ABSTRACT
Telemedicine may be useful in the delivery of clinical psychology services in the Highlands of Scotland, where geographical size and sociodemographic factors can hinder service delivery. The Highlands have a population of 210,000 at a density of approximately 8 people/km2, one of the lowest in the European Union. Despite a general lack of formal evaluation of telemedicine, especially in mental health, descriptive studies and patient satisfaction reports give grounds for optimism. There are several current applications of telemedicine in the Highlands, including cognitive-behavioural therapy, a comparative evaluation of neuropsychological assessments, and the treatment of children and their families. The projects are being formally evaluated and early results are encouraging.
Subject(s)
Medically Underserved Area , Psychiatry/methods , Telemedicine/methods , Humans , ScotlandABSTRACT
Studies of the victims of road traffic accidents and of violent crime have shown that a significant minority continue to display mood disorders and posttraumatic symptoms one year later; however, few studies have been conducted on victims of other kinds of accident. Thirty-one subjects admitted to hospitals after a mountain accident in the Scottish Highlands were followed up at 3-month intervals over 9 months to determine the prevalence of psychological sequelae; a variety of questionnaires were used to measure mood and other psychological effects. A large minority experienced at least mild depression and other negative consequences at follow-up, despite relatively minor physical injuries; subjects who experienced intrusive thoughts and avoidance of accident-related phenomena demonstrated the least recovery.
Subject(s)
Accidents/psychology , Athletic Injuries/psychology , Mountaineering/injuries , Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/diagnosis , Adjustment Disorders/diagnosis , Adjustment Disorders/psychology , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Mountaineering/psychology , Personality Inventory , Scotland , Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/psychologyABSTRACT
The Symptom Questionnaire is a simple and quick measure of emotional state; previous work has indicated that the Questionnaire has good reliability and validity. However the original sample on which it was based was small, and exclusively North American. Data from a large sample (N = 707) of British psychiatric in-patients, out-patients, day hospital attenders, and a non-patient population sample are presented. Consistent differences between the patient and non-patient samples were obtained on the scales, with a few exceptions; there were no significant differences due to sex.
