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Background: Understanding pathways to dual diagnosis (DD) care will help organize DD services and facilitate training and referral across healthcare sectors. Aim: The aim of our study was to characterize the stepwise healthcare and other contacts among patients with DD, compare the characteristics of the first contact persons with common mental disorder (CMD) versus severe mental illness (SMI), and estimate the likelihood of receiving appropriate DD treatment across levels of contacts. Methods: This cross-sectional, descriptive study in eight Indian centers included newly enrolled patients with DD between April 2022 and February 2023. The research spans varied geographic regions, tapping into regional variations in disease burden, health practices, and demographics. The study categorized healthcare contacts by using the WHO Pathways Encounter Form. Results: The sample (n = 589) had a median age of 32 years, mostly males (96%). Alcohol was the most common substance; SMI (50.8%) and CMD were equally represented. Traditional healers were a common first contact choice (18.5%); however, integrated DD care dominated subsequent contacts. Assistance likelihood increased from the first to the second contact (23.1% to 62.1%) but declined in subsequent contacts, except for a significant rise in the fifth contact (97.4%). In the initial contact, patients with CMD sought help from public-general hospitals and private practitioners for SUD symptoms; individuals with SMI leaned on relatives and sought out traditional healers for psychiatric symptoms. Conclusion: Recognizing the cultural nuances, advocating for integrated care, and addressing systemic challenges pave the way to bridge the gap in DD treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients'/caregivers' perspectives on telemedicine service for advanced cancer patients during the COVID-19 pandemic: An exploratory survey. To the Editor, Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, telemedicine is being used at a massive scale but without assessing the satisfaction and feedback of patients and their caregivers, i.e., the service users. Patient Satisfaction with use of telemedicine in university clinic of psychiatry: Skopje, North Macedonia during COVID-19 pandemic. [Extracted from the article]

Depression is a common neuropsychiatric condition associated with systemic sclerosis. The association of depression and systemic sclerosis is the result of multiple mechanisms such as autoimmune, significant morbidity due to multi-system involvement, distorted self-image due to disfigurement, chronic disability, and iatrogenic. The prevalence of depression in systemic sclerosis is as high as 65% as found in several clinical studies. Early diagnosis and appropriate intervention of depression in systemic sclerosis through integrated multidisciplinary team approach is more likely to improve the global outcome of illness. Hence, multidisciplinary management approach is highly recommended for the management of depression in systemic sclerosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]