Prevalence Of Mental Illness Research Articles

Chat-GPT: Opportunities and Challenges in Child Mental Healthcare.

Mental health in children and young people is a global public health concern. With the increasing prevalence of mental illnesses and a significant treatment gap, Mental Health in children and adolescents is now a global public health concern. The development and extensive research in the field of Artificial Intelligence(AI) for healthcare has been quite promising. The emergence of AI based alternatives could be a viable solution for reducing mental health treatment gap for people belonging to low and middle income countries. Development of Chatbots like ChatGPT which is trained, using large amount of textual data from the internet, can revolutionize child and adolescent mental healthcare by acting as an effective assisting tool but a lot of caution is required for its safe and responsible use in times to come.e.

The prevalence of mental illness in young people in custody over time: a comparison of three surveys in New South Wales

Few studies have examined the prevalence of mental illness in young people over time within the same jurisdiction. In the current study, we compared data from three large surveys of youth in custody in New South Wales, conducted in 2003, 2009 and 2015. We examined rates of mental illness, self-harm and suicidal behaviours, substance use and childhood trauma and found little consistent change over time, though some fluctuations were observed regarding certain mental illnesses and substance use. We also descriptively compared findings with observed rates for the general population and found that young people in custody showed higher levels of all examined variables. In sum, these data suggest little improvement in the well-being of young people in custody in New South Wales over time. Better identification and treatment of these issues are vital if young people are to be prevented from becoming enmeshed in the criminal justice system.

0596 Overlap of Psychiatric Disorders with Central Hypersomnia

Abstract Introduction In sleep clinics, hypersomnia is a frequently encountered condition. While narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia are discrete diagnoses that typically do not have co-existing psychiatric co-morbidities, sleep practitioners often have to address mental illness and/or psychotropic medication needs in these patients with hypersomnia. The reasons for co-occurrence of idiopathic hypersomnia and narcolepsy with psychiatric disorders is not well understood. This study aimed to assess the degree of overlap between psychiatric diagnoses with central hypersomnias and the temporal relationship between the development of hypersomnia and psychiatric conditions. Methods Using the University of Utah EPIC database, patients with diagnoses of idiopathic hypersomnia or narcolepsy encountered over the last decade were identified. Out of the 307 available medical records, only those that met strict criteria for diagnosis of narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia were included. Medical records were reviewed for the presence of psychiatric disorders and psychotropic medication use, and to assess the prevalence of mental illness with central hypersomnia. Results Out of 119 patients that met ICSD-2 criteria for central hypersomnia, 37 were diagnosed with narcolepsy type 1 (T1N), 59 with narcolepsy type 2 (T2N) and 23 with idiopathic hypersomnia (IH). There were 69/119 (58%) patients with central hypersomnia that had psychiatric comorbidities with 23/37 (62%) of T1N, 32/59 (54%) of T2N and 14/23 (60%) of IH experiencing psychiatric problems. Approximately 45% were prescribed antidepressants or a mood stabilizer either before, during or after diagnosis of a central hypersomnia. 46% of patients on stimulants alone vs. 23% of patients on sodium oxybate had a concurrent psychiatric diagnoses or psychotropic medication use. Conclusion Given the degree of overlap between psychiatric disorders and central hypersomnias, further research is necessary to understand whether this overlap is a result of common neurological substrates driving these disorders or whether the hypersomnia is from comorbid psychiatric disorder or psychotropic medication use. The highest prevalence of psychiatric illness was seen with T1N. Patients with hypersomnia on sodium oxybate had lower rates of psychiatric co-morbidities. Whether these findings point to more optimal diagnosis and treatment of underlying hypersomnia with reduced need for psychotropic medication needs to be understood. Support (if any) None

Co-occurring Medical Multimorbidity, Mental Illness, and Substance Use Disorders Among Older Criminal Legal System-Involved Veterans.

Older veterans involved in the criminal legal system (CLS) may have patterns of multimorbidity that place them at risk for poor health outcomes. To estimate the prevalence of medical multimorbidity (≥2 chronic medical diseases), substance use disorders (SUDs), and mental illness among CLS-involved veterans aged 50 and older. Using Veterans Health Administration health records, we estimated the prevalence of mental illness, SUD, medical multimorbidity, and the co-occurrence of these conditions among veterans by CLS involvement as indicated by Veterans Justice Programs encounters. Multivariable logistic regression models assessed the association between CLS involvement, the odds for each condition, and the co-occurrence of conditions. Veterans aged 50 and older who received services at Veterans Health Administration facilities in 2019 (n=4,669,447). Mental illness, SUD, medical multimorbidity. An estimated 0.5% (n=24,973) of veterans aged 50 and older had CLS involvement. For individual conditions, veterans with CLS involvement had a lower prevalence of medical multimorbidity compared with veterans without but had a higher prevalence of all mental illnesses and SUDs. After adjusting for demographic factors, CLS involvement remained associated with concurrent mental illness and SUD (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 5.52, 95% CI=5.35-5.69), SUD and medical multimorbidity (aOR=2.09, 95% CI=2.04-2.15), mental illness and medical multimorbidity (aOR=1.04, 95% CI=1.01-1.06), and having all 3 simultaneously (aOR=2.42, 95% CI=2.35-2.49). Older veterans involved in the CLS are at high risk for co-occurring mental illness, SUDs, and medical multimorbidity, all of which require appropriate care and treatment. Integrated care rather than disease-specific care is imperative for this population.

The Effects of Hand Preference on Measures of Psychological Well-Being in a Sample of Older Adults in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Generally, being left-handed has been linked to poorer mental health and quality of life. However, given that few studies have investigated these links in Saudi Arabia and that the prevalence of mental illness in the general population is rising, it is important to explore whether left-handedness can be considered a risk factor in a sizable, general population. To investigate whether left-handers experience psychological well-being or good quality of life. A cross-sectional study among adults in Saudi Arabia was conducted from March 6, 2022to February 27, 2023. The study included (N = 2862) respondents who met the inclusion criteria, with an average age of 28.95 years. Left-handed individuals made up 31.7%, whereas right-handed individuals made up 60.3%, and ambidextrous individuals made up 7.9% of the population. Using the Mental Health Quality of Life questionnaire (MHQoL-7D) scoring manual, the quality of life for both left-and right-handers was evaluated. Those who were right-handed had a higher quality of life than those who were left-handed. Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) was conducted, and the findings showed that neither the left-handed nor the right-handed group significantly differed in their levels of poor quality of life or psychological well-being. Using the left or the right hand had no effect on one's quality of life or degree of well-being. Further studies with a larger sample size are needed to examine this result in more detail.

A Versatile Prison Psychiatric Pharmacy Program

BackgroundBefore the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, 20% of the adult population in the United States experienced mental illness annually. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, 93% of countries have reported disruptions to mental health services. The demand for services is high whereas infrastructure and qualified professionals are appallingly low. Health care in the correctional setting is unique, where mental illness prevalence is double than that in the community. The intersection of policies and procedures and the beneficence plus nonmaleficence responsibility of health care professionals is exceptionally complex. Studies have shown the potential benefits of pharmacists following patients in chronic care psychiatry visits. ObjectivesAn inpatient psychiatric pharmacy clinic was launched to fill gaps to provide safe and up-to-date patient-centric services for more than 240 extremely psychiatrically ill inmate patients at the Federal Correctional Center Butner (FCC Butner), a Federal Bureau of Prisons medical center. MethodsThe inpatient psychiatric pharmacist practiced independently under a collaborative practice agreement and completed mental health clinical visits for a revolving portion of 240 inpatient mental health inmate patients at FCC Butner. The pharmacist provided ancillary services including completing movement disorder testing, monitoring narrow therapeutic index medication laboratory test results, and executing an antipsychotic psychoeducation meeting with other health care departments and inmate patients. ResultsNotably, 74% of patients monitored in the specialty program experienced stable or improved symptoms of depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. Adverse effects, particularly psychiatric-related movement disorders, were also more closely managed. Finally, 43% of the total inmate patient population who previously declined psychiatric medication treatment consented to begin treatment after participation in a pilot antipsychotic psychoeducation meeting. ConclusionThe inpatient psychiatric pharmacy program at FCC Butner is a dynamic program that has bolstered the facility’s health care mission. The services detailed in this article can be applied to other correctional environments that have a medical outpatient or inpatient presence.

Preparedness of final year medical students in caring for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender patients with mental illness.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals have a higher prevalence of mental illness compared to the general population. Discriminatory behaviour from mental health care providers impedes access to culturally competent mental health care. Undergraduate psychiatry education plays an important role in adequately preparing medical doctors to care for mental illness in LGBT patients. This study aims to assess the knowledge, attitudes and clinical preparedness of final-year medical students in caring for LGBT patients after completion of their psychiatry rotation. Faculty of health sciences at a large public university in Gauteng. This was a cross-sectional study using an anonymous self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire comprised demographic data, the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender development of clinical skills scale (LGBT-DOCSS) and questions relating to their subjective knowledge and preparedness in LGBT mental health care. The LGBT-DOCSS is a validated tool consisting of three subscales: basic knowledge, attitudinal awareness, and clinical preparedness. Data from 170 final-year students were used in the analyses. Participants scored within the low range for clinical preparedness and basic knowledge subscales but high in the attitudinal subscale. Gender, sexual orientation and academic background were associated with higher overall scores and higher basic knowledge and attitudinal awareness scores. Final-year medical students were not adequately prepared in caring for LGBT patients with mental illness as indicated by the LGBT-DOCSS. This study identifies a gap in undergraduate psychiatric training in providing culturally competent mental health care for a vulnerable population.

Psychiatrists Call for Action After CDC Data Reveal Worsening of Youth Mental Health Crisis

Psychiatrists Call for Action After CDC Data Reveal Worsening of Youth Mental Health Crisis

The association between child maltreatment and mental disorders in the Australian Child Maltreatment Study.

To examine the associations between experiences of child maltreatment and mental disorders in the Australian population. Population-representative survey conducted by computer-assisted telephone interviewing. Australian residents aged 16 years and older. Mental disorder diagnoses of lifetime major depressive disorder, current alcohol use disorder (mild, moderate and severe), current generalised anxiety disorder and current post-traumatic stress disorder. More than one in three Australians (3606/8503 surveyed participants; 38.0%; 95% CI, 36.7-39.3%) met the diagnostic criteria for a mental disorder. The prevalence of mental disorders in non-maltreated participants was 21.6% (95% CI, 19.9-23.3%; n=851). This increased to 36.2% (95% CI, 33.5-38.9%; n=764) for those who experienced a single type of maltreatment and 54.8% (95% CI, 52.6-56.9%; n=1991) for participants who experienced multi-type maltreatment. Compared with non-maltreated Australians, maltreated participants had about three times the odds of any mental disorder (odds ratio [OR], 2.82; 95% CI, 2.47-3.22), generalised anxiety disorder (OR, 3.14; 95% CI, 2.48-3.97), major depressive disorder (OR, 3.19; 95% CI, 2.68-3.80) and severe alcohol use disorder (OR, 2.62; 95% CI, 1.83-3.76), and almost five times the odds of post-traumatic stress disorder (OR, 4.60; 95% CI, 3.00-7.07). Associations between experiences of child maltreatment and mental disorders were strongest for sexual abuse, emotional abuse and multi-type maltreatment. The strength of the associations did not differ by gender. Adjustment for childhood and current financial hardship and for current socio-economic status did not significantly attenuate the associations. Mental disorders are significantly more likely to occur in individuals who experience child maltreatment, particularly multi-type maltreatment. Prevention of child maltreatment provides an opportunity to substantially reduce the prevalence of mental illness and improve the health of the Australian population.

Mental Illnesses in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: mens sana in corpore sano.

Background and aims: Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are chronic disorders associated with a reduced quality of life, and patients often also suffer from psychiatric comorbidities. Overall, both mood and cognitive disorders are prevalent in chronic organic diseases, especially in the case of a strong immune component, such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and cancer. Divergent data regarding the true incidence and prevalence of mental disorders in patients with IBD are available. We aimed to review the current evidence on the topic and the burden of mental illness in IBD patients, the role of the brain-gut axis in their co-existence, and its implication in an integrated clinical management. Methods: PubMed was searched to identify relevant studies investigating the gut-brain interactions and the incidence and prevalence of psychiatric disorders, especially of depression, anxiety, and cognitive dysfunction in the IBD population. Results: Among IBD patients, there is a high prevalence of psychiatric comorbidities, especially of anxiety and depression. Approximately 20-30% of IBD patients are affected by mood disorders and/or present with anxiety symptoms. Furthermore, it has been observed that the prevalence of mental illnesses increases in patients with active intestinal disease. Psychiatric comorbidities continue to be under-diagnosed in IBD patients and remain an unresolved issue in the management of these patients. Conclusions: Psychiatric illnesses co-occurring in IBD patients deserve acknowledgment from IBD specialists. These comorbidities highly impact the management of IBD patients and should be studied as an adjunctive therapeutic target.

Clinical utility of moral injury in a treatment-seeking military-Veteran mental health population

LAY SUMMARY Moral injury (MI) can be defined as a diverse set of outcomes associated with actions that transgress one’s moral beliefs or values. MI can be distressing for an individual at the interpersonal level (e.g., shifting relationships, feelings of betrayal) and the intrapersonal level (e.g., internalized guilt and shame). Indeed, these transgressions of moral beliefs and values have been associated with a high prevalence of mental illnesses, such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. Although various forms of assessment exist to identify MI in the individual, treatments for MI are often interlinked or embedded in evidence-based treatments for PTSD and depression. As such, unique contributions of MI as a target of treatment remain largely unclear. In this article, the authors explore existing treatments that may be used to treat MI as a distinct mental health construct and examine their utility in reducing symptoms of MI in military and Veteran populations.

Unemployment and Mental Health: An Instrumental Variable Analysis Using Municipal-level Data for Finland for 2002–2019

We explore the effect of unemployment on mental health, using data from Finnish municipalities for the period 2002–2019. We measure mental illness using a mental morbidity index, as well as mental health care utilization and the use of antidepressants. There are significant differences across municipalities in Finland in both prevalence of mental health issues and illnesses, along with unemployment. Establishing a causal link between these two variables is challenging because of their reverse causality and joint determination. Using instrumental variable estimation, we establish a causal effect from unemployment to mental health. We present a strong connection between unemployment and mental health, especially for males between 25 and 64 years of age. Similar connection is not found among younger or older males, nor among females. Our findings are robust, since the results hold for various mental health measures. Our results reflect the possibility of differing mental health effects across the sources of unemployment.

Overcoming Stigma: Asking for and Receiving Mental Health Support.

Overcoming Stigma: Asking for and Receiving Mental Health Support.

Measuring affect and complex working memory in natural and urban environments.

Research suggests that spending time in natural environments is associated with cognitive and affective benefits, while increased use of technology and time spent in urban environments are associated with depletion of cognitive resources and an increasing prevalence of mental illness. Attention Restoration Theory suggests that exposure to natural environments can restore depleted attentional resources and thereby improve cognitive functioning and mood. Specifically, recent meta-analyses have revealed that the most improved cognitive abilities after nature exposure include selective attention, working memory, and cognitive flexibility. While existing studies examined these cognitive abilities, few have examined the Operation Span (OSPAN), a complex measure of working memory capacity. Therefore, the current study (N = 100) compared performance on the OSPAN and self-reported mood using the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule before and after a 30-min walk in a natural or urban environment. Results from the study showed that both groups exhibited an increase in positive affect and a decrease in negative affect, suggesting that going outside for a walk can boost mood regardless of environment type. Inconsistent with past work, there were no significant changes in OSPAN scores before and after the walk for either environment type. Future studies should analyze how the length of time spent in the environment, certain characteristics of the environment, and individual differences in connectedness to nature may impact attention restoration to gain insight on nature's ability to improve our affect and cognition.

Seeing voices? The importance of raising awareness on Deaf Mental Health

IntroductionData regarding mental health problems in the prelingual deaf population is scarce. There is evidence that factors related to minority stress can contribute to mental illness in that population. In psychiatry, communication is key, however, most clinicians are not trained to communicate with the Deaf. Moreover, psychiatrists are often not aware of particularities in the psychopathology of these patients.ObjectivesWe aim to review important aspects of psychiatric evaluation of prelingual Deaf patients.MethodsNon-systematic review of recent literature regarding Deaf mental health and mental illness.ResultsData regarding prevalence of mental illness in the Deaf population is mostly obtained from small studies and suggest an increased burden of mental illness and significant barriers to mental health care. Psychiatry research regarding Deaf patients is about 40 years behind research on the hearing population. While communicating with a Deaf patient, clinicians should consider the preferred communication modality. Sign-language interpreters should have specific mental health training, although that is not the case for many countries. Clinicians should keep communication simple, use short sentences, concrete examples and visual aids.The mental status examination will have particularities, such as: 1) facial expressions have a specific role in sign languages and may not relate to affect; 2) There is a need to distinguish between language dysfluency and thought disorder 3) voice hallucinations may manifest as somatic or visual hallucinations; the occurrence of pure auditory hallucination in the prelingual Deaf is controversial. 4) the Deaf have little access to health information and are likely to demonstrate poor literacy on mental health matters.ConclusionsMore studies regarding the mental health issues of the Deaf population should be conducted. Raising awareness among clinicians about the needs of Deaf population is an important step to improve their access to help and treatment.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

The relationships between perceived mental illness prevalence, mental illness stigma, and attitudes toward help-seeking.

Previous research suggests that, despite the commonality of mental illness in the United States, the majority of U.S. individuals with mental illness do not seek treatment. One important factor that contributes to this lack of treatment utilization is mental illness stigma. Such stigma may result, in part, from many individuals in the U.S. underestimating the prevalence of mental illness. To test whether this is the case, 638 adults from across the U.S. completed measures related to perceived prevalence of mental illness, private stigma, perceived public stigma, and help-seeking. Findings indicated participants significantly underestimated the given-year prevalence rate of mental illness. The perceived given-year prevalence rate was significantly correlated with lower private stigma and more positive attitudes towards help-seeking. Personal stigma significantly predicted attitudes towards help-seeking. Findings also suggested that individuals who have received mental health services have a higher perceived prevalence rate of mental illness, as well as lower levels of personal stigma and more positive attitudes towards help-seeking. These findings support the notion that helping the general public recognize the true prevalence rate of mental illness could reduce personal mental illness stigma and facilitate help-seeking behaviors. However, future experimental studies are needed to test this hypothesis.

Suicide among physicians: what do we know about it?

IntroductionThe prevalence of mental illness has increased worldwide over the past few years. At the same time, and even in the sense, there is also an increase in suicide rates with special incidence in certain risk groups, among which health professionals stand out.In this particular group, physicians seem to represent a class particularly vulnerable by the stress and demand associated with it, but also by access and knowledge about potentially lethal means.For this very part, they have a higher risk of suicide than the general population.ObjectivesThis paper aims to better understand the phenomenon of suicide among physicians and identify which medical specialties are most vulnerable.MethodsBibliographic research in the Pubmed® database using the terms “suicide and physicians”.ResultsThe data obtained from the scientific literature consulted indicate that physicians have a higher risk of suicide than the general population, with greater emphasis on females who have higher rates compared to males.Work factors that translate into higher levels of demand and stress combined with easy access and knowledge about the use of potentially lethal means seem to contribute very significantly to this phenomenon. Perfectionist personality traits with a high sense of responsibility and duty are also important characteristics that place these professionals in a position of greater vulnerability.With regard to the different medical specialties, anesthesiology, psychiatry and general and family medicine are the ones with higher suicide rates among the medical class.ConclusionsThe risk of suicide, although admittedly high in the medical class, is not homogeneous among different countries, being naturally influenced by the satisfaction/gratification obtained in the performance of their profession. In this sense, countries such as Switzerland and Canada show higher levels of professional satisfaction. In the opposite direction, dissatisfaction in the exercise of clinical activity is associated with higher levels of fatigue and burnout.Medical women, due to the need to combine the responsibility of family tasks with professional responsibility, are at greater risk.In this sense, it is necessary to develop strategies that are more appropriate for the prevention and early identification of suicide risk situations that can be experienced not only by improving working conditions but also by better addressing professionals suffering from mental disorders.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Evaluating a Project Extension for Community Health Outcomes Pediatric Behavioral Health Series in a Rural and Frontier State: An Exploratory Investigation.

Idaho, a predominately rural state, has a high prevalence of mental illness with minimal access to care. Barriers in diagnosis and treatment of pediatric behavioral health disorders could be mitigated with an accessible and effective specialty training program. A 10-session Project Extension for Community Health Outcomes (ECHO) series was designed to expand provider knowledge about pediatric behavioral health conditions and improve perceived clinical practice skills. Pre- and postseries evaluation surveys and individual session evaluations were used to assess the program. A total of 148 individuals attended at least 1 of the 10 sessions. Participants reported high satisfaction with individual sessions and indicated that attendance positively impacted their knowledge and competency. Participants also reported that the knowledge and skills gained from the series would benefit more than half of their patients or clients. The short ECHO series appears to be a viable and valuable option to provide Idaho providers with effective specialty training that is well attended and well received.

Can melatonin improve the alteration of protein synthesis occurring in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder?

The prevalence of mental illnesses has significantly increased globally in recent decades due to multifactorial causes. Of these, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, due to their high incidence and high associated disability, stand out. However, the effective treatments on these disorders are lagged behind their increased incidence. Melatonin, as an essential molecule in the regulation of sleep-wake rhythm and the naturally occurring antioxidant, has only received attention for the treatment of such psychiatric disorders in relation to its circadian rhythm regulation, but its overwhelming role as a regulator of oxidative stress that facilitates the amelioration of neuronal damage has not been addressed for this respect. In this communication, the novel aspects of melatonin on mental illnesses have been discussed. We provide the necessary literature to justify the beneficial roles and the mechanisms of melatonin to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. These mechanisms include that melatonin enhances reticulum stress, potentiates the unfolded protein response, and increases endoplasmic reticulum synthesis to facilitate autophagy and even suppresses apoptosis. This process involves not only the expected organelles but is a more complex cohesion that even includes the mitochondria, a well-known target of melatonin, which reinforces the robustness of our hypothesis, i.e., melatonin prevents the development of protein aggregates and abnormal structures typically observed in brain damage. Its documented capacity and the need to improve treatment efficiency in a growing population afflicted by mental illnesses are the basis of this hypothesis and support a role of melatonin, as antioxidant, in psychiatric disorders.

Employment and mental health of youth in Egypt: Does job security matter?

Youth in Egypt face compounded difficulties from the widespread use of fixed-term and informal employment. However, the relationships between these jobs and mental health remain to be evaluated among employed youth. This paper investigates the effect of transitioning from non-employment into employment on the mental health of youth younger than 30 years old. I differentiate jobs based on security and formality, focusing on the variation between permanent, temporary, casual/seasonal, and informal employment. Using nationally-representative panel data, I estimate the impact of various employment transitions on mental health outcomes by applying a matched difference-in-differences design. Transitioning to temporary, seasonal, and casual jobs has no significant effect on mental health compared to staying in non-employment. The psychological benefits are gendered. The gain for women is on the prevalence of mental illness, while men see an improvement in the depth of mental illness. For women, transitioning to a formal job provides the highest mental health rewards, while for men, a transition to a permanent job yields the highest mental health rewards. More consideration for the various types of employment and mental illness is required when studying non-standard employment.