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Background: Migrants with mental hospital orders according to section 63 of the German criminal code are overrepresented in relation to their numbers in the general population. Subgroups originating from certain world regions are diagnosed with schizophrenia at a much higher rate than others. In the present literature, there is a strong evidence for a substantial correlation between migration, social disadvantage and the prevalence of schizophrenia., Aims: This study investigates the relationship between countries of origin, the risk of becoming a forensic patient and the proportion of schizophrenia spectrum disorders., Method: Data from a comprehensive evaluation tool of forensic inpatients in the German federal state of Baden-Württemberg (FoDoBa) were compared with population statistics and correlated with the Human Development Index (HDI) and Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI)., Results: For residents with migration background, the risk ratio to receive a mental hospital order is 1.3 in comparison to non-migrants. There was a highly significant correlation between the HDI of the country of origin and the risk ratio for detention in a forensic psychiatric hospital. The proportion of schizophrenia diagnoses also correlated significantly with the HDI. In contrast, the MPI country rankings were not associated with schizophrenia diagnoses., Conclusion: Two lines of explanations are discussed: first, higher prevalence of schizophrenia in migrants originating from low-income countries, and second, a specific bias in court rulings with regard to involuntary forensic treatment orders for these migrant groups.

Background: Little is known about whether family economic status might influence the long-term (e.g. over 10 years) outcome of persons with schizophrenia in the community., Aim: To examine the differences in outcome at 14-year follow-up of persons with schizophrenia from high versus low family economic status backgrounds in a Chinese rural area., Method: A prospective 14-year follow-up study was conducted in six townships in Xinjin County, Chengdu, China. All participants with schizophrenia ( n = 510) were identified in an epidemiological investigation of 123,572 people aged 15 years and older and followed up from 1994 to 2008., Results: Individuals from low family economic status (

Background: Scarce are the studies focusing on initiation of new mental health service use (MHSU) and distinguishing individuals who have sought services but have been unsuccessful in accessing these. Aims: Assessing the factors associated with initiating new MHSU as compared to no MHSU due to self-reported no need, no MHSU due to health system and personal barriers and MHSU using resources already in place. Methods: The sample included participants (n = 16,435) in the five established regional cohorts of the Canadian Partnership for Tomorrow's Health (CanPath) who responded to the CanPath COVID-19 health surveys (May–December 2020 and January–June 2021). Multinomial regression analyses were carried out to study MHSU since the pandemic (March 2020) as a function of predisposing, enabling and need factors. Analyses were carried out in the overall sample and restricted to those with moderate and severe symptoms (MSS) of depression and/or anxiety (n = 2,237). Results: In individuals with MSS of depression and/or anxiety, 14.4% reported initiating new MHSU, 22.0% had no MHSU due to barriers and personal reasons and 36.7% had no MHSU due to self-reported no need. Age, living alone, lower income, a decrease in income during the pandemic and health professional status were associated with MHSU. Younger adults were more likely to initiate MHSU during the pandemic than older adults who reported not being comfortable to seek mental health care or self-reported no need. Individuals living alone and with lower income were more likely to report not being able to find an appointment for mental health care. Conclusions: Awareness campaigns focusing on older adults that explain the importance of seeking treatment is needed, as well as sensitising health professionals as to the importance of informing and aiding individuals at risk of social isolation and lower socio-economic status as to available mental health resources and facilitating access to care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: South Africa (SA) has one of the highest rates of youth unemployment and youth who are not in employment, education or training (NEET), even higher among Black South Africans. SA's NEET rates are 3 times those of UK; 5.4 times of Germany; 1.3 times of Brazil; and 2.5 times of Malaysia. Given that youths between 15 and 24 years of age make up 24% of the total population, these are significant challenges for the economy and further fuel the cyclical, pervasive and enduring nature of poverty. We hypothesised that rural youth who are NEET would have a greater prevalence of mental disorders and higher rates of substance use compared to their non-NEET counterparts. The objective of the study is to determine the differences in rates of psychological distress and substance use between NEET and non-NEET rural African 14- to 24-year-old young men. Methods: The study took place in a remote and rural district municipality in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. We divided the district's five sub-municipalities into two clusters (large and small) and randomly selected one from each cluster for inclusion in the study. We further randomly selected wards from each sub-municipality and then rural settlements from each ward, for inclusion in the study. We recruited young men as part of a larger study to explore sociocultural factors important in gender-based violence in rural SA. We compared 15- to 19-year old and 20- to 24-year old youth NEET and non-NEET on rates of psychological distress symptoms (depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, hopelessness and worthlessness) and substance misuse (including alcohol, cannabis, other recreational drugs) using a Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) statistics at p <.005 level of significance level. Results: About 23% of the 355 male participants were NEET. There were no statistically significant differences in psychological distress or substance use between youth NEET and non-NEET, controlling for age. Conclusion: The study highlights difficult transitions to post-secondary education and work for Black youth in rural SA where opportunities for employment are limited. Education, training and employment appear to offer limited benefit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The effects of Sars-Cov-2 pandemic may increase vulnerability of migrants. Aims: To investigate the effects of the governmental lockdown on the mental health of vulnerable migrants in treatment at an outpatient department. Method: In a telephone survey post-migration living difficulties and psychopathological symptoms were investigated, particularly post-traumatic thoughts and nightmares, anxiety, depression, feelings of tension and irritability, other sleep problems, as well as COVID-19 related fears. Psychopathological changes during the lockdown were detected and rated by clinicians. Rates of treatment discontinuation and reasons why were also recorded. Results: Of 103 eligible patients, 81 answered the phone call and were included in the study. Mental symptoms were frequent but not as severe as expected. About 32% of patients in psychopharmacological treatment and almost 52% of patients in psychotherapy had discontinued treatment. Patients who were globally considered to have worsened if compared to their pre-coronavirus mental health conditions had in fact higher scores on several mental symptoms but mild specific fears about coronavirus issues, similar to those of patients improved or stable. Worsening was significantly associated with unemployment, lack of VISA, and treatment discontinuation. Shifting the way of providing psychotherapy into a web-based modality was significantly more frequent in stable/improved patients. Conclusion: Findings suggest that concrete life problems and treatment discontinuation more than the coronavirus fear, have predominantly affected the mental health conditions of our patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It is unknown whether and how poverty influences the long-term outcome of persons with severe mental illness (SMI). Aims: To explore the change of poverty status in persons with SMI from 1994 to 2015 and examine the impact of poverty status on patients' outcome in rural China. Method: Two mental health surveys using identical methods and International Classification of Disease (ICD-10) were conducted in 1994 and 2015 in the same six townships of Xinjin County, Chengdu, China. Results: The annual net income per person was 19.8% and 100.2% higher for the general population than for persons with SMI in 1994 and 2015 respectively. Compared with 1994 (48.2%), persons with SMI in 2015 had significantly higher rates of poor family economic status (

Background: Socio-political circumstances, including security, poverty, national wealth, income inequality, social integration and political conflicts, determine population health. Anticipated socio-political developments refer to the perceived improvement/deterioration in these circumstances in the future year. Aims: This study tested relationships between this anticipation and population mental health (probable depression/depressive symptoms and life satisfaction) and the mediation roles of negative personal responses toward socio-political situations (frustration, emotional disturbance, self-efficacy in political involvement, perceived sense of security, and satisfaction about societal ability in fulfilling individuals' needs) in explaining these relationships. Method: The telephone survey randomly interviewed 420 (59.5% female) adults in Hong Kong. Questionnaire included scales assessing the aforementioned variables. Results: Most participants (71.7%) had pessimistic anticipations over socio-political developments; 11.3% of the participants were classified as having probable depression. Anticipated deterioration in socio-political developments was significantly associated with depressive symptoms and life satisfaction; emotional disturbance, sense of security and need satisfaction were partial mediators of these relationships. Need satisfaction and sense of security showed the strongest mediation effects both for mediations that involved depressive symptoms and life satisfaction. Conclusion: Both politicians' awareness and mental health promotion are required to alleviate the negative impact of negative socio-political perception on mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article highlights challenges in linking poverty and mental illness in clinical settings, urging clinicians to be advocates, incorporate socioeconomic status into training.

The article informs about COVID-19, India, lockdown and psychosocial challenges. Topics include pandemic threat COVID-19 mitigation is crucial to the human life and for reducing distortion of livelihood; countries with considerable confirmed cases and deaths and has caused public panic and mental health stress; and current outbreak of COVID-19 is heavily impacting the global health and mental health.

Background: In South Korea, societal perceptions on occupation are distinct, with people favouring white collar jobs. Hence both occupation type and income can have mental health effects. Aim: To examine the relationship between occupational classification and depression, along with the combined effect of occupational classification and household income. Methods: Data were from the Korean Welfare Panel Study (KOWEPS), 2010–2013. A total of 4,694 economically active participants at baseline were followed. Association between occupational classification and depression, measured using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CES-D) scale 11, was investigated using the linear mixed effects model. Results: Blue collar (β: 0.3871, p = .0109) and sales and service worker groups (β: 0.3418, p = .0307) showed higher depression scores than the white collar group. Compared to the white collar high-income group, white collar low income, blue collar middle income, blue collar middle-low income, blue collar low income, sales and service middle-high income, sales and service middle-low income and sales and service low-income groups had higher depression scores. Conclusion: Occupational classification is associated with increasing depression scores. Excluding the highest income group, blue collar and sales and service worker groups exhibit higher depression scores than their white collar counterparts, implying the importance of addressing these groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: There is a dearth of studies investigating the prevalence and factors associated with unmet needs in people with schizophrenia from low- and middle-income countries. We aimed to study prevalence and risk factors for unmet need.Method: A case-control study design was employed. One hundred and one (101) consecutive patients attending a psychiatric hospital were assessed using Camberwell Assessment of Need Short version (CANSAS) and Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Multivariate analysis was employed to adjust for confounders.Results: The majority of patients had many unmet needs. These unmet needs were significantly associated with lower education, poverty and persistent psychopathology on multivariate analysis.Conclusion: Unmet needs are associated with poverty, lower education and persistent psychopathology. There is a need to manage unmet needs, in addition to addressing psychopathology and poverty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Many men diagnosed with mental health problems are also fathers. This literature review addresses issues relating to both the fathering role taken on by men who have mental health problems as well as the impact of their mental health on their children.Material: An integrative review of the literature was conducted from studies originating in four countries, resulting in an analysis of 31 journal articles.Discussion and conclusions: Most of the quantitative literature focuses on the many risks and negative outcomes for children. However, qualitative studies suggest positive outcomes such as strong parent–child relationships, which demand further attention both in research and in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The author talks about the concept of micro-migration, which involves the youth going away from the traditional cultural values of their parents and society, discussing the role of internet-driven information in micro-migration and the increasing inter-generational gap and conflict.