Psychological medicine
-
Psychological medicine · Jul 2000
Comparative StudyPsychiatric illness predicts poor outcome after surgery for hip fracture: a prospective cohort study.
Hip fracture is common in the elderly. Previous studies suggest that psychiatric illness is common and predicts poor outcome, but have methodological weaknesses. Further studies are required to address this important issue. ⋯ Psychiatric illness is common after hip fracture, and has significant effects on important outcomes. This suggests a need for randomized, controlled trials of psychiatric interventions in the elderly hip fracture population.
-
Psychological medicine · Mar 2000
The capacity of people with a 'mental disability' to make a health care decision.
Based on the developing clinical and legal literature, and using the framework adopted in draft legislation, capacity to make a valid decision about a clinically required blood test was investigated in three groups of people with a 'mental disability' (i.e. mental illness (chronic schizophrenia), 'learning disability' ('mental retardation', or intellectual or developmental disability), or, dementia) and a fourth, comparison group. ⋯ Consistent with current views, capacity reflected an interaction between the decision-maker and the demands of the decision-making task. The findings have implications for the way in which decisions about health care interventions are sought from people with a 'mental disability'. The methodology may be extended to assess capacity to make other legally-significant decisions.
-
Psychological medicine · Jan 2000
Risk factors and life processes associated with the onset of suicidal behaviour during adolescence and early adulthood.
This study examined associations between childhood circumstances, adolescent mental health and life events, and the development of suicidal behaviour in young people aged between 15 and 21 years. ⋯ Findings support a life course model of the aetiology of suicidal behaviour in which risk of developing suicidal behaviour depends on accumulative exposure to a series of social, family, personality and mental health factors.
-
Psychological medicine · Jul 1999
Scales to measure dimensions of hallucinations and delusions: the psychotic symptom rating scales (PSYRATS).
Scales to measure the severity of different dimensions of auditory hallucinations and delusions are few. Biochemical and psychological treatments target dimensions of symptoms and valid and reliable measures are necessary to measure these. ⋯ It is concluded that the PSYRATS are useful assessment instruments and can complement existing measures.
-
Psychological medicine · May 1999
Psychosocial adjustment after traumatic brain injury: what are the important variables?
The common legacy of severe degrees of traumatic brain injury is varying degrees and types of impairments, which impact significantly upon the individual's resumption of pre-morbid psychosocial roles. Yet there are few data to indicate the relative contribution of these and other non-injury related variables. ⋯ These results reinforce the overriding importance of injury severity and neurological factors (both neurophysical as well as neuropsychological) in predicting psychosocial adjustment after traumatic brain injury. Support for the contribution of non-neurological factors was also found.