Mental health status of the South Australian population.

OBJECTIVE: To determine, by the use of a telephone survey, the mental health status of SA adults (18+ years) using the GHQ-28, SF-12 and self-report as indicators of mental health, and to examine risk factors for mental health morbidity. SAMPLE: A random representative sample of South Australian adults selected from the Electronic White Pages. Overall, 2,501 interviews were conducted (74.0% response rate). RESULTS: Overall, 19.5% of respondents had a mental health problem as determined by the GHQ-28, 11.8% as determined by the mental health component summary score of the SF-12 and 11.9% self-reported a mental health condition. The percentage of people with a mental health problem who had used a psychologist or a psychiatrist in the previous 12 months was 9.6% for people diagnosed by the GHQ-28, 16.2% by SF-12 and 23.7% for self-report. The logistic regression analyses undertaken to describe people with a mental health problem as determined by the GHQ-28 and to describe people who visited a psychologist or psychiatrist produced different age categories, demographic and co-morbidity indicators. Variables found in both analyses included living in the metropolitan area, being economically inactive and being a high user of health services. CONCLUSIONS: One in five South Australian adults has a mental problem. Although the prevalence is higher for younger age groups, older adults are more likely to visit a psychologist or a psychiatrist. IMPLICATIONS: Telephone interviewing produces robust indicators of the prevalence of mental health problems and is a cost-effective way of identifying prevalence estimates or tracking changes over time.

Treating cognitive dysfunction in patients with schizophrenia.

Cognitive dysfunction is a common, chronically disabling component of schizophrenia. It has been proposed that many of the symptoms of schizophrenia can be understood as a result of disruption of fundamental cognitive processes. This paper reviews treatment strategies aimed at improving cognitive function in patients with schizophrenia. Nonpharmacologic interventions include instruction in the performance of tasks such as the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. Mixed results have been achieved, but it appears that instruction methods involving reinforcement of information held in working memory are more successful. Computer-aided remediation has also been used with variable success. Novel antipsychotic drugs appear to have an advantage over conventional antipsychotic drugs in terms of their effect on cognitive function. The development of more precisely tailored methods of remedial teaching, along with optimal pharmacologic treatment, may lead to more effective treatment of cognitive dysfunction in patients with schizophrenia.