Search

Introduction. Factors affecting the quality of physician care include a shortage of trained staff, stigma, and discrimination. Objective. The objective was to compare the intensity of stigmatization before and after a Psychiatry course, as measured by the scale of clinicians' attitudes towards mental illness, a version for medical students (MICA-2) designed to identify stigmatic attitudes towards mental disorders. Method. The fifth-year Medicine students enrolled in the Psychiatry course answered anonymously using the MICA-2 test at the start and the end of their course. Additionally, we asked the students to answer a question about their interest in learning more about mental illness. Results. Three hundred and thirty students were invited; 300 agreed to participate in the first application of the scales, and 291 in the follow-up. The average age was 22 ± 2 years, with a range of 20-30 years, and there was a similar gender distribution in both applications. In the initial application, the average score of the MICA-2 was 41.34 (SD = 7.86, 95% CI = [40.43, 42.25]). The follow-up application's mean was 37.10 (SD = 8.15, 95% CI = [36.30, 38.15]). Also, there was a decrease in interest in learning more about mental illness. Discussion and conclusion. A reduction in the average scores of the MICA-2 was observed after a Psychiatry course, suggesting that attitudes toward mental disorders improved. A Psychiatry clerkship with close supervision modified the attitudes of medical students toward mental disorders. However, it did not increase their interest in learning more about mental illness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Suicide represents the sixteenth cause of death worldwide. Until a few years ago the suicide rate in the US military has been below that of the civilian population, but in 2008 the suicide rate among US soldiers began to outpace the civilian population. To our knowledge, there are no studies that describe suicidal behavior among Mexican military personnel. Objective. To know the frequency of suicidal ideation and suicide attempt in the last 12 months in Mexican naval military and determine the variables associated with both ideation and suicide attempt. Method. This cross-sectional study included 246 outpatients who were sent for psychiatric assessment from their operating units. A psychiatric interview was conducted using the diagnostic criteria of the International Classification of Diseases in its tenth edition, which included the presentation of suicidal ideation and attempted suicide in the last 12 months. Results. Suicidal ideation in the last 12 months occurred in 60 cases (24.39%). Twenty-four cases (9.76%) presented a suicide attempt in the last 12 months. Variables associated with suicidal ideation were military grade (seaman and classes, p = .03), suicide family history (p < .01), depressive disorders (p < .01), and personality disorders (p < .01). Regarding the presentation of attempted suicide, the mean age in the cases was lower (p < .01). There was also a higher frequency of attempted suicide in singles or without a couple (p < .01), in personnel with four years or less in service (p < .01), and in patients with a personality disorder (p < .01). Discussion and conclusion. Greater emphasis in the detection of mental health problems, including suicidality among the military population and more representative studies at the national level are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. The presence of mental disorders in a family may cause various losses in its functioning and characteristics. Objective. To determine which environmental resources are offered to children with mental disorders by their families and how they correlated with the family functioning. Method. The study included a total of 33 persons responsible for children with mental disorders. The subjects responded to two questionnaires to characterize family functioning (FACES IV) and the availability of resources in the family environment (RAF). Data were analyzed in a descriptively and the Spearman correlation test was used to identify associations between variables. Results. Most of the children were male and attended school, and the most frequent psychiatric diagnoses were attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder. Most families were considered to have good family functioning (87.9%), with only 12.1% being considered dysfunctional. Regarding environmental resources, the highest mean values were assigned to the presence of toys (6.9 ± 2.0) and to family gatherings for routine activities (6.6 ± 2.3). Family cohesion, flexibility, communication, and satisfaction (functional) were positively correlated with the offer of activities and resources and negatively correlated with unbalanced (dysfunctional) subscales. Discussion and conclusion. Children's mental disorders do not appear to affect family dynamics in a significant manner. However, family functioning interferes with the types of activities and resources it offers to the child and that may have an impact on his/her development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Mental disorders represent one of the main causes of disease burden in the adult population. Negative public attitudes and behaviors toward people with mental disorders negatively affect the treatment, recovery, and social inclusion of those affected. Chile laks surveys on workers that address this issue. Objective. To describe the perceptions of devaluation and discrimination towards people with mental disorders in a sample of Chilean workers. Method. A cross-sectional study was carried out with 1 516 workers in the formal sector of four regions of Chile (Metropolitan Region [RM], Bío Bio [VIII], Valparaíso [V] and Coquimbo [IV]). The perception of discrimination and devaluation was explored through a modified version of the The perceived Devaluation-Discrimination Scale (PDD) comprising 15 questions. The relationship of each question with sociodemographic variables (age, sex, years of study, and region) and type of economic activity was assessed. Results. The study found a high percentage of perceptions of devaluation and discrimination in most aspects considered, particularly those related to hiring a person who has been hospitalized due to a mental illness (85%), feeling sorry for people with severe mental illnesses (80%), and the unwillingness to marry a person with a mental illness (78%). Significant differences were observed in the opinions by sociodemographic variables and region of residence. Discussion and conclusion. The perception of Chilean workers has high levels of stigma towards people living with mental disorders. It is necessary and urgent to develop effective anti-stigma public policies to promote a more inclusive, tolerant society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Valid and feasible measures to properly assess the most impaired areas of functioning in various groups of patients with mental disorders would allow the development and evaluation of interventions designed to modify the specific environmental barriers that contribute to patients' disability. Objective. This article seeks to evaluate the internal consistency and construct and convergent validity of the Spanish version of the World Health Organization's Disability Assessment Schedule WHODAS 2.0, as well as its relationship with sociodemographic variables and symptomatic severity in Mexican patients with and without psychotic symptoms. Method. The WHODAS 2.0 and the Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale SOFAS were administered to 153 patients with any of the following diagnoses: affective disorders, anxiety disorders, stress-related disorders, and psychotic disorders. Results. The WHODAS 2.0 showed high internal consistency in patients with psychotic symptoms (Cronbach's alpha = .92) and without psychotic symptoms (Cronbach's alpha = .89). Nevertheless, only in patients without psychotic symptoms, was a significant negative correlation between WHODAS (disability) and SOFAS (functioning) total scores observed, together with significant differences in WHODAS scores between those with mild and severe symptomatology. Discussion and conclusion. The WHODAS 2.0 is an adequate measure of disability in patients without psychotic symptoms. It could be used as a complementary measure of disability in those with psychotic symptoms. Further studies are required to determine other psychometric properties of the WHODAS 2.0, particularly those related to temporal stability and sensitivity to change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Neuropsichiatric diseases constitute the first cause of burden of disease in Peru. Objective The aim of this study was to describe 12 month mental health services utilization, of the 18 to 65 years old urban population in Peru. Method As part of the World Mental Health Survey Initiative (WMHSI), this research used a multistage, clustered-area probability sample of 3930 18-65 years old household residents in Lima, Arequipa, Huancayo, Iquitos and Tacna between July 2004 and December of 2005. The Instrument used was the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) that produces DSM-IV/ICD-9 diagnoses by means of computerized algorithms. Results In the last 12 months, only one of every 5 people who had a mental disorder during this period received any treatment. The average number of treatment visits per year was only three. 9.7% of those with any mental disorder received appropriate treatment. People with low education had less access to minimally adequate treatment (OR=0.1, 95% CI=0.0, 0.5). The group with substance use disorders had lower access to treatment in the last 12 months (12.7%). Discussion and conclusion Peru presents a wide gap in mental health treatment. Mental Health treatment gap in Peru emphasizes the need to direct resources towards screening and treatment of mental disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Stigma is one of the major impairments to social integration of people with mental disorders. The present research was aimed to study the psychometric properties and adapt the Link's Social Distance Scale (SD) in a sample from Chile. This scale assessed the public attitudes toward people with mental disorders by means of a vignette, followed by a set of questions. Method A total of two samples by convenience were taken. The first sample consisted of 399 people and the second of 350. Reliability was assessed by means of the Cronbach's alpha coefficient. In order to validate its structure, an exploratory factor analysis of the first sample was conducted. Like waise, a confirmatory analysis was conducted with the second sample. Finally, the Pearson correlation coefficient was used to study the concurrent validity of the Orientation Scale to Social Dominance. Results Results indicate that the final instrument has two factors "proximity and social interaction," composed by three items, and "intimacy and confidence," composed by two. Despite the fact that the samples had different educational level, the adjustment indixes obtained from the confirmatory analyses, as well as the internal consistency of the instrument, were appropriate. Discussion and conclusion The existence of two factors can be related to the growth of the community mental health model in Chile. This has produced an impact on the amount of community centers and, therefore on the closeness on the subject. The results obtained support the possibility of using this instrument in different social groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mental disorders in Latin-America are highly prevalent and represent a significant burden on users and their families. These people most of the times have to deal with the stigma attached to the diagnosis they receive. Stigma towards mental illness causes negative consequences for patients and family members, becoming the main barrier to full social inclusion. Considering the above, the first objective of this paper is to analyze the main characteristics of stigma towards mental illness and the psychological and social variables with which it is associated. Secondly, we describe the main strategies for reducing different types of stigma. Finally, we propose approaches to assess and reduce stigma in the context of Latin-America and the Caribbean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many precise aspects of the etiology and pathophysiology of mental disorders are still unknown. Susceptibility to these disorders depends in part on variability in the genome sequence among individuals. The genotype, a given environment, a specific epigenetic profile and stochastic factors affect the phenotype, which includes body structures, physiological processes, and behavior. Since the access to the Central Nervous System is generally difficult and in most cases there are still no biological tests that necessarily contribute to diagnosis, psychiatric phenotypes are usually limited to clinical symptoms and functioning. Therefore, researchers are currently seeking alternatives to facilitate the identification of genetic risk factors. One strategy is to identify measurable biological, cognitive, and behavioral markers, intermediate phenotypes, or endophenotypes, which in the best case may be simpler than general psychiatric diagnoses, ideally with a precise biological meaning and a more direct relationship with the action of specific genes. Endophenotypes have been very useful in other fields of medicine. Currently, there are several proposed criteria and specifications for endophenotypes. Examples of possible types of endophenotypes or biomarkers, as well as treatment response phenotypes in some psychiatric disorders will be discussed in this review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mental health concerns have significantly increased worldwide as they impact on individuals and families, society and public health costs, which are very common in the Primary Care sector. The aim of this study is to determine the general practitioner's perceptions in the prevalence of such disorders in Primary Health Care Centres (PHCC), and to explore the features of the treatments administered. Finally, we aim to evaluate the quality of the interventions and the level of implementation of key strategies and national and international recommendations. It is a single group ex post facto retrospective design. To carry out the research, we developed an ad-hoc self-administered survey including the World Health Organization Assessment Instrument for Mental Health Systems and official health documents indicators. This survey was applied to 77 general practitioners in PHCC in Cordoba, Spain. The most relevant results highlighted minor mental health problems (anxiety/depression and psychosocial problems) with a higher prevalence (79.6%) than formal mental health disorders (22.7%). The 43% of the consultations related to demands are directly or indirectly connected with mental disorders. The 23.4% of prescriptions in a typical day at work are psychotropics (sedatives/antidepressants). According to the general practitioners surveyed, 39% of patients treated with psychotropic drugs could solve their problems without taking them. With regard to the interventions, 80% of general practitioners did not work in teams or implement psychoeducational techniques and they did not make any interconsultations from the second level to deal with these problems. The 97.4% of them pointed out that the integration of psychologists in primary care centres would increase the quality of services. In this study, we find there are a contradiction between the treatments offered (based primarily on the administration of psychotropic drugs) and the recommendations made by national and international organizations. We consider that it is also necessary to revise the characteristics and quality of them and to reconsider professionals' profiles, competences and strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction The first and only nationally representative prevalence estimates of psychiatric disorders in Mexico (the Mexican National Comorbidity Survey) indicate sex differences in the expression of psychopathology and early ages of onset for most disorders, often in the adolescent years. Studies from other countries have shown that sex differences in the pattern of psychopathology vary by life stage, which in part, may be explained by different ages of onset for varying disorders. These studies also suggest that many of the sex differences in the prevalence of disorders emerge during the adolescent years. However, scarce data is available on the epidemiology of adolescent psychopathology in Mexico, and much less regarding possible sex differences in the patterns of prevalence, severity and ages of onset. The purpose of this report, therefore, is to estimate sex differences in the 12-month prevalence and severity of 17 psychiatric disorders (using DSM-IV diagnostic criteria) as well as ages of onset in adolescents from Mexico City metropolitan area. Materials and methods This article provides data from the Mexican Adolescent Mental Health Survey. This survey has a multistage probability design and is representative of adolescents between 12 and 17 years old who reside in the Mexico City metropolitan area. The final sample included 3005 adolescents selected from a stratified multistage area probability sample. In all strata, the primary sampling units were census count areas cartographically defined and updated in 2000 by the Mexican National Institute of Statistics, Geography and Informatics (INEGI). Two hundred census count areas were selected with probability proportional to size. Secondary sampling units were city blocks, four of which were selected with probability proportional to size from each census count area. All households within these selected city blocks with adolescents aged 12 to 17 were selected. One eligible member from each of these households was randomly selected using the Kish method of random number charts. The response rate of eligible respondents was 71%. The adolescents were interviewed in their homes by trained lay interviewers using the computerized adolescent version of the World Mental Health Composite International Diagnostic Interview (WHM-CIDI-A 3.0). The average length of the interview was two and a half hours. A verbal and written explanation of the study was given to both parents and adolescents. Interviews were administered only to those for whom signed informed consent from a parent and/or legal guardian were obtained as well as the adolescent agreement. Because of the stratified multistage sampling design, data was subsequently weighted to adjust for differential probabilities of selection and non-response. Post-stratification to the total Mexico City Metropolitan Area adolescent population according to the year 2000 Census in target age and sex ranges were also performed..… [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sequence of the human genome integrates the keystone of our life. Part of it is transcribed to RNA, which in turn provides the information required by our cells to produce proteins. Discoveries in the genetics field have been essential to medicine and have been used to develop strategies to modify, prevent and propose new therapeutic approaches for human diseases. In the 19th Century, Gregor Johann Mendel developed a theoretical model which was able to predict in an accurate way hereditary mechanisms; indeed, his laws still explain the basis of human inheritance. Almost ninety years later, James Watson and Francis Crick announced their double-helix model of the DNA molecule. Then, positional cloning and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were introduced; more recently, almost 99% of the sequence of our genome was made public. The current period of time is known as the post-genomic era, due to the fact that researchers are not only obtaining the complete sequences of thousands of genomes, but are also searching for clues that may help understand the mechanisms that affect gene activation and deactivation, in which epigenetic factors are also involved. In medical domains, twins constitute a suitable group to study inherited disorders. Dizygotic or fraternal twins are produced by different egg and sperm cells, and even when these two fertilization events occur simultaneously, dizygotic twins share approximately the same percentage of genetic material than any pair of siblings, that is, around 50%. Some authors have suggested that the tendency for spontaneous dizygotic twinning could be attributed to a double ovulation which is genetically determined in an autosomal dominant manner. Monozygotic, as opposed to dizygotic twins, are produced by a single zygote whose cells are dissociated and originate two independent organisms; approximately a third of monozygotic twins are separated before the 5th day after fertilization, and the rest between the 5th and the 15th day. Most monozygotic twins are very similar; nevertheless, some few exceptions prove that in fact they actually do not have to be identical. Relatives of a person with a mental disorder tend to share traits associated with this disease, especially if the patient and the relative are monozygotic twins. However, important differences may be detected even between each pair of identical twins. Parameters such as concordance and heritability have shown that a monozygotic twin can develop an inherited disorder while his or her co-twin will always be disease-free. In addition to differences in susceptibility to inherited diseases, this kind of twins can display dissimilarities in somatic cell mutations (more overtly noticeable when ageing), their set of antibodies and T cell receptors, their number of mitochondrial DNA molecules, and chromosome X inactivation patterns in women, all of which are the main subject of many ongoing studies. A recent report shows that from 160 monozygotic twin pairs who were 3 to 74 years old, epigenetic patterns were identical early in life, but differences were more obvious at older ages, especially if twins were raised apart or if they had different medical history.… [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction When the impact of illness is evaluated by indicators like mortality, mental illness has a less significant impact than other illnesses. As a result, the impact of mental disorders was underestimated until the last two decades of the previous century. This perception began to change as a result of two factors: On the one hand, the study of the Global Burden of Disease reported by Murray and Lopez, and, on the other hand, the definition of mental disorders by the American Psychiatric Association. The common element shared by these two factors is the inclusion of the concept of disability. Disability is the deterioration of the expected functioning of a subject of a particular age and sex in a social context. It is a part of the social cost of illness. Objective To assess the disability burden associated with depression, mania, agoraphobia, social phobia, general anxiety, panic disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) according to the Mexican Psychiatric Survey and to compare results with the disability produced by some chronic non-psychiatric conditions. Method This survey is based on a stratified, multistage area, probabilistic sample of adults living in urban areas of Mexico. The instrument used was the third version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. We report the 12-month prevalence of psychiatric disorders as defined by DSM-IV criteria. We also evaluated non-psychiatric chronic conditions like diabetes, arthritis, hypertension, backache, and other painful illnesses, identified in general as "chronic conditions". Indicators of disability were Sheehan's scale and number of work days lost. This is an easy and fast self reporting scale, which can be used both in the clinic or research. The sub-scales can be added or averaged to obtain a total score. The scale of responses is a horizontal line with numerals from 0 to 10 and five verbal descriptions, with the description "Not at all" corresponding to a value of 0; "Mild" ranging from 1 to 3; "Moderate" from 4 to 6; "Severe" from 7 to 9; and "Very severe" corresponding to 10. Results Close relationships and social life were the areas most deeply affected. The disorders found to produce the highest levels of disability were depression, social phobia, and PTSD. The lowest disability levels were observed in chronic conditions. On the total score of Sheehan's scale, disorders with the highest level of disability were PTSD (mean 5.35 ± 0.307) and depression (mean 4.72 ± 0.167). Depression and panic attacks were the disorders by which most days were lost on average in the previous year (25.51, CI95: 16.53-34.5; 20, CI95: 3.02-36.97). Days lost were lower in chronic conditions than in the seven mental disorders studied (6.89, CI95: 3.04-10.74). Discussion This is the first paper to demonstrate the impact of mental disorders in Latin America evaluating the association of disability with common mental disorders. We have shown that mental disorders, especially depression, are associated with deficits in functioning and result in the loss of work days. We have also shown that persons with common mental disorders have, on average, higher levels of disability than those observed among persons with a wide range of chronic physical conditions. These results are consistent with prior studies in North America and Europe that have found that persons with common mental disorders experience substantial disability in social role functioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]