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1.
Int J Clin Pharm ; 45(5): 1231-1240, 2023 Oct.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37805530

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Attitudes to mental illness are an important factor in the willingness of professionals to engage in mental health care. AIM: The aim of this study was to understand attitudes of undergraduate pharmacy students in Ireland to severe mental illness and the provision of medicines optimisation services as well as the variation in these attitudes throughout the undergraduate course. METHOD: A survey instrument was compiled using existing published research and validated questionnaires. The survey was distributed to students in their first, third and Master of Pharmacy years annually between 2014 and 2019. Although designed as a longitudinal study, following the matching process there were a limited number of students who completed more than one survey and therefore data were treated as independent samples. RESULTS: The overall average response rate was 25% per survey (n = 191 participants) Notwithstanding generally positive attitudes, a sizeable proportion of students felt people with severe depression and schizophrenia were hard to talk to (n = 48, 25.3%; n = 54, 29.2%) Less than half of MPharm students expressed confidence and competence in caring for people with more severe mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia and 29% (n = 60) of students would feel awkward asking someone about their antipsychotic medication. Almost two thirds (n = 120, 63.8%) expressed an interest in a career in mental health. CONCLUSION: Irish pharmacy students have generally positive attitudes towards people with severe mental illness and provision of medicines optimisation services. There is an opportunity to improve pharmacy graduates perceived competence and confidence to provide mental health services.


Subject(s)
Mental Disorders , Pharmacy , Students, Pharmacy , Humans , Cross-Sectional Studies , Attitude of Health Personnel , Students, Pharmacy/psychology , Mental Health , Longitudinal Studies , Mental Disorders/drug therapy , Mental Disorders/epidemiology , Surveys and Questionnaires
2.
Int J Clin Pharm ; 45(5): 1299-1301, 2023 Oct.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37212968

ABSTRACT

People with severe mental illness (SMI) have a shorter life expectancy than the rest of the population. Multimorbidity and poorer physical health contribute to this health inequality. Cardiometabolic multimorbidity confers a significant mortality risk in this population. Multimorbidity is not restricted to older people and people with SMI present with multimorbidity earlier in life. Despite this, most screening, prevention and treatment strategies target older people. People under 40 years with SMI are underserved by current guidelines for cardiovascular risk assessment and reduction. Research is needed to develop and implement interventions to reduce cardiometabolic risk in this population.


Subject(s)
Cardiovascular Diseases , Mental Disorders , Humans , Aged , Health Status Disparities , Mental Disorders/diagnosis , Mental Disorders/epidemiology , Mental Disorders/therapy , Risk Assessment , Cardiovascular Diseases/diagnosis , Cardiovascular Diseases/epidemiology , Cardiovascular Diseases/prevention & control
3.
Fam Pract ; 40(1): 138-151, 2023 02 09.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35809035

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Homeless populations (HPs) have difficulties obtaining necessary medical care, and primary health care service outreach (PHSO) might be useful to bridge this gap. OBJECTIVE: Using the Centre for Evidence-Based Management Critically Appraised Topics framework, to provide systematic evidence of the usefulness of PHSO interventions for HPs. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted in 4 electronic databases: PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL, and Cochrane (publication dates between January 1980 and November 2020). In total, 2,872 articles were identified. Primary research about PHSO for HPs in high-income countries were included. Data were extracted from eligible studies, summarized, and collated into a narrative account. RESULTS: Twenty-four studies that described and evaluated PHSO interventions for adults experiencing homelessness were selected in the final synthesis. Most studies had a nonrandomized design. PHSO was found to successfully address some barriers to health care access for HPs through flexible appointments in convenient locations, fostering an understanding relationship between doctor and patients, and provision of additional basic necessities and referrals. Outreach was provided for a range of health care concerns, and several solutions to engage more HPs in primary care, improve continuity of care and to decrease the running costs were identified. Outreach also helped to implement preventative measures and reduced emergency service admissions. CONCLUSION: Our review adds to the evidence that PHSO likely improves health care access for HPs. Further studies over longer time periods, involving collaborations with experts with lived experience of homelessness, and utilizing randomized study designs are needed to test outreach efficacy.


Subject(s)
Health Services , Ill-Housed Persons , Adult , Humans , Health Services Accessibility , Primary Health Care
4.
BMC Psychiatry ; 22(1): 585, 2022 09 03.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36057589

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The life expectancy of people with severe mental illness (SMI) is shorter than those without SMI, with multimorbidity and poorer physical health contributing to health inequality. Screening tools could potentially assist the optimisation of medicines to protect the physical health of people with SMI. The aim of our research was to design and validate a medicines optimisation tool (OPTIMISE) to help clinicians to optimise physical health in people with SMI. METHODS: A review of existing published guidelines, PubMed and Medline was carried out. Literature was examined for medicines optimisation recommendations and also for reference to the management of physical illness in people with mental illness. Potential indicators were grouped according to physiological system. A multidisciplinary team with expertise in mental health and the development of screening tools agreed that 83 indicators should be included in the first draft of OPTIMISE. The Delphi consensus technique was used to develop and validate the contents. A 17-member multidisciplinary panel of experts from the UK and Ireland completed 2 rounds of Delphi consensus, rating their level of agreement to 83 prescribing indicators using a 5-point Likert scale. Indicators were accepted for inclusion in the OPTIMISE tool after achieving a median score of 1 or 2, where 1 indicated strongly agree and 2 indicated agree, and 75th centile value of ≤ 2. Interrater reliability was assessed among 4 clinicians across 20 datasets and the chance corrected level of agreement (kappa) was calculated. The kappa statistic was interpreted as poor if 0.2 or less, fair if 0.21-0.4, moderate if 0.41-0.6, substantial if 0.61-0.8, and good if 0.81-1.0. RESULTS: Consensus was achieved after 2 rounds of Delphi for 62 prescribing indicators where 53 indicators were accepted after round 1 and a further 9 indicators were accepted after round 2. Interrater reliability of OPTIMISE between physicians and pharmacists indicated a substantial level of agreement with a kappa statistic of 0.75. CONCLUSIONS: OPTIMISE is a 62 indicator medicines optimisation tool designed to assist decision making in those treating adults with SMI. It was developed using a Delphi consensus methodology and interrater reliability is substantial. OPTIMISE has the potential to improve medicines optimisation by ensuring preventative medicines are considered when clinically indicated. Further research involving the implementation of OPTIMISE is required to demonstrate its true benefit. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This article does not report the results of a health care intervention on human participants.


Subject(s)
Health Status Disparities , Mental Disorders , Adult , Consensus , Delphi Technique , Humans , Mental Disorders/complications , Mental Disorders/drug therapy , Reproducibility of Results
5.
Evid Based Ment Health ; 25(1): 15-22, 2022 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34588212

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Adjunctive metformin is the most well-studied intervention in the pharmacological management of antipsychotic-induced weight gain (AIWG). Although a relatively unaddressed area, among guidelines recommending consideration of metformin, prescribing information that would facilitate its applied use by clinicians, for example, provision of a dose titration schedule is absent. Moreover, recommendations differ regarding metformin's place in the hierarchy of management options. Both represent significant barriers to the applied, evidence-based use of metformin for this indication. OBJECTIVE: To produce a guideline solely dedicated to the optimised use of metformin in AIWG management, using internationally endorsed guideline methodology. METHODS: A list of guideline key health questions (KHQs) was produced. It was agreed that individual recommendations would be 'adopted or adapted' from current guidelines and/or developed de novo, in the case of unanswered questions. A systematic literature review (2008-2020) was undertaken to identify published guidelines and supporting (or more recent) research evidence. Quality appraisal was undertaken using the Appraisal of Guidelines Research and Evaluation II tool, A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) assessment,and the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool, where appropriate. Assessment of evidence certainty and recommendation development was undertaken using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) methodology. FINDINGS: We confirmed that no published guideline-of appropriate quality, solely dedicated to the use of metformin to manage AIWG was available. Recommendations located within other guidelines inadequately addressed our KHQs. CONCLUSION: All 11 recommendations and 7 supporting good practice developed here were formulated de novo. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: These recommendations build on the number and quality of recommendations in this area, and facilitate the optimised use of metformin when managing AIWG.


Subject(s)
Antipsychotic Agents , Metformin , Psychotic Disorders , Adult , Antipsychotic Agents/adverse effects , Humans , Metformin/adverse effects , Psychotic Disorders/drug therapy , Weight Gain
6.
BMJ Open ; 11(1): e040387, 2021 01 31.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33518516

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Guidelines for antipsychotic use in first-episode psychosis (FEP) recommend that medication be chosen initially on the basis of side effect profile with doses at the lower end of the range. Our objective was to describe the pattern of antipsychotic use in FEP over a period of 21 years in the context of changing clinical guidelines and the development of specialist early intervention in psychosis (EIP) services. SETTING: A community-based mental health service in South County Dublin (population 187 000) and a large private hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Participants included 465 patients with FEP (146 from an epidemiological study (1995-1999) and 319 from a specialist EIP service (2005-2016)). Treatment with antipsychotic medication did not exceed 30 days at study entry. OUTCOME MEASURES: This is a descriptive study of prescribing practices in the context of service development and changing guidelines. RESULTS: First-generation antipsychotics were prescribed for 65% of the early cohort compared with 4.3% of the EIP cohort. Olanzapine was initially prescribed for 79.7% of EIP patients. Initial doses of medication were frequently low (≤50% British National Formulary (BNF) maximum) in both cohorts (71% and 78.6%). The demographic and clinical factors investigated did not influence the initial choice of antipsychotic medication significantly. Univariate logistic regression analysis suggested inpatient treatment setting was associated with a higher initial dose (>50% BNF maximum) of antipsychotic medication. Increasing dose requirements over the first month of engagement with an EIP service was associated with poorer global functioning at baseline, greater positive symptoms at baseline and the inpatient treatment setting. However, these associations were not seen in the multivariable model. CONCLUSIONS: Second-generation antipsychotic prescribing predominates, but guidelines are often overlooked when choosing olanzapine notwithstanding lower initial dosages. EIP services should include proactive support for optimising medicines in line with evidence-based guidelines.


Subject(s)
Antipsychotic Agents , Psychotic Disorders , Antipsychotic Agents/therapeutic use , Hospitalization , Humans , Olanzapine/therapeutic use , Psychotic Disorders/drug therapy , Retrospective Studies
7.
Ther Adv Psychopharmacol ; 10: 2045125320957119, 2020.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33029344

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Antipsychotics are associated with a range of side-effects that can influence patients' subjective well-being negatively resulting in poor adherence. In order to limit the negative consequences of side-effects, they should be regularly systematically assessed. The aim of this study was to systematically assess antipsychotic side-effects in an inpatient cohort using validated rating scales. METHODS: Eligible individuals prescribed an antipsychotic for at least 2 weeks were invited to have their side-effects assessed systematically. RESULTS: A total of 208 individuals were assessed systematically for antipsychotic side-effects; 71.5% (n = 138) stated that they had not reported side-effects to their clinician prior to the assessment. The most commonly reported side-effects were daytime drowsiness (75%), dry mouth (58.2%) and weight gain (50.0%), while the most distressing side-effects reported were erectile dysfunction (35.0%), sexual dysfunction (26.3%) and amenorrhoea (26.3%). There was no evidence of an association between side-effect severity/number of side-effects reported/distress caused by those taking high dose/combination antipsychotics versus standard dose monotherapy. CONCLUSION: Side-effects must be regularly and systematically assessed using a validated rating scale. As distress caused by side-effects plays a major role in non-adherence, assessment should examine distress and data on distressing side-effects should be available to those choosing an antipsychotic. Given the lack of correlation between high dose/combination antipsychotics and side-effects, treatment should be tailored to the individual based on response/tolerance and dose reduction/avoidance of polypharmacy should not be recommended to minimise side-effects.

8.
J Psychopharmacol ; 34(5): 567-573, 2020 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32297836

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: One-third of individuals with schizophrenia have treatment-resistant illness. Of these, up to 60% will respond to clozapine treatment. AIMS: This study retrospectively examined clozapine prescribing patterns against National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines as treatment-resistant illness emerged in a first-episode psychosis cohort. METHODS: A total of 339 individuals with a first-episode psychosis were included in the study. Clozapine prescribing patterns were compared against the NICE guidelines and the impact of clozapine use on one index of service utilisation (hospitalisation) was assessed. RESULTS: A total of 32 individuals (9.4%) from the cohort were prescribed clozapine. The mean time to clozapine trial was 2.1 years (SD 1.95; range 0.17-6.25). The mean number of adequate trials of antipsychotic prior to starting clozapine was 2.74 (SD 1.13; range 1-5). Following clozapine initiation, mean hospital admissions per year reduced from 2.3 to 0.3 (p=0.00). Mean hospital days pre- and post-clozapine also reduced (147 vs. 53; p=0.00). In total, 18 patients discontinued clozapine use during follow-up - 5 temporarily and 13 permanently. CONCLUSIONS: Patients are being prescribed clozapine earlier than previously demonstrated, though delays are still evident, and many patients discontinue treatment. More work needs to be undertaken to understand and address factors which lead to its discontinuation.


Subject(s)
Antipsychotic Agents/administration & dosage , Clozapine/administration & dosage , Practice Patterns, Physicians'/statistics & numerical data , Psychotic Disorders/drug therapy , Adult , Cohort Studies , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Hospitalization/statistics & numerical data , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Retrospective Studies , Schizophrenia/drug therapy , Time Factors , Young Adult
9.
Am J Pharm Educ ; 83(9): 7138, 2019 11.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31871345

ABSTRACT

Objective. To develop a model system for involving patients and caregivers in curriculum development of mental health education in an undergraduate pharmacy program. Methods. Purposive recruitment was used to convene a focus group of nine people with experience in using mental health services from either the patient or caregiver perspective. Group members were asked about their experience with using pharmacy services and their suggestions for enhancement of the undergraduate curriculum. Thematic analysis was conducted independently by two researchers. Results. Patients and caregivers believed that pharmacists could contribute to the care of people who experience mental health conditions by supporting shared decision making, providing information, actively managing side effects of psychotropic medication, and conducting regular medication review. Subjects suggested that the pharmacy undergraduate curriculum should introduce mental health from the beginning, include self-care for students, integrate mental and physical health education, and enhance students' communication skills. The curriculum should include broader issues relevant to mental health beyond the use of medication, such as stigma, the recovery approach, and interprofessional cooperation. These changes could support graduates in engaging proactively with people experiencing mental health difficulties. Conclusion. Involving patients and caregivers in the design of an undergraduate pharmacy curriculum in mental health resulted in a more person-centered and student-centered approach to mental health education at our university. Ultimately, the changes made to the undergraduate curriculum will improve the ability of pharmacy graduates to better meet the needs of patients.


Subject(s)
Caregivers/psychology , Education, Pharmacy/methods , Mental Health/education , Students, Pharmacy , Curriculum , Female , Focus Groups , Humans , Male , Pharmaceutical Services/organization & administration , Pharmacists/organization & administration , Pilot Projects , Professional Role
10.
Am J Pharm Educ ; 83(5): 6784, 2019 06.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31333259

ABSTRACT

Objective. To create a brief, experiential educational intervention for undergraduate pharmacy students aimed at developing appropriate attitudes, knowledge, and skills for the delivery of recovery-focused pharmacy services to people with mental illness, and to elicit student perceptions of the value and impact of the intervention. Methods. A brief intervention was developed in which a cohort of 44 fourth-year pharmacy students attended a psychiatric teaching hospital in groups of 10 to12. The intervention was integrated into the therapeutics module, and was based on Fink's taxonomy of learning. Delivery of the intervention included input from a multidisciplinary team of mental health professionals and the use of active-learning strategies to give students an insight into the holistic approach to care and the patient journey. Students participated in an exercise in reflective practice following the visit. Content analysis was performed on the reflective writings of consenting students to identify themes and insights gained. Results. Thirty-eight of the 44 students gave their consent for their reflective writings to be analyzed for the purpose of this research. Students expressed some apprehension before their visit to the hospital, but later gained an appreciation of the patient experience of care in the psychiatric setting. Students also described having a greater appreciation of the role of the pharmacist in caring for psychiatric patients as well as an insight into the role of other health care professionals and interventions supporting recovery. Conclusion. A brief experiential intervention helped students integrate their learning and appreciate the value of their expertise in supporting those experiencing mental illness.


Subject(s)
Education, Pharmacy/methods , Problem-Based Learning/methods , Students, Pharmacy/psychology , Attitude of Health Personnel , Curriculum , Feedback , Health Education/trends , Hospitals, Psychiatric , Humans
12.
BMJ Open ; 7(1): e013881, 2017 01 06.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28062471

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) support the translation of research evidence into clinical practice. Key health questions in CPGs ensure that recommendations will be applicable to the clinical context in which the guideline is used. The objectives of this study were to identify CPGs for the pharmacological treatment of first-episode schizophrenia; assess the quality of these guidelines using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II (AGREE II) instrument; and compare recommendations in relation to the key health questions that are relevant to the pharmacological treatment of first-episode schizophrenia. METHODS: A multidisciplinary group identified key health questions that are relevant to the pharmacological treatment of first-episode schizophrenia. The MEDLINE and EMBASE databases, websites of professional organisations and international guideline repositories, were searched for CPGs that met the inclusion criteria. The AGREE II instrument was applied by three raters and data were extracted from the guidelines in relation to the key health questions. RESULTS: In total, 3299 records were screened. 10 guidelines met the inclusion criteria. 3 guidelines scored well across all domains. Recommendations varied in specificity. Side effect concerns, rather than comparative efficacy benefits, were a key consideration in antipsychotic choice. Antipsychotic medication is recommended for maintenance of remission following a first episode of schizophrenia but there is a paucity of evidence to guide duration of treatment. Clozapine is universally regarded as the medication of choice for treatment resistance. There is less evidence to guide care for those who do not respond to clozapine. CONCLUSIONS: An individual's experience of using antipsychotic medication for the initial treatment of first-episode schizophrenia may have implications for future engagement, adherence and outcome. While guidelines of good quality exist to assist in medicines optimisation, the evidence base required to answer key health questions relevant to the pharmacological treatment of first-episode schizophrenia is limited.


Subject(s)
Antipsychotic Agents/therapeutic use , Practice Guidelines as Topic/standards , Schizophrenia/drug therapy , Administration, Oral , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Drug Resistance , Humans , Middle Aged , Young Adult
13.
Schizophr Res ; 168(1-2): 505-13, 2015 Oct.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26276305

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The authors developed and validated a clozapine-specific side-effects scale capable of eliciting the subjectively unpleasant side-effects of clozapine. METHODS: Questions from the original Glasgow Antipsychotic Side-effects Scale (GASS) were compared to a list of the most commonly reported clozapine side-effects and those with a significant subjective burden were included in the GASS for Clozapine (GASS-C). The original authors of the GASS and a group of mental health professionals from the UK and Ireland were enlisted to comment on the questions in the GASS-C based on their clinical experience. 110 clozapine outpatients from two sites completed the GASS-C, the original GASS and a repeat GASS-C. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS for Windows version 19. RESULTS: The GASS-C was shown to have construct validity, in that Spearman's correlation coefficient was 0.816 (p<0.001) with the original GASS, whilst Cohen's kappa coefficient was >0.77 (p<0.001) for one question and >0.81 (p<0.001) for remaining relevant questions. GASS-C was also shown to have strong test-retest reliability, in that Cronbach's alpha coefficient was >0.907 (p<0.001), whilst Cohen's kappa coefficient was >0.81 (p<0.001) for 12 questions and >0.61 (p<0.001) for the remaining four questions. CONCLUSION: The GASS-C is a valid and reliable clinical tool to enable a systematic assessment of the subjectively unpleasant side-effects of clozapine. Future research should focus on how the scale can be utilised as a clinical tool to improve real-world outcomes such as adherence to clozapine therapy and quality of life.


Subject(s)
Antipsychotic Agents/adverse effects , Clozapine/adverse effects , Severity of Illness Index , Adult , Female , Humans , Ireland , Male , Middle Aged , Reproducibility of Results , United Kingdom , Young Adult
14.
Int J Biometeorol ; 58(10): 2045-57, 2014 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-24599495

ABSTRACT

Numerous studies have reported that admission rates in patients with affective disorders are subject to seasonal variation. Notwithstanding, there has been limited evaluation of the degree to which changeable daily meteorological patterns influence affective disorder admission rates. A handful of small studies have alluded to a potential link between psychiatric admission rates and meteorological variables such as environmental temperature (heat waves in particular), wind direction and sunshine. We used the Kruskal-Wallis test, ARIMA and time-series regression analyses to examine whether daily meteorological variables--namely wind speed and direction, barometric pressure, rainfall, hours of sunshine, sunlight radiation and temperature--influence admission rates for mania and depression across 12 regions in Ireland over a 31-year period. Although we found some very weak but interesting trends for barometric pressure in relation to mania admissions, daily meteorological patterns did not appear to affect hospital admissions overall for mania or depression. Our results do not support the small number of papers to date that suggest a link between daily meteorological variables and affective disorder admissions. Further study is needed.


Subject(s)
Hospitalization/statistics & numerical data , Hospitals, Psychiatric/statistics & numerical data , Mood Disorders/epidemiology , Weather , Adult , Female , Humans , Ireland/epidemiology , Male
15.
Int J Biometeorol ; 57(4): 497-508, 2013 Jul.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-22855350

ABSTRACT

Several studies have noted seasonal variations in admission rates of patients with psychotic illnesses. However, the changeable daily meteorological patterns within seasons have never been examined in any great depth in the context of admission rates. A handful of small studies have posed interesting questions regarding a potential link between psychiatric admission rates and meteorological variables such as environmental temperature (especially heat waves) and sunshine. In this study, we used simple non-parametric testing and more complex ARIMA and time-series regression analysis to examine whether daily meteorological patterns (wind speed and direction, barometric pressure, rainfall, sunshine, sunlight and temperature) exert an influence on admission rates for psychotic disorders across 12 regions in Ireland. Although there were some weak but interesting trends for temperature, barometric pressure and sunshine, the meteorological patterns ultimately did not exert a clinically significant influence over admissions for psychosis. Further analysis is needed.


Subject(s)
Hospitalization/statistics & numerical data , Hospitals, Psychiatric/statistics & numerical data , Psychotic Disorders/epidemiology , Weather , Adult , Female , Humans , Ireland/epidemiology , Male
16.
J Am Coll Health ; 60(8): 556-61, 2012.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23157197

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the drinking patterns of club and intramural college athletes and compare their alcohol consumption, perceived norms around the excessive use of alcohol, experience of negative consequences, and employment of protective strategies with those of campus varsity athletes. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 442 undergraduate students attending a private, suburban institution in the Northeast participated in the American College Health Association National College Health Assessment-II Web survey in spring 2011. Thirty-five students identified themselves as varsity athletes, 76 identified as club sport athletes, and 196 students identified themselves as intramural athletes. METHODS: Survey responses were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. The Pearson's correlation coefficient and test for independence were applied to identify significant relationships between athlete status and identified variables related to alcohol use. RESULTS: Results indicated that there were significant correlations between athlete status and all variables, to varying degrees. CONCLUSIONS: These findings have implications for campus health promotion professionals and athletics program coordinators seeking to address high-risk alcohol use among college athletes.


Subject(s)
Alcoholic Intoxication/epidemiology , Athletes/statistics & numerical data , Binge Drinking/epidemiology , Social Behavior , Alcoholic Intoxication/complications , Athletes/psychology , Binge Drinking/complications , Health Surveys , Humans , Internet , New England , Peer Group , Students/psychology , Students/statistics & numerical data , Universities/statistics & numerical data
17.
Early Interv Psychiatry ; 6(4): 432-41, 2012 Nov.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-22240156

ABSTRACT

AIM: Most national guidelines recommend psychological therapy for people with first-episode psychosis (FEP) but interventions proven effective in randomized control trials (RCTs) conducted in research settings do not always translate effectively to real-world clinical environments. In a limited health system, it is important to understand the system and patient barriers to participation in effective treatment. We sought to determine what patient characteristics influenced clinicians' decision to refer or not to refer to group cognitive behavioural therapy for FEP and what characteristics were associated with those referred attending/not attending and adhering/not adhering to the programme. METHODS: Between 2006 and 2008, all cases of confirmed FEP from a defined geographical region were examined using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-TR Axis I Disorders for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) diagnoses, the Scale for Assessment of Positive Symptoms, Scale for Assessment of Negative Symptoms, Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia and Birchwood Insight Scale. Duration of untreated psychosis was established using the Beiser Scale. RESULTS: Of the 124 (77 males, 47 females) people in the final sample, 88 (72%) were referred for cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), 52 (59%) attended and 12 (23%) did not complete CBT. Those with higher levels of insight into the need for treatment (U = 740.00, z = -2.63, P = 0.008) and higher levels of positive symptoms (t (120) = -3.064, P = 0.003) were more likely to be referred to CBT. Those with higher educational attainment (χ(2) = 9.48, P = 0.03) and fewer negative symptoms, particularly in relation to global attention (t (85) = 2.32, P = 0.03), were more likely to attend and complete CBT. CONCLUSION: Within an early intervention service for FEP, it appears that individuals with less education, more negative symptoms and less insight experienced significant barriers to successfully completing group CBT. More information for referring clinicians about the benefits of CBT for FEP could help increase referral rates. Assertive outreach for people at risk of disengaging or non-adherence should also be considered.


Subject(s)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy/methods , Patient Compliance/psychology , Psychotherapy, Group/methods , Psychotic Disorders/therapy , Referral and Consultation/statistics & numerical data , Adolescent , Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Patient Compliance/statistics & numerical data , Psychiatric Status Rating Scales/statistics & numerical data , Psychotic Disorders/diagnosis , Psychotic Disorders/psychology
18.
J Nerv Ment Dis ; 198(11): 820-3, 2010 Nov.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-21048473

ABSTRACT

Most studies of First Rank Symptoms (FRS) are based on cross-sectional inpatient samples of people with schizophrenia at various stages of illness. We sought to examine the prevalence of FRS in a representative sample of first episode psychosis patients and compare those with and without FRS clinically and in terms of duration of untreated illness. Information was gathered from 158 consecutive cases of first episode psychosis presenting in a defined geographical region through semi-structured interview tools. Of this sample, 40.5% of cases received a diagnosis of schizophrenia. The prevalence of FRS among the entire group was 52.5%. After controlling for multiple testing, no FRS contributed significantly to predicting a diagnosis of schizophrenia. There was no significant relationship between the duration of untreated illness and FRS.


Subject(s)
Bipolar Disorder/diagnosis , Bipolar Disorder/epidemiology , Depressive Disorder, Major/diagnosis , Depressive Disorder, Major/epidemiology , Psychiatric Status Rating Scales/statistics & numerical data , Psychotic Disorders/diagnosis , Psychotic Disorders/epidemiology , Schizophrenia/diagnosis , Schizophrenia/epidemiology , Schizophrenic Psychology , Adult , Bipolar Disorder/psychology , Bipolar Disorder/therapy , Cross-Sectional Studies , Depressive Disorder, Major/psychology , Depressive Disorder, Major/therapy , Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders , Female , Humans , Interview, Psychological , Ireland , Male , Psychometrics/statistics & numerical data , Psychopathology , Psychotic Disorders/psychology , Psychotic Disorders/therapy , Reproducibility of Results , Schizophrenia/therapy , Socioeconomic Factors , Young Adult
20.
Eur Psychiatry ; 25(1): 33-8, 2010 Jan.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-19926257

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: International best-practice guidelines for the management of first-episode psychosis have recommended the provision of psychoeducation for multifamily groups. While there is ample evidence of their efficacy in multiepisode psychosis, there is a paucity of evidence supporting this approach specifically for first-episode psychosis. We sought to determine whether a six-week caregiver psychoeducation programme geared specifically at first-episode psychosis improves caregiver knowledge and attitudes. METHODS: Caregivers of people with first-episode psychosis completed a 23-item adapted version of the self-report Family Questionnaire (KQ) and a 17-item adapted version of the self-report Drug Attitudes Inventory (DAI) before and after the six-week DETECT Information and Support Course (DISC). Using a Generalised Linear Repeated Measures Model, we analyzed the differences in proportions of correct answers before and after the programme. RESULTS: Over a 24-month study period, 31 caregivers (13 higher socioeconomic; 13 lower socioeconomic; five unspecified socioeconomic; 19 female; 12 male) participated in the DISC programme and completed inventories before and after the course. Knowledge of psychosis and specific knowledge of medication treatment improved among caregivers overall (p<.01; effect sizes 0.78 and 0.94 respectively). There were no significant gender or socioeconomic differences in any improvement. DISCUSSION: This study confirms that caregiver psychoeducation specifically for first-episode psychosis directly improves knowledge of the illness overall and, in particular, knowledge of medication. Gender is not a factor in this, while the lack of any socioeconomic differences dispels the myth that patients in lower socioeconomic groups are disadvantaged because their caregivers know less.


Subject(s)
Caregivers/education , Psychotic Disorders/psychology , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Attitude to Health , Drug Therapy , Female , Guidelines as Topic , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Surveys and Questionnaires , Young Adult
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