Search results for ‘Subject term:"mental health problems"’ Sort:
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Central and Eastern European rough sleepers in London: repeat survey
- Author:
- HOMELESS LINK
- Publisher:
- Homeless Link
- Publication year:
- 2009
- Pagination:
- 14p.
- Place of publication:
- London
This is a follow up to the baseline survey of Central and Eastern European rough sleepers carried out in 2007. Fourteen outreach services conducted the follow up survey over the period of a week in November 2008. Data is presented by both and London borough. The findings suggest that there are still significant numbers of Central and Eastern Europeans rough sleeping in London and that their support needs have increased.
Exploration of local variations in the use of anti-social behaviour tools and powers
- Authors:
- COOPER Christine, et al
- Publisher:
- Great Britain. Home Office
- Publication year:
- 2009
- Pagination:
- 37p.
- Place of publication:
- London
This study shows that there are variations in the use of tools and powers by different Crime and Disorder Partnerships (CDRPs). This is primarily because there are specific issues that dictate the way anti-social behaviour (ASB) is addressed in different localities, arising from differences in the demography and deprivation levels of the areas and the structures for multi-agency working. There was a clear relationship between levels of intervention use and the perceived levels of ASB in the areas. The practitioners generally felt that these differences were not problematic, but reflected differences in their areas and their local communities. Indeed while there were variations between CDRPs in the extent that interventions were used, most employed a wide range. Nearly all reporting CDRPs used warning letters, Acceptable Behaviour Contracts (ABCs) and Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs). The information for the study was collected through an online survey of ASB co-ordinators in CDRPs and a series of focus groups with ASB practitioners in local areas conducted by Ipsos MORI.
Correlates of post-traumatic stress disorder in male and female community clients
- Authors:
- O'HARE Thomas, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Social Work in Mental Health, 7(4), 2009, pp.340-352.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
The aim of this study of community clients was to explore their subjective distress associated with traumatic events, criminal conduct, and risky behaviours, and test how well these factors along with drinking context and gender predict post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosis and specific subcategories of PTSD symptoms. The study involved a survey and interview with 354 adult clients in a community support programme of a mental health centre in New England. The findings showed that subjective distress predicted PTSD diagnosis, and the authors highlight the need to examine closely the alcohol use patterns of all community clients and its association with traumatic events, risky behaviours and PTSD symptoms, with special attention to be paid to motivational factors associated with drinking specifically to cope with distressing emotional states, particularly in women.
Suicide and homelessness
- Authors:
- BONNER Adrian, LUSCOMBE Claire
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Public Mental Health, 8(3), September 2009, pp.7-19.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Suicide behaviour rates vary significantly between countries due to a range of cultural, behavioural and health-related factors. Gender and age-related factors also appear to be important. The homeless population is particularly at risk, due to multiple complex issues that relate to social exclusion, alcohol, drug, mental health and nutritional issues. Studying homeless people is problematic due to access, the transitory nature of their contact with statutory services, problems of self-report and recall. There is an increasing interest from practitioners and academic researchers in spiritual factors that appear to modulate the responses of an individual to the internal and external threats that underlie the motivation to end his or her life. Effective approaches to suicide prevention and crisis management require a good understanding of the interplay between this complex set of biological, psychological and social domains. These are explored in the final section of this review. This paper aims to provide a non-systematic review of the existing literature published in academic journals and relevant ‘grey literature’ and focuses on themes in the literature that may inform both policy and practice.
Maternal tobacco, cannabis and alcohol use during pregnancy and risk of adolescent psychotic symptoms in offspring
- Authors:
- ZAMMIT Stanley, et al
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Psychiatry, 195(4), October 2009, pp.294-300.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
This study aimed to examine whether maternal use of tobacco, cannabis or alcohol during pregnancy increases risk of offspring psychotic symptoms, and involved a longitudinal study of 6,356 adolescents aged 12, who completed a semi-structured interview for psychotic symptoms in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children birth cohort. The results showed that frequency of maternal tobacco use during pregnancy was associated with increased risk of suspected or definite psychotic symptoms, maternal alcohol use had a non-linear association with psychotic symptoms with this effect almost exclusively associated with women drinking more than 21 units per week, and maternal cannabis use was not associated with psychotic symptoms. The study findings indicate that risk factors for development of non-clinical psychotic experiences may operate during early development, and that future studies of how exposure to tobacco during pregnancy affects cerebral development and function may lead to increased understanding.
Prevalence and mental health correlates of harassment and discrimination in the workplace: results from a national study
- Authors:
- ROSPENDA Kathleen M., RICHMAN Judith A., SHANNON Candice A.
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 24(5), May 2009, pp.711-905.
- Publisher:
- Sage
This study describes past-year prevalence and effects on mental health and drinking outcomes for harassment and discrimination in the workplace (HDW) in a nationally representative random digit dial phone survey conducted in 2003-2004 (n = 2,151). HDW measures included experiences and perceptions of sexual harassment and generalized workplace harassment (GWH), and perceived harassment or discrimination because of race or ethnicity. Prevalence was examined by sex, race, age, occupation, marital status, and education. Effects of HDW were assessed controlling for demo-graphics and job and life stressors. Experiencing multiple types of HDW was common. Sexual harassment was more prevalent among women, and Blacks and those of other or mixed race or ethnicity experienced the highest levels of HDW overall. HDW variables explained additional variance in problem drinking and mental health beyond life and job stressors, particularly for women. This study demonstrates that HDW is a prevalent problem associated with poor mental health and problem drinking in the U.S. workforce.
Effect of brief motivational interviewing on stigmatised attitudes towards mental illness
- Authors:
- LUTY Jason, UMOH Okon, NUAMAH Francis
- Journal article citation:
- Psychiatric Bulletin, 33(6), June 2009, pp.212-214.
- Publisher:
- Royal College of Psychiatrists
Stigmatised attitudes among the general public towards people with mental illness are one of the main factors delaying such people from seeking treatment, hindering their recovery and rehabilitation. The authors aimed to devise a simple motivational interviewing technique to reduce stigmatised attitudes towards people with schizophrenia and substance misuse. A randomised paired-design trial was conducted of 100 adults subjected to a 10 min motivational interview to reduce their stigmatised attitudes; the Attitudes to Mental Illness Questionnaire (AMIQ) were used to measure the effect of the various procedures on stigmatised attitudes. Results showed that a small improvement in stigma scores was observed in attitudes towards people with alcoholism but not towards those with schizophrenia. The authors conclude that a brief intervention involving motivational interviewing can be used to challenge the stigma of mental disorders.
Supporting disabled parents: a family or a fragmented approach?
- Author:
- COMMISSION FOR SOCIAL CARE INSPECTION
- Publisher:
- Commission for Social Care Inspection
- Publication year:
- 2009
- Pagination:
- 55p.
- Place of publication:
- London
This CSCI report seeks to examine the experiences of disabled parents and their families and to see how far council policies, services and practice are providing appropriate support. The findings in this report are taken from a national survey of 50 councils; of the 70 interviews, 36 were conducted with representatives of adults’ services and 32 of children’s services, and two were conducted with a representative from each service jointly. To supplement the national picture, in-depth study workshops of services were conducted in four council areas. The report finds that many councils do not fully support disabled parents and their children.
Health and social outcomes and health service experiences of UK military veterans: a summary of the evidence
- Authors:
- FEAR Nicola, WOOD Dan, WESSELY Simon
- Publisher:
- King's College London. King's Centre for Military Health Research
- Publication year:
- 2009
- Pagination:
- 82p., bibliog.
- Place of publication:
- London
Each year approximately 24,000 men and women leave the British Armed Forces and return to civilian life. There is increasing international recognition, both within the military and in civilian society, of the health and social needs of ex-Service personnel, in particular mental health problems, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and social exclusion. This report reviewed the available evidence on the health and social outcomes, and the health experiences, of former members of the Armed Forces. Key findings included that, whilst in general the health of the veteran community is comparable with that of the general population, rates of heavy drinking are more prevalent among both serving and ex-serving personnel. The most common mental health problems for ex-Service personnel, along with alcohol problems, were depression and anxiety disorders. While the overall rate of suicide is no higher in UK ex-Service personnel than it is in the UK general population, men aged 24 or younger are, however, at an increased risk relative to their general population counterparts. This study also identified barriers to accessing healthcare for both groups, especially the stigma of admitting a need for help, with veterans reporting an additional problem of not knowing where to go for help. The authors also made several recommendations for further research, such as studies should be planned in which data collection starts before either in-Service or post-Service adverse outcomes have occurred, and that evidence on health related outcomes and experiences among ex-Service personnel is reviewed periodically.