Role Of Mental Illness Research Articles

Effectiveness and experience of implementing digital interventions to promote smoking cessation among adults with severe mental illness: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Digital technology is increasingly used to support interventions targeting smoking cessation in people with severe mental illness (SMI). However, little is known about their implementation and effectiveness in this population. We aimed to determine their effectiveness, stakeholder experiences, factors influencing implementation, and quality of reporting of digital interventions for smoking cessation in adults living with SMI. Five online bibliographic databases were searched for articles published between 31 December 2000 and 31 January 2023. Studies involving adults accessing treatment for alcohol and substance use disorders, neurocognitive disorders and terminal illnesses were excluded. Risk of bias was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). A Mantel-Haenszel random-effects meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted. Participant experience and intervention implementation were explored using a narrative synthesis. Quality of reporting of interventions was assessed using the Template for Intervention Description and Replication (TIDieR) checklist. Thirty-one studies enrolling 3,794 participants were included. Meta-analysis of biochemically verified abstinence at longest follow-up (month-1 to month-6) did not find an overall effect in favour of intervention [risk ratio (RR) = 0.66, 95% confidence interval (CI) = -0.005 - 1.37]. Interventions tailored to people with SMI were perceived as acceptable. Implementation strategies concentrated on overcoming practical challenges at the participant/user level. No evidence of the effectiveness of digital interventions to support smoking cessation in people with SMI was found. The importance of tailoring interventions to the needs of people with SMI is highlighted. Robust reporting of implementation is required to enhance future efforts to support smoking cessation in adults with SMI. The findings of this review add to the emerging evidence on digital interventions to support smoking cessation among people with SMI. We highlight the importance of tailoring interventions to the population, particularly considering the role of mental illness and the side effects of psychotropic medication in the accessibility and usability of digital interventions.

The role of mental illness and neurodevelopmental conditions in human papillomavirus vaccination uptake within the Swedish school-based vaccination programme: a population-based cohort study

Despite documented mental illness-related disparities in cervical cancer screening and incidence, insufficient data exist on differences in cervical cancer prevention strategies, such as human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination. We aimed to investigate the association of mental illness and neurodevelopmental conditions among girls and their parents with uptake of HPV vaccination in Sweden. This population-based cohort study was based on the Swedish school-based HPV vaccination programme, which offers the first vaccine dose to girls aged 10-13 years, with a second dose offered within 12 months. We identified all girls born between Jan 1, 2002, and March 1, 2004, using the Swedish Total Population Register-ie, those eligible for two vaccine doses in the vaccination programme from its initiation in autumn 2012, to March, 2019. Nationwide Swedish register data (National Patient Register, Prescribed Drug Register, HPV Vaccination Register, National Vaccination Register, Total Population Register, Multi-Generation Register, Longitudinal Integrated Database for Health Insurance and Labour Market Studies, Education Register, National Cervical Screening Registry, and Cancer Register) were used to define individual and parental mental health conditions, including mental illness and neurodevelopmental conditions (defined by a clinical diagnosis and prescribed psychotropic medication use), HPV vaccine uptake (first and second dose), and sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. The two outcomes were uptake of the first HPV vaccine dose by the girl's 14th birthday and uptake of the second dose by the 15th birthday in relation to individual and parental mental health conditions, calculated using multivariable Poisson regression models. 115 104 girls were included in the study population. 2211 girls (1·9%) had a specialist diagnosis of any mental health condition. Uptake of the first HPV vaccine dose was 80·7% (92 912 of 115 104) and was lower among girls with versus without any mental health condition (adjusted relative risk 0·89 [95% CI 0·87-0·91]). The diagnosis of autism (0·79 [0·75-0·85]) or intellectual disability (0·78 [0·73-0·83]) were most strongly associated with lower HPV vaccine uptake. Vaccine uptake was also lower among girls with versus those without prescribed use of psychotropic medication (0·93 [0·92-0·95]), with the strongest association observed for antipsychotics (0·68 [0·56-0·82]). Uptake of the second dose was 95·0% (88 308 of 92 912), with no strong associations between uptake and mental health conditions in girls or their parents. Our findings suggest disparities in cervical cancer prevention among girls with mental health conditions, and call for further research to ensure equitable protection. Swedish Cancer Society.

Interaction between alimentary surgery and risk of dementia: a nationwide population-based case-control study.

Based on current research, it is known that the gastrointestinal tract microbiota and its genome play a crucial role in mental illnesses. Studies indicate a direct correlation between gastrointestinal tract microbiota and the onset of dementia, mediated by metabolic diseases and low-grade inflammation. The association between various gastrointestinal symptoms and neurodegenerative diseases has been recently discussed. However, there is a lack of research regarding the comparative effects of different surgical procedures on neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, this study primarily focuses on comparing the association between various gastrointestinal surgeries and dementia, aiming to provide guidance for future clinical practice. A nationwide study using the Taiwanese National Health Insurance Research Database included 26 059 patients diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer's disease and 104 236 controls without diseases. Primary exposures were defined as alimentary surgeries, encompassing cholecystectomy, gastrectomy, bowel resection, and appendectomy. Conditional logistic regression was used to examine the odds ratio and 95% confidence interval for prior alimentary surgery between cases and controls. The results showed that individuals with dementia had a higher rate of gastrectomy. Additionally, individuals with dementia seemed to exhibit a reduced rate of cholecystectomy and appendectomy. Regarding Alzheimer's disease, all four alimentary surgeries showed comparable trends to those observed with dementia. No significant interaction was observed between alimentary surgery and dementia among the four types of surgery evaluated. Our study demonstrates that gastrectomy is associated with an elevated risk of dementia. We aim to uncover more direct evidence in future experiments.

Dimensions of the COVID-19 pandemic: prevalence of common mental disorders in "invisible" health workers and their association with occupational stressors.

To evaluate the association between occupational stressors and common mental disorders (CMD) among "invisible" health workers in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Cross-sectional study including a probabilistic sample of 1,014 health workers from three municipalities in Bahia. CMDs were assessed using the SRQ-20. The Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) scale and the Demand-Control Model assessed occupational stressors. Descriptive, bivariate, and multiple analysis to evaluate the association between the variables of interest. The global prevalence of CMD was 39.9%; it was higher among CHA/EDCA (47.2%), followed by management and surveillance staff (38.6%), technicians (35.4%), and support/maintenance/cleaning staff (29.9%). The association between occupational stressors and CMD varied among occupations: 1. Excessive work commitment (EWC), effort-reward imbalance (ERI), and psychological demand were associated with CMD among support/maintenance/cleaning workers; 2. EWC and ERI were associated with CMD among CHA/EDCA; 3. EWC, ERI, and low control over work were associated with CMD among technicians; 4. Among management and surveillance workers, only ERI remained associated with CMD. Occupational stressors played a relevant role in mental illness, with variation between occupational strata, demanding attention, monitoring, and control.

Homelessness in urban areas: The role of mental illness and need for collaboration

Homelessness in urban areas: The role of mental illness and need for collaboration

The role of mental illness in women’s pathways to crime living in a U.S.-México border region

ABSTRACT Feminist criminological theories emphasize trauma and victimization as pathways to criminal behavior among women while gender-neutral theories suggest that mental illness has a weak relationship to criminal behavior. Unfortunately, research on pathways to criminal behavior for women from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds is scant. The present study used semi-structured interviews to qualitatively examine factors that paved the pathway to criminal behavior for 72 women living in the U.S.-México border region. Four undergraduate research assistants coded the interviews and demonstrated acceptable reliability (Kappa = 0.72). Women frequently reported that financial issues, substance use, and family problems were direct causes of their criminal behavior. Moreover, even though a Structured Clinical Interview (SCID-IV) revealed many women met criteria for a diagnosable mental disorder and/or had experienced trauma, mental illness and trauma were rarely reported as direct causal factors of criminal behavior. Findings suggest agencies may be more successful at reducing recidivism if they allocate resources to assist women residing in border regions with: (1) accessibility to substance abuse interventions, (2) developing skills to resolve familial conflict, and (3) having ample opportunities to become gainfully employed.

Associations between metabolic disorders and sleep disturbance in patients with schizophrenia

BackgroundSleep disturbance plays a crucial role in mental illness and metabolic dysregulation. However, the clinical correlates of metabolic disorders (MD, only meeting 1 or 2 metabolic syndrome standards) and its relationship to sleep disturbance in patients with schizophrenia are uncertain. The study was to illuminate the association between MD and sleep disturbance in patients with schizophrenia. MethodsOne hundred and sixty-four patients with schizophrenia (157 drug-naive and 7 drug-free) were classified into 2 groups: MD and non-MD. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS) were employed to assess sleep quality and clinical symptoms. Weight, height, waistline, blood pressure, fasting glucose, and lipid metabolic levels were recorded. ResultsSleep disturbance was more pronounced in the MD group compared to the non-MD group, including subjective sleep quality (z = −4.074, p = 0.000), sleep latency (z = −3.867, p = 0.000), sleep duration (z = −2.471, p = 0.013) and total scores (z = −3.074, p = 0.002). After controlling for confounding factors including age, sex, body mass index, smoking, marital status, and duration of illness, binary logistics regression showed that subjective sleep quality (p = 0.034) and sleep latency (p = 0.034) were significant independent predictors of MD. Further, partial correlation analysis showed that sleep latency (r = −0.200, p = 0.011) was significantly negatively correlated with HDLC. ConclusionOur study suggests a high rate of MD in patients with schizophrenia, most of who were drug-naive, in a Chinese population. Longer sleep latency is associated with MD in schizophrenia patients, suggesting an important role of sleep disturbance in the development of MD in patients with schizophrenia. Interventions to improve sleep quality may prevent MD in patients with schizophrenia at an early stage.

‘Why Does This Happen to Me?’ Religious and Spiritual Struggles among Psychiatric Inpatients in The Netherlands: A Narrative Analysis

Background. Religious and spiritual (R/S) struggles may impact mental health treatment and recovery processes. The current study investigates how R/S struggles play a role in mental illness and what approaches are experienced as helpful. Methods. Thirty-five semi-structured interviews with clinical mental health patients in a Christian (N = 15) and a secular (N = 20) mental health clinic were narratively analyzed. Results. R/S struggles are common in people who suffer from mental illness and often coexist together with R/S support, mostly fluctuating over time. In summary, patients experience R/S struggles as negative feelings (e.g., loneliness, shame, mistrust) and the absence of positive feelings (e.g., hope and peace). These are influenced by someone’s R/S background and beliefs, as well as by the illness and other events. All participants appreciated a receptive approach (1) and many preferred an active approach (2) by mental health professionals. Some patients reported benefits from a directive approach (3). Conclusions. R/S struggles are tightly connected with other aspects that play a role in patients with mental illness. Mental health professionals are recommended to listen to patients’ narratives and carefully consider whether or not further interventions, in order to enhance R/S support and reduce R/S struggles, might be appropriate.

Mental health and periodontal and peri-implant diseases.

Mental health disorders, particularly depression and anxiety, affect a significant number of the global population. Several pathophysiological pathways for these disorders have been identified, including the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, autonomic nervous system, and the immune system. In addition, life events, environmental factors, and lifestyle affect the onset, progression, and recurrence of mental health disorders. These may all overlap with periodontal and/or peri-implant disease. Mental health disorders are associated with more severe periodontal disease and, in some cases, poorer healing outcomes to nonsurgical periodontal therapy. They can result in behavior modification, such as poor oral hygiene practices, tobacco smoking, and alcohol abuse, which are also risk factors for periodontal disease and, therefore, may have a contributory effect. Stress has immunomodulatory effects regulating immune cell numbers and function, as well as proinflammatory cytokine production. Stress markers such as cortisol and catecholamines may modulate periodontal bacterial growth and the expression of virulence factors. Stress and some mental health disorders are accompanied by a low-grade chronic inflammation that may be involved in their relationship with periodontal disease and vice versa. Although the gut microbiome interacting with the central nervous system (gut-brain axis) is thought to play a significant role in mental illness, less is understood about the role of the oral microbiome. The evidence for mental health disorders on implant outcomes is lacking, but may mainly be through behaviourial changes. Through lack of compliance withoral hygiene and maintenance visits, peri-implant health can be affected. Increased smoking and risk of periodontal disease may also affect implant outcomes. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors have been linked with higher implant failure. They have an anabolic effect on bone, reducing turnover, which could account for the increased loss.

Results from Project GOLD: A pilot randomized controlled trial of a psychoeducational HIV/STI prevention intervention for black youth

ABSTRACT Black youth face significant disparities in HIV/sexually transmitted infection (STI) disease burden. Mental illness and emotion regulation are ontributors to HIV/STI risk, yet many HIV/STI prevention interventions do not address these factors. Project GOLD was a pilot randomized controlled trial of a psychoeducational HIV/STI prevention intervention designed to address the role of mental illness and emotion regulation in HIV/STI risk among heterosexually active Black youth aged 14–17 (N = 108). Participants were recruited from outpatient mental health treatment programs and general community settings via community partner referrals, face-to-face encounters, flyers and social media. Assessments were conducted pretest, immediate posttest, and at 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-up. Although there were no statistically significant differences in behavior change from baseline, there were practically significant effect sizes among HIV condition participants when compared to the general health condition (e.g., fewer sexual partners at 6 months). An increase in theoretical mediators (e.g., condom use negotiation beliefs) was sustained at 12 months. HIV condition participants also reported lower depressive symptom severity, with statistical significance noted at immediate post and at 3 months. The findings highlight the importance and challenges of engaging Black youth in culturally and contextually relevant, developmentally and psychologically appropriate HIV/STI prevention interventions.

Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor and Its Applications through Nanosystem Delivery.

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a protein that performs a neurotrophic function. BDNF and its receptors are widely expressed in the nervous system and can promote the growth of neurons and the formation of neuronal synapses in the brain. Studies have shown that a lack of BDNF can lead to impairment of memory and cognitive functions, indicating that BDNF plays an important role in mental illness and neurodegenerative diseases. The combination of stem cells and BDNF-releasing nanomaterials holds great promise in regenerative medicine, especially in the treatment of neurological diseases. For example, Alzheimer’s disease, depression, Parkinson’s disease, spinal cord injury, etc. The combination of stem cell/pharmacologically active carrier and BDNF-nano/hydrogel provided a useful new type of local delivery tool for the treatment of the nervous system and other diseases. It can not only provide BDNF but also stem cells. These studies will provide a scientific basis for the development and application of BDNF in the future.

Considerations for Developing an Agenda for Gun Violence Prevention Research.

In December 2019, for the first time in more than 20 years, the US Congress appropriated, and the president signed, a bill that included $25 million for gun violence prevention research at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health. This research should find ways to reduce injury, death, and suffering while protecting the right of law-abiding citizens to own firearms. Four questions can structure this research agenda. First, what is the problem: How many people get shot, who are they, where does it happen, what is the relationship between the shooter and the victim, what other types of damage are incurred, and are the shootings increasing or decreasing? Second, what are the causes: What is the role of alcohol and drugs; what is the role of gangs, poverty, and systemic racism; what is the role of mental illness, robbery, and domestic violence; what is the role of private gun ownership (both positive and negative) and easy access to guns? What are the factors that protect us, such as stable families and safe environments? Third, what works: Which practices, interventions, policies, and laws work best to prevent these deaths and injuries? And fourth, how do you do it: How do you implement the findings and translate them into policies, legislation, and practices that can be scaled up?

The typology of parricide and the role of mental illness: Data-driven approach.

Parricide is a rare type of homicide in which mental illness is often an important factor. The aims of this study were (a) to describe the characteristics of parricide offenders with a focus on mental illness and clinical care and (b) to examine Heide's widely used typology of parricide through a data-driven approach. We analyzed all homicides in England and Wales between 1997 and 2014. Parricide offenders in our sample were most often male, unmarried, and unemployed, with a third of offenders diagnosed with schizophrenia; 28% had been in contact with mental health services before the offense. The latent class analysis resulted in three types of parricide offenders: middle-aged with affective disorder, previously abused, and seriously mentally Ill, which confirmed, to an extent, Heide's typology. Health and social care services should actively engage with carers of people with mental illness and support to those caring for older relatives and victims of abuse.

Evaluation of Mode and Psychiatric Co-morbidity of Intentional Self Harm: A Hospital Based Study.

Introduction: Intentional self harm is a potentially self injurious action with a non-fatal outcome for which there is evidence, either explicit or implicit, that the individual intended to kill himself or herself. Suicide is a fatal act of self-injury (self harm) undertaken with more or less conscious self destructive intent. There has been an increase in the number of patients presenting with attempted suicide in the emergency settings of hospitals. This study aimed to explore socio-demographic characteristics, pattern of attempts, psychiatric diagnosis, psychosocial and personality factors among survivors of suicide attempt presenting to a tertiary care hospital. Methods: The study included 100 survivors of intentional self harm registered over a period of six months visiting a tertiary care hospital. The cases directly presented to Psychiatry department and were referred from medical and other departments for psychiatric evaluation. They underwent evaluation by consultant psychiatrist and received appropriate interventions. Results: Majority of the victims were female (73%), belonging to the age group of 20-40 years. The most common method of attempt was self poisoning with pesticides (65%) followed by hanging (16%) and overdose of drugs (7%). Most of the attempts (68%) were impulsive in nature. Mental illness was diagnosed in (65%) of the cases, mainly depressive disorder (51%), and personality disorder (10 %). Most of the attempts (67%) were triggered by psycho-social factors. Conclusion: The pattern shows predominance of female gender, young age group, a role of mental illness, impulsivity and psychosocial factors in intentional self harm.

Gun violence in the United States in 2017 and the role of mental illness

ABSTRACT The year 2017 had the deadliest incidents of gun violence ever in U.S. history; defined in our study as incidents with 4 or more persons killed or injured: 384 shootings with 466 people killed and 1,912 injured (Gun Violence Archive, 2017. Our study focused on the role of mental illness and other possible causes of gun violence by analyzing a minimum of three media reports and online documents related to each incident in 2017. Results showed that (a) information about the shooter(s) is available in only 157 (40.9%) out of 384 cases; (b) mental illness was mentioned as a cause in only 17 (10.8%) of the cases in which information was available; (c) subclinical or mental health issues such as relational stress, revenge, job stress, substance use, and trauma were mentioned much more often than mental illness; and (d) there are different types of gun violence. Based on these findings, future research should look at the complex interaction of perpetrator, situation, and victim variables, as well as socio-demographic and psychosocial/mental health variables that may clarify the role of mental illness in the different kinds of gun violence, one of which is mass shootings. Mental illness was not a significant contributing factor in this study’s gun violence cases.

Vocation, Mental Illness, and the Absenteeism Decision

We explore sickness absenteeism variations within the public sector and in particular the role of mental illness. Distinctively, the public sector is segmented into vocational and nonvocational sector, assuming that vocation leads to a different degree of job attachment and alter sickness leave decision. Using British Household Panel Survey, random-effects logit models are applied to estimate the odds ratio of sickness absence with alternative measures of vocational employment. The association between mental illness and sickness absence is also explored. Absenteeism and the effect of mental illness on absenteeism rates vary within the public sector after controlling for socioeconomic factors. The public vocational sector had the largest sickness absence odds ratios. Differences between absenteeism rates across sectors may be more about the nature of the job and less about the nature of the sector.

Pattern of Suicide Attempts in Southern Nepal: A Multi-Centered Retrospective Study

Background: Suicide has become a major public health issue in low income underdeveloped countries like Nepal. In Nepal, suicide research based on General Hospital Psychiatry Unit (GHPU) settings can be informative to explore the trend in suicidal behaviors. In this study, we aimed to study the pattern of suicide attempts in Southern Nepal by including retrospective suicide attempt cases registered in the three GHPU centers.Methods: The study included 116 survivors of suicide attempts registered over a period of six months (Jan, 2017 to July, 2017) at three centers in Southern region of Nepal. The cases were referred from medical emergency or other medical departments for psychiatric evaluation. They underwent evaluation by at least one consultant psychiatrist and received appropriate interventions.Results: Majority of the victims were female (68%), belonging to younger age group (90%) with one third in adolescent age group and homemakers (32%) or students (31%) by occupation. The most common method of attempt was self poisoning with pesticides (78.4%) followed by medication overdose (8.6%) and hanging (7.8%). Most of the attempts (82.7%) were impulsive in nature. Mental illness was diagnosed in 60 % of the cases, mainly depressive disorder, and adjustment disorder. Most of the attempts (87%) were triggered by psycho-social factors before the attempt, mainly interpersonal conflicts. Conclusions: The pattern shows predominance of female gender, younger age group, a role of mental illness, impulsivity and psychosocial factors in suicide attempts. Future research should focus on these aspects to develop effective prevention strategies. Med Phoenix. Vol. 3, Issue. 1, 2018, Page: 41-47

Researchers Sum Up Current Knowledge of Bipolar Disorder, Call for More Study

Researchers Sum Up Current Knowledge of Bipolar Disorder, Call for More Study

Acute Care Use for Ambulatory Care-Sensitive Conditions in High-Cost Users of Medical Care with Mental Illness and Addictions.

The role of mental illness and addiction in acute care use for chronic medical conditions that are sensitive to ambulatory care management requires focussed attention. This study examines how mental illness or addiction affects risk for repeat hospitalization and/or emergency department use for ambulatory care-sensitive conditions (ACSCs) among high-cost users of medical care. A retrospective, population-based cohort study using data from Ontario, Canada. Among the top 10% of medical care users ranked by cost, we determined rates of any and repeat care use (hospitalizations and emergency department [ED] visits) between April 1, 2011, and March 31, 2012, for 14 consensus established ACSCs and compared them between those with and without diagnosed mental illness or addiction during the 2 years prior. Risk ratios were adjusted (aRR) for age, sex, residence, and income quintile. Among 314,936 high-cost users, 35.9% had a mental illness or addiction. Compared to those without, individuals with mental illness or addiction were more likely to have an ED visit or hospitalization for any ACSC (22.8% vs. 19.6%; aRR, 1.21; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.20-1.23). They were also more likely to have repeat ED visits or hospitalizations for the same ACSC (6.2% vs. 4.4% of those without; aRR, 1.48; 95% CI, 1.44-1.53). These associations were stronger in stratifications by mental illness diagnostic subgroup, particularly for those with a major mental illness. The presence of mental illness and addiction among high-cost users of medical services may represent an unmet need for quality ambulatory and primary care.

Age at Exposure to Parental Suicide and the Subsequent Risk of Suicide inYoung People.

We investigated the age at exposure to parental suicide and the risk of subsequent suicide completion in young people. The impact of parental and offspring sex was also examined. Using a cohort study design, we linked Taiwan's Birth Registry (1978-1997) with Taiwan's Death Registry (1985-2009) and identified 40,249 children who had experienced maternal suicide (n = 14,431), paternal suicide (n = 26,887), or the suicide of both parents (n = 281). Each exposed child was matched to 10 children of the same sex and birth year whose parents were still alive. This yielded a total of 398,081 children for our non-exposed cohort. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to compare the suicide risk of the exposed and non-exposed groups. Compared with the non-exposed group, offspring who were exposed to parental suicide were 3.91 times (95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.10-4.92 more likely to die by suicide after adjusting for baseline characteristics. The risk of suicide seemed to be lower in older male offspring (HR = 3.94, 95% CI = 2.57-6.06), but higher in older female offspring (HR = 5.30, 95% CI = 3.05-9.22). Stratified analyses based on parental sex revealed similar patterns as the combined analysis. As only register--based data were used, we were not able to explore the impact of variables not contained in the data set, such as the role of mental illness. Our findings suggest a prominent elevation in the risk of suicide among offspring who lost their parents to suicide. The risk elevation differed according to the sex of the afflicted offspring as well as to their age at exposure.