Search results for ‘Subject term:"severe mental health problems"’ Sort:
Results 1 - 10 of 40
Brief interventions for patients presenting to the psychiatric emergency service (PES) with major mental illnesses and at-risk drinking
- Authors:
- MILNER Karen K., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Community Mental Health Journal, 46(2), April 2010, pp.149-155.
- Publisher:
- Springer
This pilot study examines whether clinician-administered brief alcohol interventions are effective in reducing alcohol consumption in patients who screen positive for at-risk drinking in the psychiatric emergency setting. A total of 390 PES patients were screened; 87 (schizophrenia/bipolar disorder, n = 34; depression/anxiety, n = 53) met criteria for the study and received a brief alcohol intervention. Both groups reduced their drinking over the 6-months of the study. The results suggest that individuals with mental illnesses who drink at risk levels may benefit from a short, targeted brief alcohol intervention and that, delivery of these interventions is feasible in a psychiatric emergency setting
Hazardous alcohol use in general psychiatric outpatients
- Authors:
- EBERHARD Sophia, NORDSTROM Goran, OJEHAGEN Agneta
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Mental Health, 24(3), 2015, pp.162-167.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- London
Background: Hazardous alcohol use in psychiatric patients may increase the risk of the development of a substance use disorder and negatively affect the course of the psychiatric disorder. Aims: To investigate the prevalence of hazardous alcohol and drug use in a Swedish psychiatric outpatient population with particular focus on hazardous alcohol consumption and assess relationships of hazardous alcohol use to sex, age and psychiatric diagnosis. Methods: General psychiatric outpatients, n = 1,679, completed a self-rating Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). Results: Hazardous or harmful alcohol habits occurred among 22% of all women and 30% of all men with higher prevalence among younger patients. Nine percent of all women and 22 % of all men reported binge drinking. Binge drinking was more frequent in younger subjects. Women with a personality disorder diagnosis had a higher frequency of at risk drinking. Apart from that, psychiatric diagnosis was unrelated to rate of hazardous drinking. Conclusions: Hazardous alcohol use was common in this psychiatric outpatient population. With regard to possible risks related to drinking in psychiatric patients, alcohol habits should be assessed as a part of good clinical practice. (Publisher abstract)
Substance use motives and severe mental illness
- Authors:
- O'HARE Thomas, SHEN Ce
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Dual Diagnosis, 8(31), July 2012, pp.171-179.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
It is estimated that approximately half of patients with severe mental illness have a co-occurring lifetime substance use disorder. Although the consensus leans towards coping motives as the main driver, much of the research to date has focussed on examining motives by psychiatric diagnosis. Here the authors hypothesised that coping motives would positively predict substance use problems when psychiatric symptoms were controlled. They first validated the Drinking Motives Questionnaire-Revised (DMQ-R) and then went on to correlate symptoms common in severe mental illness with motives, such as social enhancement, personal enhancement and coping with negative emotions, with substance use. A total of 120 people with severe mental illness who drank in the previous six months took part in face-to-face interviews as part of routine community mental health care in Rhode Island. Measures included the DMQ-R, the BASIS-24, and a quantity-frequency measure of alcohol use, frequency of drugs used, and substance use problems. A three-factor version of the DMQ-R was well replicated, and linear regression revealed that coping motives varied positively and significantly with alcohol use and substance use problems. Personal enhancement motives varied with drug use. The authors suggest that although coping motives appear to be associated with more problematic substance use overall, coping and personal enhancement motives could be associated with the use of different substances.
Road to recovery
- Author:
- -
- Journal article citation:
- Mental Health Today, February 2007, pp.iii-iv.
- Publisher:
- Pavilion
- Place of publication:
- Hove
This article provides an overview of Support Link, a mental health outreach service for clients with dual diagnosis, run by Turning Point in Hertfordshire. The service offers individualised support that is vital if such needs are to be met. The article includes one clients views of the service.
With them all the way
- Authors:
- FERGUSON Iain, PETRIE Margaret, STALKER Kirsten
- Journal article citation:
- Mental Health Today, February 2007, pp.28-31.
- Publisher:
- Pavilion
- Place of publication:
- Hove
This article reports key findings from an 11-month study commissioned by the Greater Glasgow Health Board Primary Care Trust and completed in December 2004. The study explored the nature of needs, problems and the kinds of services and policies that homeless people with drug or alcohol problems and/or mental distress find helpful and with which they are more likely to engage. Unstructured interviews were conducted with 12 service users and 15 providers recruited from six agencies providing support to homeless people in Glasgow. One of the key findings to emerge from the study was the high value that service users placed on good relationships with staff.
Prevalence and patterns of substance misuse in schizophrenia: a catchment area case-control study
- Authors:
- CONDREN Rita M., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Psychiatric Bulletin, 25(1), January 2001, pp.17-20.
- Publisher:
- Royal College of Psychiatrists
This study aimed to identify the prevalence and patterns of substance misuse in patients with schizophrenia in a catchment population in Dublin, and to compare this with that of a control group from general practice. Prevalence of illicit substance and alcohol misuse was similar. Patterns of substance misuse were similar, apart from ecstasy, which was used more commonly by controls. Illicit substance misuse in patients with schizophrenia may mirror usage in the general population, rates of misuse reflecting cultural factors rather than illness and patterns of misuse reflecting geographical variations in the availability of drugs. A combination of screening methods is more effective than the use of a single source of information.
Detecting alcohol use disorders in the severely mentally ill
- Authors:
- BREAKEY William R., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Community Mental Health Journal, 34(2), April 1998, pp.165-174.
- Publisher:
- Springer
Dual diagnosis necessitates that clinicians are able to recognise its presence in people with disabling mental illnesses. This study demonstrates that professionals often miss the diagnosis, but their ability to detect alcoholism can be greatly enhanced by the use of a simple screening tool. Describes an American research project using two screening tests.
Drug and alcohol problems among individuals with severe mental illness in South London
- Authors:
- MENEZES Paulo R., et al
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Psychiatry, 168, May 1996, pp.612-619.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
High rates of comorbid alcohol and drug disorders have previously been found among individuals with severe mental illnesses such a schizophrenia and bipolar affective disorders. Clinical and social outcomes have been reported to be worse in this group and service costs greater than in individuals with severe mental illness only. This article looks at a study of these 'dual diagnosis' patients to study patterns of substance abuse. Concludes that the prevalence of substance problems among people suffering from severe mental disorders is high, and seems to be associated with greater use of in-patient services. Recognises this as a significant clinical problem, with cost implications.
Schizophrenia and substance abuse
- Authors:
- SMITH Jeanette, HUCKER Stephen
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Psychiatry, 165, July 1994, pp.13-21.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
Recent research from North America has demonstrated higher than expected rates of drug and alcohol abuse among the seriously mentally ill. Schizophrenics appear to be particularly susceptible to the negative effects of substance abuse. Reviews the literature and examines the strength of the association.
Lifetime trauma and suicide attempts in people with severe mental illness
- Authors:
- O'HARE Thomas, SHEN Ce, SHERRER Margaret
- Journal article citation:
- Community Mental Health Journal, 50(6), 2014, pp.673-680.
- Publisher:
- Springer
Associations were examined among six forms of common lifetime traumatic/adverse events and lifetime suicide attempts while controlling for gender, psychiatric symptoms, self-injury, and substance use in 371 community mental health clients with severe mental illness. Most clients (88.1 %) reported at least one traumatic event, and more than half had attempted suicide at least once. Regression revealed that three factors were significantly associated with lifetime suicide attempts: lifetime self-injurious behaviours, lifetime physical abuse, and alcohol use. Having been physically abused appears to be uniquely associated with lifetime suicide attempts when other key risk factors are controlled. Limitations include the cross-sectional design. (Edited publisher abstract)