Search results for ‘Subject term:"mental health problems"’ Sort:
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Mental health and firearms in community-based surveys: implications for suicide prevention
- Authors:
- SORENSON Susan B., VITTES Katherine A.
- Journal article citation:
- Evaluation Review, 32(3), June 2008, pp.239-256.
- Publisher:
- Sage
Suicide rates in the United States are higher among those who own or live in a household with a hand gun. This article examines the association between hand gun ownership and mental health, another risk factor for suicide. Data from the General Social Survey, a series of surveys of U.S. adults, are analyzed to compare general emotional and mental health, sadness and depression, functional mental health, and mental health help seeking among gun owners, persons who do not own but live in a household with a gun, and those who do not own a gun. After taking into account a few basic demographic characteristics associated with both variables, there appears to be no association between mental health and gun ownership. Nor is there any association between mental health and living in a household with a firearm. Findings suggest that the high risk of suicide among those who own or live in a household with a gun is not related to poor mental health. Implications for prevention are discussed.
The national confidential inquiry into suicide and homicide by people with mental illness: lessons for mental health care in Scotland
- Authors:
- APPLEBY Louis, et al
- Publisher:
- University of Manchester
- Publication year:
- 2008
- Pagination:
- 160p.
- Place of publication:
- Manchester
This report by the National Confidential Inquiry examines the details of individual cases of suicide and homicide by people with mental illness. In the time covered by the report (six years for suicides, five years for homicides) there were around 5,000 suicides and around 500 homicides in Scotland. However, the Inquiry found that only 28% of the people who died by suicide and 12% of those who committed a homicide had recently been mental health patients. The report highlights the key areas of clinical practice where improvement is needed and suggests what changes could be made. Two points are emphasised. One is the low risk to the general public from mental health patients; the other is that people who need mental health care are at times imprisoned by the courts. Recommendations are made.
The national confidential inquiry into suicide and homicide by people with mental illness: lessons for mental health care in Scotland
- Authors:
- APPLEBY Louis, et al
- Publisher:
- University of Manchester
- Publication year:
- 2008
- Pagination:
- 9p.
- Place of publication:
- Manchester
A summary of a report by the National Confidential Inquiry examines the details of individual cases of suicide and homicide by people with mental illness. Scotland has high rates of both suicide and homicide, in the general population and in patients. The report highlights the key areas of clinical practice, and includes suggestions to strengthen training and services for the management of drug and alcohol misuse.
Risk of suicide after suicide attempt according to coexisting psychiatric disorder: Swedish cohort study with long term follow-up
- Authors:
- TIDEMALM Dag, et al
- Journal article citation:
- British Medical Journal, 6.12.09, 2008, pp.1328-1330.
- Publisher:
- British Medical Association
This study aimed to investigate the impact of coexistent psychiatric morbidity on risk of suicide after a suicide attempt. Participants were 39,685 people (53% women) admitted to hospital for attempted suicide during 1973-82. A high proportion of suicides in all diagnostic categories took place within the first year of follow-up (14-64% in men, 14-54% in women); the highest short term risk was associated with bipolar and unipolar disorder (64% in men, 42% in women) and schizophrenia (56% in men, 54% in women). The strongest psychiatric predictors of completed suicide throughout the entire follow-up were schizophrenia (adjusted hazard ratio 4.1, 95% confidence interval 3.5 to 4.8 in men, 3.5, 2.8 to 4.4 in women) and bipolar and unipolar disorder (3.5, 3.0 to 4.2 in men, 2.5, 2.1 to 3.0 in women). Increased risks were also found for other depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, alcohol misuse (women), drug misuse, and personality disorder. The highest population attributable fractions for suicide among people who had previously attempted suicide were found for other depression in women (population attributable fraction 9.3), followed by schizophrenia in men (4.6), and bipolar and unipolar disorder in women and men (4.1 and 4.0, respectively). Type of psychiatric disorder coexistent with a suicide attempt substantially influences overall risk and temporality for completed suicide. To reduce this risk, high risk patients need aftercare, especially during the first two years after attempted suicide among patients with schizophrenia or bipolar and unipolar disorder.
Relating to self-harm and suicide prevention: psychoanalytic perspectives on practice, theory and prevention
- Editors:
- BRIGGS Stephen, LEMMA Alessandra, CROUCH William, (eds.)
- Publisher:
- Routledge
- Publication year:
- 2008
- Pagination:
- 272p.
- Place of publication:
- London
Based on the papers and dialogue that took place at the 2nd International Suicidality and Psychoanalysis Congress in 2006, this book presents studies and research from psychoanalysts, therapists and academics. It focuses on the psychoanalytic understanding of suicide and self-harm and how this can be applied to clinical work and policy. Its three sections cover: a theoretical overview, examples of psychoanalytic practice with self-harming and suicidal patients, and applications of psychoanalytic thinking to suicide and self-harm prevention.
Is it worth investing in mental health promotion and prevention of mental illness? A systematic review of the evidence from economic evaluations
- Authors:
- ZECHMEISTER Ingrid, et al
- Journal article citation:
- BMC Public Health, 8(20), January 2008, Online only
- Publisher:
- BioMed Central Ltd
This systematic review aimed to identify and assess economic evaluations in mental health promotion and the prevention of mental illness to support prioritisation of resource allocation. Health and non health related bibliographic databases were reviewed, key journals hand searched and grey literature analysed. Economic evaluations of programmes that address mental health outcome parameters directly, those that address relevant risk factors of mental illness, as well as suicide prevention interventions were included, while evaluations of drug therapies were excluded. Fourteen studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. There was evidence that interventions can be cost-effective, especially when aimed at children and adolescents, but the wide variation in the methods used, the quality of the studies, and the target populations do not allow specific recommendations to be drawn.
Correlates of victimization in a juvenile justice population
- Authors:
- CROYSDALE Allison E., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Aggression Maltreatment and Trauma, 17(1), 2008, pp.103-117.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
The Practical Adolescent Dual Diagnostic Interview (PADDI) was administered to 435 males and 61 females in juvenile justice facilities and adolescent diversion courts to assess the prevalence of mental health and substance use disorders in relation to physical, sexual and/or emotional maltreatment. The majority of the 72% of females and 48% of males who had experienced maltreatment were more likely than those who had not to have diagnostic indications of behavioural or mental health disorders, while their odds of having attempted suicide were more than twice as high.
Finding Jericho
- Author:
- JEFFERY Dave
- Publisher:
- Chipmunkapublishing
- Publication year:
- 2008
- Pagination:
- 295p.
- Place of publication:
- Brentwood
Novel about the trials of growing up and about the prejudice projected onto those who have had mental health problems and their families. Jeffery understands the basis of victimisation and alienation: the fears and insecurities of the perpetrators themselves. But this is no simplistic moralistic tale. Through his close understanding of human emotion and communication, Jeffery shows that it is possible for victim and perpetrator to simultaneously exist within us all and, ultimately, to change.
Huntington's disease
- Author:
- QUARRELL Oliver
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- Publication year:
- 2008
- Pagination:
- 154p.
- Place of publication:
- Oxford
- Edition:
- 2nd ed.
Huntington's Disease is a genetically inherited condition, the result of severe nerve-cell damage in the brain. Due to the recent identification of the gene involved, and the debilitating nature of the disease, a great many more people are now affected either directly or indirectly (families and carers) by this condition. The majority of people develop the disease between the ages of 35 and 55, so for those that are aware of a genetic inheritance, there are enormous problems to confront - should you carry on life as normal? Should you start a family? In this, the first book on Huntington's disease written for sufferers and their families, advice is given on living with this disabling illness. Written as much for carers as for the patients themselves, the book aims to answer some of the questions that both sufferer and carer might have. With the identification of the responsible gene, genetic counselling is now available for those at risk of developing the disease. Though some may wish not to use these services, the book clearly explains the role of the counsellor, and what help is additionally available from the various patient organisations worldwide.
Cues and knowledge structures used by mental-health professionals when making risk assessments
- Authors:
- BUCKINGHAM Christopher D., ADAMS Ann, MACE Chris
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Mental Health, 17(3), June 2008, pp.299-314.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- London
Research into mental-health risks has tended to focus on epidemiological approaches and to consider pieces of evidence in isolation. Less is known about the particular factors and their patterns of occurrence that influence clinicians' risk judgements in practice. This research aims to identify the cues used by clinicians to make risk judgements and to explore how these combine within clinicians' psychological representations of suicide, self-harm, self-neglect, and harm to others. Content analysis was applied to semi-structured interviews conducted with 46 practitioners from various mental-health disciplines, using mind maps to represent the hierarchical relationships of data and concepts. Most of the participants were from psychiatric nursing (21)and psychiatry (14), but social workers (3), general practitioners (3), and psychologists (3) were also represented. Strong consensus between experts meant their knowledge could be integrated into a single hierarchical structure for each risk. This revealed contrasting emphases between data and concepts underpinning risks, including: reflection and forethought for suicide; motivation for self-harm; situation and context for harm to others; and current presentation for self-neglect. Analysis of experts' risk-assessment knowledge identified influential cues and their relationships to risks. It can inform development of valid risk-screening decision support systems that combine actuarial evidence with clinical expertise.