Organizing care for persons with psychotic disorders and risk of or existing diabetes mellitus type 2.

This literature review aimed to explore previous knowledge about specific care requirements for persons with psychotic disorders and risk of or existing type 2 diabetes. Sixteen qualitative and quantitative studies in the area were identified and summarized. The studies together indicate that mental health nurses play an important role in motivating people to perform diabetes care as they are often known to and trusted by the patients. A holistic approach to the person's health, with close follow-ups by psychiatric care and cooperation with diabetes care, may have benefits for the person with diabetes. Screening for and treating psychotic symptoms is an important task for the mental health nurse, as these symptoms drain energy from the person and prevent diabetes self-care. Lifestyle and diabetes education needs to be practical, adapted to the individual and focused on maintaining a healthy diet, regular exercise, changing smoking habits and preventing diabetes complications. Treatment with antipsychotic drugs increases the need for follow-ups of glycaemic control.

Needs and care of migrants considered as severely mentally ill--cross-sectional and longitudinal studies of a Swedish sample.

PURPOSE: Higher incidence of mental illnesses and less access to care is previously reported concerning migrants but few studies focus on the needs and care of migrant groups in psychiatry. The aim of this study was to compare differences in needs and care between migrant and nonmigrant groups of severely and persistently mentally ill (SMI) after the 1995 Swedish mental health care reform. METHODS: In a Swedish area, inventories were made in 2001 and 2006 of persons considered as SMI. These persons were interviewed and their needs were assessed. In a cross-sectional study in 2006, needs and care were compared between migrants and nonmigrants. In a longitudinal study, migrants and nonmigrants interviewed in both 2001 and 2006 were compared concerning the development of needs and care. RESULTS: The needs of the migrant group were less taken care of. In 2006, there were more unmet needs in this group concerning accommodation, physical health, psychological distress, basic education and economy. CONCLUSION: The improvement of groups considered as SMI concerning functional disability and efforts of care found in the actual area did not seem to include the migrant group, at least not to the same degree.

Immigrants in emergency care: Swedish health care staff's experiences.

BACKGROUND: During the past few decades Sweden has developed into a multicultural society. The proportion of patients with different cultural backgrounds increases, which naturally makes new demands on health care staff. AIM: To identify whether staff in somatic and psychiatric emergency care experienced problems in the care of migrants, and if so to compare these. METHOD: The study design was explorative. Focus group interviews of 22 women and 13 men working as nurses and assistant nurses at an emergency ward, an ambulance service and a psychiatric intensive care unit were held. FINDINGS: The results showed that the main problems experienced in all wards were difficulties related to caring for asylum-seeking refugees. Some dissimilarities were revealed: unexpected behaviours in migrants related to cultural differences described by staff working in the emergency ward; migrants' refusal to eat and drink and their inactive behaviour in the psychiatric ward; and a lot of non-emergency runs by the ambulance staff because of language barriers between the emergency services centre and migrants. CONCLUSION: The main problems experienced by the health care staff were situations in which they were confronted with the need to care for asylum-seeking refugees. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: These emphasize the importance of support from organizational structures and national policies to develop models for caring for asylum-seeking refugees. Simple routines and facilities to communicate with foreign-language-speaking migrants need to be developed. Health care staff need a deeper understanding of individual needs in the light of migrational and cultural background.