPS" training model is conducive to linking the training of the discipline with the needs of the profession, so that the overall discipline tends to flourish, but at present, the model also needs to be improved in many aspects.

A Study of Anxiety Symptoms in Children and Adolescents during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Qatar

Background: There is clear evidence showing an increase in mental health symptoms along with an increased demand for mental health services since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Objective: This study aimed to determine the rates of elevated anxiety symptoms in children during the COVID-19 pandemic in the state of Qatar. It also explored any correlated factors. Method: A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study with 199 participants (children aged 6–16 years) consulting a dental care center. We used the original English version as well as a previously validated Arabic version of the Parent Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale to measure anxiety symptoms. Results: A total of 29.6% (n = 59) of our sample met the respective elevated cut-off score for overall anxiety disorder. The largest group among the children was elevated levels of physical injury fears 37.6% (n = 75), followed by Social Phobia 36.1% (n = 72). Younger children showed significantly higher scores for total anxiety, separation anxiety, physical injury fears, and generalized anxiety score. Among the gender groups, females reported significantly higher scores of General anxiety disorder. When comparing natives to expatriates, expatriates showed higher scores for total anxiety, physical injury fears score, social phobia score, and generalized anxiety. Conclusions: Overall, this study shows increased rates of clinically elevated anxiety symptoms in children during the COVID-19 pandemic in the state of Qatar. Younger children, females, and expatriates were more vulnerable to the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study highlights the specific psychological vulnerability of this population group during major health crises like the current pandemic.

Psychological Impact of Covid-19 Pandemic on Mental Health Practitioners in Selangor, Malaysia

Introduction: The Coronavirus disease pandemic of 2019 (COVID-19) has had psychological implications and altered the public’s well-being. In response to the pandemic, mental health practitioners play an essential role in mitigating the adverse psychological effects among the public. However, as the demand for mental health services increases, the responsibilities of mental health professionals are far stretched from what they can handle. Therefore, this research is aimed to explore the psychological impact of the pandemic on the mental health practitioners in Selangor and their coping strategies. Method: A total of 10 mental health practitioners who are clinical psychologists and counselors participated in the one-to-one interview. The collected data were analysed using thematic analysis. Result: The higher client loads, the transition to virtual therapy, burnout, and anxiety were found to have an impact on the mental health practitioners’ well-being. Despite the challenging psychological impact, the mental health practitioners expressed a high level of satisfaction with their jobs, which they attributed to the supportive organisational culture and their intrinsic drive for selecting this profession. The mental health practitioners have reported that perceived organisational support, social support, and self-care approaches are effective coping mechanisms. Mindfulness skills such as breathing techniques and meditation are often practiced by the participants to calm the mind and body from a long day of work. Conclusion: The implication of the study contributes to breaking the stigmatisation of help seeking behaviour among the helping professions, as well as urging the policy makers, governments, and foundations to play a part in providing accessible and quality mental healthcare to the society.