Hazardous drinking and drinking patterns among the reindeer-herding Sami population in Sweden.

The objective of this study was to investigate hazardous drinking among reindeer-herding Sami in Sweden. A cross-sectional questionnaire study was conducted in 2007, which included the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test. A total of 319 reindeer-herding Sami were compared with urban and rural reference populations of 1,393 persons. Data were analyzed with regard to population, gender, age group, education, anxiety, depression, and work-related stress. The Sami population did not report a higher prevalence of hazardous drinking compared with the reference groups; however, subgroups of Sami men with symptoms of depression were revealed as at risk, in contrast to Sami women who were not found to be at risk at all. Limitations of the study are discussed.

Every third patient in primary care suffers from depression, anxiety or alcohol problems.

The aims of the study were to explore the prevalence of patients with depression and anxiety in primary care, its co-occurrence with hazardous/harmful alcohol use, and its relation to gender, age and reason for visit. A questionnaire, including the self-rating Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale and the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test, was consecutively distributed to 1800 patients at 11 primary healthcare centres in the county of Västerbotten, Sweden. The response rate was 77.3% (1392 patients), 38% men and 62% women. A total of 31.9% showed symptoms of depression and/or anxiety, with no gender differences. Harmful/hazardous alcohol use was found in 11.9% of the patients, 17.3% in men and 8.8% in women, although the region in Sweden has relatively low alcohol consumption among the population. Age was an important factor. Incidences of the conditions often occurred simultaneously. About half (51%) of those with harmful/hazardous alcohol use also showed symptoms of depression and/or anxiety. The most common causes for patients with symptoms of depression, anxiety or risk consumption of alcohol to seek care were the same as for the general population, namely complaints of pain or infection. Only 7.8% visited the primary care for psychiatric reasons, according to their own given reasons. In all, 38% of the patients showed signs of psychiatric symptoms and/or alcohol problems or a combination of these. The fact that every third patient showed symptoms of depression, anxiety and/or alcohol problems underlines the strategic position for early identification, intervention and treatment within primary healthcare.

Schizophrenia and violent crime: the experience of parents.

Individuals with schizophrenia have an increased risk of committing a violent crime, although their contribution to the overall criminality in society is small. In this qualitative study we have interviewed parents of adult sons, diagnosed with schizophrenia and who recently had been referred to forensic psychiatric treatment due to a violent crime, with an aim to explore the parents' experiences and emotional reactions. Four events, or status passages, emerged as crucial and common for all parents. These were the onset of the mental disorder, the diagnosis of schizophrenia, the violent behaviour/criminality and the recent referral to forensic psychiatric treatment. Every passage evoked strong emotional reactions such as guilt, fear, disappointment, anger and relief, which in return led to different actions taken. Unawareness of the character and severity of their sons' mental illness and the type of violent criminality they had committed were common and complicated contacts both between the parents and their sons, and also between family members and official authorities. The findings emphasize that psychiatric health care professionals must take the initiative and responsibility for information, education and support of family members.

Victim relations and victim gender in violent crimes committed by offenders with schizophrenia.

BACKGROUND: Family members and friends appear to be most at risk of becoming victims of violence committed by offenders with major mental disorders. The aim of the present study is to examine, in a national sample, victim relation in violent crimes committed by male offenders with schizophrenia, with special reference to victim gender and the severity of violence. METHOD: We identified all violent offenders who were diagnosed with schizophrenia in forensic psychiatric evaluations during the years 1992-2000 and examined their court convictions. In total 588 victims were included, 327 men and 261 women, and distributed into three groups based on their relation to the offender: Family of origin (n = 77), Network (n = 183) and Unacquainted (n = 328). RESULTS: The majority of the victims were unacquainted with the offender, but the violence was less severe in this group. Among family members, e. g. parents, siblings and grandparents, there were more female than male victims (60 % vs 40 %), and victims in families, as well as males within the offender's network, were those most likely to be seriously or fatally injured. Female family victims, in particular mothers, were those most likely to die as victims of severe violence. CONCLUSIONS: The study highlights the risk for family members and the immediate network of becoming a target of violence. Mental health services together with community-based services have an important task in identifying risk situations and taking preventive measures.