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Introduction: Patients with mental health diagnoses (MHD) are among the most frequent emergency department (ED) users, suggesting the importance of identifying additional factors associated with their ED use frequency. In this study we assessed various patient sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, and service use associated with low ED users (1–3 visits/year), compared to high (4–7) and very high (8+) ED users with MHD.Methods: Our study was conducted in four large Quebec (Canada) ED networks. A total of 299 patients with MHD were randomly recruited from these ED in 2021–2022. Structured interviews complemented data from network health records, providing extensive data on participant profiles and their quality of care. We used multivariable multinomial logistic regression to compare low ED use to high and very high ED use.Results: Over a 12-month period, 39% of patients were low ED users, 37% high, and 24% very high ED users. Compared with low ED users, those at greater probability for high or very high ED use exhibited more violent/disturbed behaviors or social problems, chronic physical illnesses, and barriers to unmet needs. Patients previously hospitalized 1–2 times had lower risk of high or very high ED use than those not previously hospitalized. Compared with low ED users, high and very high ED users showed higher prevalence of personality disorders and suicidal behaviors, respectively. Women had greater probability of high ED use than men. Patients living in rental housing had greater probability of being very high ED users than those living in private housing. Using at least 5+ primary care services and being recurrent ED users two years prior to the last year of ED use had increased probability of very high ED use.Conclusion: Frequency of ED use was associated with complex issues and higher perceived barriers to unmet needs among patients. Very high ED users had more severe recurrent conditions, such as isolation and suicidal behaviors, despite using more primary care services. Results suggested substantial reduction of barriers to care and improvement on both access and continuity of care for these vulnerable patients, integrating crisis resolution and supported housing services. Limited hospitalizations may sometimes be indicated, protecting against ED use.

During the period 2010–2011, when the At Home project was conducted, a questionnaire was sent to 420 non-governmental organization (NGO) key managers in six Canadian cities to enquire about their collaboration with public services and their perspective on the services for homeless people with serious mental illness (SMI). NGOs constituted a dense network of collaboration among themselves. With regard to public services, housing and shelters were two services that NGOs had frequent contact with, followed by the healthcare addiction sectors and, to a lesser extent, social service and the justice sectors. Education and employment were both located in the network periphery. In general, NGOs viewed housing availability and accessibility to health services as largely unsatisfactory. They called for better public support, coordination, and funding.

Rationale: Though it is crucial to contribute to patient recovery through access, diversity, continuity and regularity of outpatient care, still today most of these are deemed nonoptimal. Identifying patient profiles based on outpatient service use and quality of care indicators might help formulate more personalized interventions and reduce adverse outcomes. Aims and Objectives: This study aimed to identify profiles of individuals with mental disorders (MDs) patterned after their outpatient care use and quality of care received, and to link those profiles to individual characteristics and subsequent outcomes. Methods: A cohort of 5669 individuals with MDs was considered based on data from the 2013–2014 and 2015–2016 Canadian Community Health Survey, which were linked to administrative data from the Quebec health insurance registry. Latent class analysis generated profiles based on service use over the 12 months preceding each respondent's interview, and comparative analyses were used to associate profiles with sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, and health outcomes over the three following months. Results: Four profiles were identified. Profile 1 (P‐1) was labelled 'Low service use'; P‐2 'Moderate general practitioner (GP) care and continuity and regularity of care'; P‐3 'High GP care, continuity and regularity of care, and low psychiatrist care'; and P‐4 'High psychiatrist care and regularity of care, and low GP care'. Profiles 3 and 4 (~50% of the cohort) were provided with better care, but showed worse outcomes, mainly acute care use due to more complex conditions and unmet needs. Profiles 1 and 2 had better outcomes as they showed fewer risk factors such as being younger and having better social conditions. Conclusion: Intensity, diversity and regularity of care were higher in profiles with more complex MDs, chronic physical illnesses, and worse perceived health conditions. Adapting specific interventions for each profile, such as assertive community treatment or intensive case management for Profile 4, is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The present study aimed to identify sociodemographic characteristics, risky behaviors, type of drug use, and service use variables associated with emergency department (ED) use and hospitalization among people who inject drugs (PWID). Methods: Studies in English published from January 1, 1995, to December 15, 2021, were searched for on PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, and Web of Science to identify primary studies on ED use and hospitalization among PWID. Results: After a detailed assessment of 17,348 outputs, a total of 19 studies met the eligibility criteria for inclusion in the analysis. Greater risks of ED use and hospitalization among PWID were associated with (i) a history of homelessness, (ii) HIV-positive status, and (iii) injecting drugs more than four times per day. Individuals were more likely to use the ED if they (i) had a history of physical abuse, (ii) were using cocaine and methamphetamine, and (iii) had used primary care services. Women and individuals with chronic physical illnesses were more likely to be hospitalized. Conclusions: The present study is the first to integrate determinants related to ED use and hospitalization based on sociodemographic characteristics, risky behaviors, type of drug, and service use determinants among PWID. To reduce ED use and hospitalization among PWID, the paper also recommends various strategies could be implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT For patients with mental illnesses (MIs), emergency departments (EDs) are often the entry point into the healthcare system, or their only resort for quickly accessing mental health treatment. A better understanding of the various barriers justifying high ED use among patients with MIs may help recommend targeted interventions that better meet their needs. This explorative qualitative study aimed to identify such barriers and the solutions brought forth to reduce ED use based on the perspectives of clinicians and managers working in EDs, other hospital departments or the community sector. Interviews were conducted between April 2021 and February 2022; 86 mental health professionals (22% were nurses) from four large urban ED sites in Quebec (Canada) were interviewed. Barriers were identified in relation to patient profiles, healthcare system and organisational features and professional characteristics. The key barriers that were found to explain high ED use were patients having serious MIs (e.g., psychotic disorders) or social issues (e.g., poverty), lack of coordination and patient referrals between EDs and other health services, insufficient access to mental health and addiction services and inadequacy of care. Very few solutions were implemented to improve care for high ED users. Better deployment of ED interventions in collaboration with outpatient care may be prioritised to reduce high ED use for patients with MIs. Improvements to the referral and transfer processes to outpatient care, particularly through care plans and case management programs, may be implemented to reduce high ED use and improve outpatient care among patients with multiple health and social needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Participation in decision-making is crucial to healthcare workers collaborating across professions. Important correlates of participation in decision-making include task interdependence, informational role self-efficacy, and beliefs in the benefits of interprofessional collaboration. We hypothesised that although task interdependence is directly related to participation in decision-making, the relationship is mediated by informational role self-efficacy. Beliefs in the benefits in interprofessional collaboration act as a mediator. A sample of 315 mental healthcare workers answered validated questionnaires. Conditional processing was used to test the moderated mediation. Generally, the results confirmed our hypotheses. There was a direct relationship between task interdependence and participation in decision-making and it was mediated by informational role self-efficacy, and both relationships depend on whether healthcare workers believe in the benefits of interprofessional collaboration. However, although the moderation effect of beliefs in the benefits of interprofessional collaboration between task interdependence and informational role self-efficacy was positive, the moderation effect was negative for the relationship between task interdependence and participation in decision-making. Although there is an inherent logic in the positive relationships that were found, the negative moderation might be explained by the contrast between the structural view and the volitional view of task interdependence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Permanent supportive housing (PSH) is the main approach advocated in Western countries for eradicating homelessness. Considering that PSH residents are not a homogeneous group and that their quality of life (QoL) and community integration (CI) might differ in this setting, improving our understanding of these residents' profiles may help stakeholders formulate informed recommendations to improve PSH. This study identified PSH resident profiles based on their QoL, CI, and sociodemographic and clinical characteristics and associated these profiles with housing features and service use. A total of 308 PSH residents were recruited in Montreal (Canada) in 2020–2022. Structured interviews were conducted. PSH resident profiles were produced with cluster analysis and subsequently compared using chi‐square, Fisher's, and t‐tests, taking into account housing features and service use. Three PSH resident profiles were found. Profile 1 residents (22% of the sample) had low QoL and CI, were younger, and had major social and health issues and unmet needs. Showing moderate QoL and CI, Profile 2 residents (27%) were more educated, had little foster care history, were older on their first homelessness episode, and had few co‐occurring MD‐SUD. Profile 3 residents (51%) had the best QoL and CI and mostly included men with little education, affected by co‐occurring MD‐SUD and satisfied with services. More intensive housing support and care coordination may be recommended for Profile 1 PSH residents in response to their diverse needs. Work integration may be beneficial to Profile 2 residents, with programs such as Individual Placement and Support, along with increased rehabilitation activities. A better integration of MD‐SUD treatments may be promoted for Profile 3 residents. Considering most PSH residents had multiple health issues and unmet needs, satisfaction with care could be monitored better, as it was found to be a key variable in measuring care adequation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is often comorbid with schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders (SZSPD), concerns about an increased risk of psychotic events have limited its treatment with either psychostimulants or atomoxetine. Aims: To examine whether the risk of hospital admission for psychosis in people with SZSPD was increased during the year following the introduction of such medications compared with the year before. Method: This was a retrospective cohort study using Quebec (Canada) administrative health registries, including all Quebec residents with a public prescription drug insurance plan and a diagnosis of psychotic disorder, defined by relevant ICD-9 or ICD-10 codes, who initiated either methylphenidate, amphetamines or atomoxetine, between January 2010 and December 2016, in combination with antipsychotic medication. The primary outcome was time to hospital admission for psychosis within 1 year of initiation. State sequence analysis was also used to visualise admission trajectories for psychosis in the year following initiation of these medications, compared with the previous year. Results: Out of 2219 individuals, 1589 (71.6%) initiated methylphenidate, 339 (15.3%) amphetamines and 291 (13.1%) atomoxetine during the study period. After adjustment, the risk of hospital admission for psychosis was decreased during the 12 months following the introduction of these medications when used in combination with antipsychotics (adjusted HR = 0.36, 95% CI 0.24–0.54; P < 0.0001). Conclusions: These findings suggest that, in a real-world setting, when used concurrently with antipsychotic medication, methylphenidate, amphetamines and atomoxetine may be safer than generally believed in individuals with psychotic disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]