Articles

Psychosomatic problems among medical students: a myth or reality?

Medical students are exposed to stress and this can predispose them to psychological and behavioral consequences.

Authors: J. M. Chinawa, Ada R. C. Nwokocha, Pius C. Manyike, Awoere Tamunosiki Chinawa, Elias C. Aniwada and Appolos Chidi Ndukuba

Validating the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale as a screening tool for postpartum depression in Kathmandu, Nepal

Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) is considered well accepted screening tool for postpartum depression (PPD). The objective of the study was to validate the EPDS as a screening tool for postpartum de...

Authors: Babu Ram Bhusal, Nisha Bhandari, Manisha Chapagai and Tania Gavidia

Erratum to: Pathways to psychiatric care for mental disorders: a retrospective study of patients seeking mental health services at a public psychiatric facility in Ghana

Authors: Abdallah Ibrahim, Sidua Hor, Ozge S. Bahar, Duah Dwomoh, Mary M. McKay, Reuben K. Esena and Irene A. Agyepong

Psychotherapeutic and work-oriented interventions: employment outcomes among young adults with work disability due to a mental disorder

We examined the extent to which psychotherapeutic and work-oriented interventions were included in a medical treatment and rehabilitation plan and whether they predicted future employment among young adults wi...

Authors: Pauliina Mattila-Holappa, Matti Joensuu, Kirsi Ahola, Aki Koskinen, Katinka Tuisku, Jenni Ervasti and Marianna Virtanen

Knowledge evaluation in dementia care networks: a mixed-methods analysis of knowledge evaluation strategies and the success of informing family caregivers about dementia support services

In general, most people with dementia living in the community are served by family caregivers at home. A similar situation is found in Germany. One primary goal of dementia care networks is to provide informat...

Authors: Steffen Heinrich, Franziska Laporte Uribe, Markus Wübbeler, Wolfgang Hoffmann and Martina Roes

STRESS-testing clinical activity and outcomes for a combined prison in-reach and court liaison service: a 3-year observational study of 6177 consecutive male remands

People with major mental illness are over-represented in prison populations however there are few longitudinal studies of prison in-reach services leading to appropriate healthcare over extended periods.

Authors: Conor O’Neill, Damian Smith, Martin Caddow, Fergal Duffy, Philip Hickey, Mary Fitzpatrick, Fintan Caddow, Tom Cronin, Mark Joynt, Zetti Azvee, Bronagh Gallagher, Claire Kehoe, Catherine Maddock, Benjamin O’Keeffe, Louise Brennan, Mary Davoren…

Poly-victimisation and health risk behaviours, symptoms of mental health problems and suicidal thoughts and plans among adolescents in Vietnam

Limited evidence is available about poly-victimisation (exposure to multiple forms of victimisation) and mental health among adolescents in low and lower-middle-income countries. The aim of this study was to e...

Authors: Minh T. H. Le, Sara Holton, Huong T. Nguyen, Rory Wolfe and Jane Fisher

Study protocol: a cluster randomized controlled trial to assess the effectiveness of a therapeutic educational program in oral health for persons with schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a severe mental disorder that affects 1 % of the world’s population, including 600,000 people in France. Persons with schizophrenia (PWS) have excess mortality (their life expectancy is reduce...

Authors: Frederic Denis, Isabelle Millot, Nicolas Abello, Maud Carpentier, Audrey Peteuil and Agnès Soudry-Faure

Child responsible personnel in adult mental health services

Children who have parents with mental health problems are a vulnerable group. Intervening early to support parents with a mental illness can contribute to improve outcomes for children. Rigging the adult menta...

Authors: Camilla Lauritzen and Charlotte Reedtz

Pathways to psychiatric care for mental disorders: a retrospective study of patients seeking mental health services at a public psychiatric facility in Ghana

The process to seek for care by patients who experience episodes of mental disorders may determine how and where they receive the needed treatment. This study aimed to understand the pathways that people with ...

Authors: Abdallah Ibrahim, Sidua Hor, Ozge S. Bahar, Duah Dwomoh, Mary M. McKay, Reuben K. Esena and Irene A. Agyepong

Brunei’s teacher education programs: insights into students’ coping and help-seeking strategies to challenges

Brunei started implementing its two main reformed teacher education programs, MTeach and MEd, in 2009. The reasons for these innovations included upgrading the standard of teacher training, increasing teaching...

Authors: Lawrence Mundia, Masitah Shahrill, Jainatul Halida Jaidin, Rosmawijah Jawawi and Mar Aswandi Mahadi

Achievements of the Australian Access to Allied Psychological Services (ATAPS) program: summarising (almost) a decade of key evaluation data

Introduced in July 2001, Australian Access to Allied Psychological Services (ATAPS) was the inaugural national policy initiative to provide community access to government-funded psychological services in prima...

Authors: Bridget Bassilios, Angela Nicholas, Lennart Reifels, Kylie King, Justine Fletcher, Anna Machlin, Maria Ftanou, Grant Blashki, Philip Burgess and Jane Pirkis

Information systems for mental health in six low and middle income countries: cross country situation analysis

Research on information systems for mental health in low and middle income countries (LMICs) is scarce. As a result, there is a lack of reliable information on mental health service needs, treatment coverage a...

Authors: Nawaraj Upadhaya, Mark J. D. Jordans, Jibril Abdulmalik, Shalini Ahuja, Atalay Alem, Charlotte Hanlon, Fred Kigozi, Dorothy Kizza, Crick Lund, Maya Semrau, Rahul Shidhaye, Graham Thornicroft, Ivan H. Komproe and Oye Gureje

Feasibility of an interactive voice response system for monitoring depressive symptoms in a lower-middle income Latin American country

Innovative, scalable solutions are needed to address the vast unmet need for mental health care in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Authors: Mary R. Janevic, Amparo C. Aruquipa Yujra, Nicolle Marinec, Juvenal Aguilar, James E. Aikens, Rosa Tarrazona and John D. Piette

Narrative descriptions of miyo-mahcihoyān (physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being) from a contemporary néhiyawak (Plains Cree) perspective

There are unequivocal health disparities, both physical and mental, between the Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples of Canada.

Authors: Holly Graham and Stephanie Martin

Psychosis and help-seeking behavior in rural KwaZulu Natal: unearthing local insights

Growing interest in strategies regarding early intervention for psychosis has led to a parallel interest in understanding help-seeking behavior, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Neverthe...

Authors: Charlotte A. Labys, Ezra Susser and Jonathan K. Burns

Factors contributing to the psychological well-being for Hong Kong Chinese children from low-income families: a qualitative study

Despite compelling evidence demonstrating the negative impact of poverty and income disparity on children’s psychological well-being, there has been a lack of qualitative information which addresses its contri...

Authors: Ka Yan Ho, William H. C. Li, Joyce Oi Kwan Chung, Katherine Ka Wai Lam, Sophia S. C. Chan and Wei Xia

Effect of accreditation on length of stay in psychiatric inpatients: pre-post accreditation medical record comparison

An interest in hospital accreditation is growing rapidly among many countries to enhance the quality of health care services. The literature showed a positive association between accreditation and some process...

Authors: Mohammed Abdullah Al-Sughayir

Important considerations when providing mental health first aid to Iraqi refugees in Australia: a Delphi study

Refugees are one of the most vulnerable groups in Australian society, presenting high levels of exposure to traumatic events and consequently high levels of severe psychological distress. While there is a need...

Authors: Maria Gabriela Uribe Guajardo, Shameran Slewa-Younan, Yvonne Santalucia and Anthony Francis Jorm

Suicide first aid guidelines for Sri Lanka: a Delphi consensus study

Sri Lanka has one of the highest suicide rates in the world. Gatekeeper programs aimed at specific target groups could be a promising suicide prevention strategy in the country. The aim of this study was to de...

Authors: Saranga A. De Silva, Erminia Colucci, Jayan Mendis, Claire M. Kelly, Anthony F. Jorm and Harry Minas

Testing the Community-Based Learning Collaborative (CBLC) implementation model: a study protocol

High rates of youth exposure to violence, either through direct victimization or witnessing, result in significant health/mental health consequences and high associated lifetime costs. Evidence-based treatment...

Authors: Rochelle F. Hanson, Sonja Schoenwald, Benjamin E. Saunders, Jason Chapman, Lawrence A. Palinkas, Angela D. Moreland and Alex Dopp

System effectiveness of detection, brief intervention and refer to treatment for the people with post-traumatic emotional distress by MERS: a case report of community-based proactive intervention in South Korea

Korea has experienced diverse kind of disasters these days. Among them the 2015 middle eastern respiratory syndrome (MERS) outbreak imposed great psychological stress on almost all Korean citizens. Following t...

Authors: Mi-Kyung Yoon, Soon-Young Kim, Hye-Sun Ko and Myung-Soo Lee

A school mental health literacy curriculum resource training approach: effects on Tanzanian teachers’ mental health knowledge, stigma and help-seeking efficacy

Mental health literacy (MHL) is foundational for mental health promotion, prevention, stigma reduction, and care; School supported information pertaining to MHL in sub-Saharan Africa is extremely limited, incl...

Authors: Stan Kutcher, Yifeng Wei, Heather Gilberds, Omary Ubuguyu, Tasiana Njau, Adena Brown, Norman Sabuni, Ayoub Magimba and Kevin Perkins

Health policy and integrated mental health care in the SADC region: strategic clarification using the Rainbow Model

Mental illness is a well-known challenge to global development, particularly in low-to-middle income countries. A key health systems response to mental illness is different models of integrated health care, es...

Authors: André Janse van Rensburg and Pieter Fourie

Child mental health in Sierra Leone: a survey and exploratory qualitative study

This study complements the growing amount of research on the psychosocial impact of war on children in Sierra Leone by examining local perceptions of child mental health, formal and informal care systems, help...

Authors: Hélène N. C. Yoder, Wietse A. Tol, Ria Reis and Joop T. V. M. de Jong

Prevalence and associations for symptoms of depression in patients with Parkinson’s disease: a Sri Lankan experience

The prevalence and associations for depression in patients with Parkinson’s disease vary widely between studies. This reflects the influence of cultural, demographic and socioeconomic confounders within commun...

Authors: Tharaka B. Herath, Milinda Withana, Chaturaka Rodrigo, Ranjani Gamage and Chanika Gamage

Suicide surveillance and health systems in Nepal: a qualitative and social network analysis

Despite increasing recognition of the high burden of suicide deaths in low- and middle-income countries, there is wide variability in the type and quality of data collected and reported for suspected suicide d...

Authors: Ashley K. Hagaman, Uden Maharjan and Brandon A. Kohrt

Mental health services and R&D in South Korea

World Health Organization has asserted that mental illness is the greatest overriding burden of disease in the majority of developed countries, and that the socioeconomic burden of mental disease will exceed t...

Authors: Sungwon Roh, Sang-Uk Lee, Minah Soh, Vin Ryu, Hyunjin Kim, Jung Won Jang, Hee Young Lim, Mina Jeon, Jong-Ik Park, SungKu Choi and Kyooseob Ha

Frequent callers to telephone helplines: new evidence and a new service model

This paper describes a program of work designed to inform a service model to address a challenge for telephone helplines, namely frequent callers.

Authors: Jane Pirkis, Aves Middleton, Bridget Bassilios, Meredith Harris, Matthew J. Spittal, Izabela Fedszyn, Patty Chondros and Jane Gunn

Problem Management Plus (PM+) in the treatment of common mental disorders in women affected by gender-based violence and urban adversity in Kenya; study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Women affected by adversity, including gender-based violence, are at increased risk for developing common mental disorders such as depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The World Health...

Authors: Marit Sijbrandij, Richard A. Bryant, Alison Schafer, Katie S. Dawson, Dorothy Anjuri, Lincoln Ndogoni, Jeannette Ulate, Syed Usman Hamdani and Mark van Ommeren

Relationship at work as a cause of occupational stress: the case of academic women in Vietnam

The present research paper aims to bring deeper understanding and insight to perceptions and experiences of occupational stress from relationships at work in the cultural context of Vietnam. The paper also exa...

Authors: Le Van Thanh

Day clinic and inpatient psychotherapy of depression (DIP-D): qualitative results from a randomized controlled study

Depressive disorders are among the most common psychiatric disorders. For severely depressed patients, day clinic and inpatient settings represent important treatment options. However, little is known about pa...

Authors: Christoph Nikendei, Mirjam Haitz, Julia Huber, Johannes C. Ehrenthal, Wolfgang Herzog, Henning Schauenburg and Ulrike Dinger

Erratum to: Satisfaction with primary care and mental health care among individuals with severe mental illness in a rural area: a seven-year follow-up study of a clinical cohort

Authors: Torleif Ruud, Trond F. Aarre, Berit Boeskov, Per Ståle Husvåg, Rigmor Klepp, Synnøve Alet Kristiansen and Jorunn Sandvik

‘Opening up the mind’: problem-solving therapy delivered by female lay health workers to improve access to evidence-based care for depression and other common mental disorders through the Friendship Bench Project in Zimbabwe

There are few accounts of evidence-based interventions for depression and other common mental disorders (CMDs) in primary care in low-income countries. The Friendship Bench Project is a collaborative care ment...

Authors: Melanie Abas, Tarryn Bowers, Ethel Manda, Sara Cooper, Debra Machando, Ruth Verhey, Neha Lamech, Ricardo Araya and Dixon Chibanda

Predictors of alcohol and other drug use among pregnant women in a peri-urban South African setting

Alcohol and other drugs (AOD) use among pregnant women have been associated with adverse health outcomes for mother and child, during and after pregnancy. Factors associated with AOD use among women include ag...

Authors: Michael Nnachebe Onah, Sally Field, Thandi van Heyningen and Simone Honikman

Gender differences in the association between cognitive social capital, self-rated health, and depressive symptoms: a comparative analysis of Sweden and Ukraine

Social capital is one of the social determinants of health, but there is still a lack of studies comparing its significance for health in different cultural settings. This study investigates and compares the r...

Authors: Kateryna Karhina, Nawi Ng, Mehdi Ghazinour and Malin Eriksson

Enhancing the lives of older refugees: an evaluation of a training resource

Resources and training for aged care workers who are working with older people from refugee backgrounds are limited. Thus, a resource titled ‘Enhancing the Lives of Older Refugees: A self-Improvement Resource ...

Authors: Shameran Slewa-Younan, Yvonne Santalucia, Regina McDonald and Marisa Salem

The relationship between parenting attitudes, negative cognition, and the depressive symptoms according to gender in Korean adolescents

Parenting style is one potential contributor to the development of adolescents’ cognitions, self-esteem and emotional problems. This study examined the relationship between maternal parenting attitudes and ado...

Authors: Subin Park, Bung-Nyun Kim and Min-Hyeon Park

Patient cost-sharing for ambulatory neuropsychiatric services in Abu Dhabi, UAE

Neuropsychiatric disorders are of high concern and burden of disease in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The aim of this study is to describe patient cost-sharing patterns, insurance coverage of ambulatory neur...

Authors: Samer Hamidi, Yousef Abouallaban, Sultan Alhamad and Aizhan Meirambayeva

Beliefs and knowledge about post-traumatic stress disorder amongst resettled Afghan refugees in Australia

Resettled refugees are at high risk of trauma-related mental health problems, yet there is low uptake of mental health care in this population. Evidence suggests poor ‘mental health literacy’ (MHL) may be a ma...

Authors: Anisa Yaser, Shameran Slewa-Younan, Caroline A. Smith, Rebecca E. Olson, Maria Gabriela Uribe Guajardo and Jonathan Mond

Satisfaction with primary care and mental health care among individuals with severe mental illness in a rural area: a seven-year follow-up study of a clinical cohort

Most studies of services for people with severe mental illness have been performed in cities. Our 7-year follow-up study aimed to investigate clinical course and satisfaction with services among individuals wi...

Authors: Torleif Ruud, Trond F. Aarre, Berit Boeskov, Per Ståle Husevåg, Rigmor Klepp, Synnøve Alet Kristiansen and Jorunn Sandvik

Mortality among patients with schizophrenia and vocational rehabilitation program services under Taiwan’s psychiatric care reform

Vocational rehabilitation programs are implemented to enhance the occupational functioning of long-stay patients with schizophrenia. Unemployment is associated with a higher risk of death. Schizophrenia patien...

Authors: Kan-Yuan Cheng, Shu-Yuan Chen and Chih-Yuan Lin

Promotion, prevention and protection: interventions at the population- and community-levels for mental, neurological and substance use disorders in low- and middle-income countries

In addition to services within the health system, interventions at the population and community levels are also important for the promotion of mental health, primary prevention of mental, neurological and subs...

Authors: Inge Petersen, Sara Evans-Lacko, Maya Semrau, Margaret M. Barry, Dan Chisholm, Petra Gronholm, Catherine O. Egbe and Graham Thornicroft

Adaptation and validation of the short version WHOQOL-HIV in Ethiopia

Quality of life of patients is an important element in the evaluation of outcome of health care, social services and clinical trials. The WHOQOL instruments were originally developed for measurement of quality...

Authors: Markos Tesfaye, Mette Frahm Olsen, Girmay Medhin, Henrik Friis, Charlotte Hanlon and Lotte Holm

Violent events, ward climate and ideas for violence prevention among nurses in psychiatric wards: a focus group study

Patient violence against nurses in their work environments is a widespread global concern, particularly in the field of mental health care. A high prevalence of violent events impacts the well-being of nurses ...

Authors: Tella Lantta, Minna Anttila, Raija Kontio, Clive E. Adams and Maritta Välimäki

Managing mental illness in Ghana: the state of commonly prescribed psychotropic medicines

In Ghana, about 13 % of the adult population is estimated to be affected by mental health disorders of varying forms. In managing these patients, psychotropic medications are mostly employed. Since most of the...

Authors: Samuel Oppong, Irene A. Kretchy, Emelia P. Imbeah and Barima A. Afrane

A qualitative exploration of a family self-help mental health program in El Salvador

There is a significant gap in our knowledge regarding community-based self-help groups and their benefits for persons living with mental conditions and their family caregivers in low and middle income countrie...

Authors: Samuel V. Nickels, Nelson A. Flamenco Arvaiza and Myrna S. Rojas Valle

Towards understanding governance issues in integration of mental health into primary health care in Uganda

There is a growing burden of mental illness in low income countries. The situation is further worsened by the high poverty levels in these countries, resulting in difficult choices for their health sectors as ...

Authors: James Mugisha, Joshua Ssebunnya and Fred N. Kigozi

Barefoot therapists: barriers and facilitators to delivering maternal mental health care through peer volunteers in Pakistan: a qualitative study

Perinatal depression is a public health problem in low and middle income countries. Although effective psychosocial interventions exist, a major limitation to their scale up is the scarcity of mental health pr...

Authors: Najia Atif, Karina Lovell, Nusrat Husain, Siham Sikander, Vikram Patel and Atif Rahman

Mental health needs and services in the West Bank, Palestine

Palestine is a low income country with scarce resources, which is seeking independence. This paper discusses the high levels of mental health need found amongst Palestinian people, and examines services, educa...

Authors: Mohammad Marie, Ben Hannigan and Aled Jones