A State-Wide Initiative to Improve Health System Responses to People With Borderline Personality Disorder Symptoms in Crisis: A Retrospective Audit.

Gold Card SA is a four-session structured psychological intervention offered soon after an acute crisis presentation to people with symptoms characteristic of borderline personality disorder. This study describes individual and system-level outcomes from a large-scale health-care improvement initiative to implement Gold Card SA across South Australia. An uncontrolled pre-post study design was utilized examining service user (n = 332) patient-reported outcome measures and hospital service utilization records (6 months before and after Gold Card SA). Mixed-effects negative binomial regression analysis revealed a significant decrease in rates of service utilization across emergency department presentations (63%), mental health-related inpatient admissions (65%), and bed days (82%). Linear mixed-effect regression indicated large reductions in borderline symptoms and nonspecific psychological distress, and small to moderate improvements in psychosocial functioning. People presenting with or experiencing borderline personality disorder symptoms may benefit from a brief crisis intervention embedded within a stepped care model.

Attitudes of psychiatry trainees towards patients with borderline personality disorder: Does the stigma begin during training?

Research suggests there is a widespread stigma among clinicians towards patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) and that this contributes to poor treatment outcomes. Given the influence of learning environments in shaping perceptions, this study investigated the attitude of South Australian psychiatry trainees towards patients with BPD. A questionnaire was distributed to 89 South Australian doctors, from both The Adelaide Prevocational Psychiatry Program (TAPPP) and psychiatry trainees of The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP). This questionnaire investigated the domains of treatment optimism, clinician attitude and empathy towards patients with BPD. Results indicated that psychiatry trainees near the end of training scored significantly lower across all domains, indicating a more negative perception of patients with BPD, when compared to early- and mid-stage trainees. This study identifies a need to understand why trainees closer to qualifying as psychiatrists have increased stigma towards patients with BPD. Improved education and training surrounding patients with BPD is warranted to reduce negative stigma and improve clinical outcomes.