Energy poverty in the Energy Community region: Interrogating policy formulation and coverage.

The capacity of the state to develop and implement policy at the complex nexus of energy infrastructure, social inequality and housing is indicative of the political priorities of governing structures and, by extension, the nature of statecraft more generally. We compare and contrast the energy poverty amelioration policies of two former Yugoslav and two post-Soviet states located outside the European Union, but seeking to join its regulatory sphere - Serbia, Montenegro, Ukraine and Georgia - against the background of deep and persistent patterns of domestic energy hardship. We are particularly interested in uncovering the time horizons, socio-technical systems and target constituencies of different policy measures, as well as energy sector-specific responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. We find that most states in the region have done little to address some of the more substantive challenges around improving housing quality, energy efficiency and gender inequality. However, energy poverty is present in the policy lexicon of all case study countries, and Ukraine, in particular, has advanced a number of more sophisticated approaches and programmes.

Self-poisoning as a cause of admission in a medical intensive care unit and a question of misuse of prescription medications.

BACKGROUND: Self-poisoning accounts for between 3 and 17% of intensive care unit (ICU) admissions. OBJECTIVES: To display the misused substances, intention, and outcome of patients admitted to the ICU due to self-poisoning. METHODS: A retrospective review of ICU admissions using an electronic patient database was performed. RESULTS: A total of 149 patients were admitted, accounting for 4.6% of ICU admissions. Self-poisoning with self-harm was more frequent than without self-harm intent (62.4% vs. 37.6%). 64.4% of ingested substances were misused prescribed drugs. Females used antipsychotics (X2 = 15, p< 0.05) and benzodiazepines (X2 =11.52, p< 0.05), and males ingested antipsychotics (X2 = 12, p< 0.05) with a self-harm intent. Antipsychotics were always used with a self-harm intent. Illicit drugs (X2 =9.14, p< 0.05) and ethanol (X2 =7.34, p< 0.05) were mostly used without self-harm intent. 102 patients (68.5%) continued treatment in a psychiatric clinic, more often women (X2 (1,N = 145)=7.94, p< 0.005). The readmission rate was low. Mortality was 2.6%. CONCLUSION: Self-poisoning is an infrequent cause of ICU admission. Prescribed psychotropic medications, including benzodiazepines, antipsychotics, and antidepressants were the most frequently misused substances. Psychiatric consultation before the ICU discharge and subsequent psychiatric treatment might lower the repetition and readmission rate.