Search results for ‘Subject term:"mental health problems"’ Sort:
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Audit of metabolic syndrome in adults prescribed clozapine in community and long-stay in-patient populations
- Authors:
- MORGAN David, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Psychiatric Bulletin, 32(4), May 2008, pp.174-177.
- Publisher:
- Royal College of Psychiatrists
The aim was to calculate the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in patients receiving clozapine in community and long-stay in-patient settings. Patients were assessed using measures specified by the Expert Panel of the US National Cholesterol Education Program. The prevalence of the metabolic syndrome was calculated as 53% in the community groups and 11% in the in-patient group, although both sample sizes (particularly the in-patient group) were small. Women were more frequently affected than men in the community population. The higher percentage of metabolic syndrome in the community patients receiving clozapine has implications with respect to physical health. The reasons for the lower percentage in the in-patient group are unclear. The findings point to a possible difference in the physical health of long-stay psychiatric in-patients and patients in the community.
On the outside: continuity of care for people leaving prison
- Authors:
- KEIL Joanna, et al
- Publisher:
- Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health
- Publication year:
- 2008
- Pagination:
- 64p., bibliog.
- Place of publication:
- London
Prisoners with mental health problems are being released without homes to go to, families to support them or jobs, a report from Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health has concluded. On the Outside: Continuity of care for people leaving prison finds that many released prisoners quickly lose touch with the services that are supposed to support them. Many prisoners do not know where they will be living on release. Some end up on relatives' sofas. Others go to hostels where they fear getting back into drug habits, or they end up on the streets. The report finds that probation services, charities, health and local authorities all offer considerable support to people leaving prison. Yet efforts to support released prisoners are poorly coordinated, especially for those who have been on short sentences. Prisoners with the most pressing problems often feel unsupported when their needs are greatest. And services often lose touch with people because they fail to deal with their most urgent needs as a priority. The report also finds that the Government's early release scheme led some people to leave prison abruptly and without health and social care services being arranged for them. On the Outside calls on all NHS primary care trusts to ensure that released prisoners are registered with a GP where they are going to live. Mental health services should maintain contact with people who use their services when they go to prison. And all prisoners should have a key care coordinator when they are released to maintain contact with them and help them to navigate their way through the many services they may need to help them to resettle.
Managing perinatal mental health disorders effectively: identifying the necessary components of service provision and delivery
- Authors:
- ROTHERA Ian, OATES Margaret
- Journal article citation:
- Psychiatric Bulletin, 32(4), April 2008, pp.131-133.
- Publisher:
- Royal College of Psychiatrists
The paper identifies problems with the management of perinatal mental health disorders and areas where improvements are thought-required. The study used qualitative methods comprising focus groups with recovered patients and interviews with health professionals. Issues identified included a lack of knowledge, skills, integrated working, poor access to resources and ill-defined professional roles and responsibilities. Improving care and service provision requires the development of training and education programmes, care pathways and protocols, and referral guidelines and liaison services. Difficulties over managing perinatal mental illnesses occur at all levels of healthcare provision. The findings confirm best practice recommendations which emphasise improved joint working and the provision of specialist services in all localities.
In the dark: the mental health implications of imprisonment for public protection
- Authors:
- RUTHERFORD Max, et al
- Publisher:
- Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health
- Publication year:
- 2008
- Pagination:
- 64p., bibliog.
- Place of publication:
- London
IPP - imprisonment for public protection - is a sentence for people whose crimes are not serious enough for life imprisonment but whom the courts think are dangerous. They cannot be released until the Parole Board thinks they are no longer dangerous. This report finds that IPP prisoners are much more likely than other prisoners to have mental health problems. Being on IPP appears to be making this worse because of the uncertainty and hopelessness it creates. This publication looks at the sentencing process, what information is given to prisoners and the courses they can do as well as the prisoners' mental health needs and the impact of mental ill health on the IPP process. It makes recommendations for health and criminal justice services.
The police and mental health
- Authors:
- BATHER Paul, FITZPATRICK Rob, RUTHERFORD Max
- Publisher:
- Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health
- Publication year:
- 2008
- Pagination:
- 15p., bibliog.
- Place of publication:
- London
This briefing gives an overview of the role of the police in relation to mental health and identifies areas for policy development. It calls on the NHS to manage health care for people in police custody and to take a more active role in diverting people with mental health problems to the services they need. The briefing also argues that all police staff should be offered training to help them to respond better to people experiencing a mental health crisis.
From the 60s to their sixties. Baby boomers - challenges and choices for public mental health
- Author:
- WILLIAMSON Toby
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Public Mental Health, 7(1), August 2008, pp.4-8.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
This commentary considers the demographic 'bulge' of the so-called 'baby boomer' generation and the public mental health challenge that this group will represent as they move into old age. It is argued that now is the time to start a debate with the aim of identifying long-term solutions to these new challenges.
A new vision for mental health: discussion paper
- Author:
- FUTURE VISION COALITION
- Publisher:
- Future Vision Coalition
- Publication year:
- 2008
- Pagination:
- 21p.
- Place of publication:
- London
Argues that the underlying aims of future mental health policy must be to: overcome persistent barriers to social inclusion that continue to affect those with experience of mental health problems; improve the whole-life outcomes of those with experience of mental health problems improve whole-population mental health. This will not be easy to achieve, since attitudes have been ingrained over many decades of use, and because medical models of mental health problems have long dominated the debate about the appropriate focus for policy.
Why should I care about gender?
- Author:
- O'HARA Jean
- Journal article citation:
- Advances in Mental Health and Learning Disabilities, 2(2), June 2008, pp.9-18.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
This article looks at the published literature on gender as it affects individual vulnerability and risk, and planning, organisation and delivery of health care, with specific focus on the mental health and learning disabilities, and discusses them in the context of recent government policy and guidance. It calls for urgent gender-specific research to understand the key issues facing men and women with learning disabilities, and a rights-based approach to access to education, health care and a competent and informed workforce.
Health and aging-in-place: implications for community practice
- Author:
- BLACK Kathy
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Community Practice, 16(1), 2008, pp.79-95.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philapelphia, USA
Findings from a needs assessment carried out on a naturally occurring retirement community of 114 individuals are presented within the context of the increasing trend towards helping older people remain independently in their own homes. The assessment is based on an holistic perspective that encompasses physical, mental and social well-being, and it uses a specially developed tool to gather self-report measures of eleven chronic health conditions and seven instrumental activities of daily living. Psychological health was measured using the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire, the Geriatric Depression Scale and a Likert scale to cover perceptions of life satisfaction and health. The findings indicate complex and interacting medical and psychosocial problems, and suggest that while all resident can benefit from interventions, these should be targeted at those in greatest need, especially the oldest. (Copies of this article are available from: Haworth Document Delivery Centre, Haworth Press Inc., 10 Alice Street, Binghamton, NY 13904-1580).
Getting healthcare, housing support, and community care set up for prisoners who will need it on release
- Authors:
- EDGAR Kimmett, RICKFORD Dora, TALBOT Jenny
- Journal article citation:
- Prison Service Journal, 179, September 2008, pp.16-19.
- Publisher:
- Her Majesty's Prison Service of England and Wales
Prisoners with mental health problems or learning disabilities are more likely to re-offend, or to be abused or exploited by others, if they do not get an aftercare package of health, housing and community care services. This article highlights the legislation and policies that oblige local authorities to assess the needs of vulnerable people, prior to release from prison.