Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology
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Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol · Jul 2007
Prevalence and predictors of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in physically injured victims of non-domestic violence. A longitudinal study.
Victims of violent assault experience diverse post-event emotional problems such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and they may have multiple emotional problems. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence and predictors of PTSD in a longitudinal design. ⋯ Our results showed that experience of non-domestic violence may cause serious chronic emotional problems, and therefore it is important to be aware of early symptoms indicating needs for special follow-ups.
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Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol · May 2007
Sickness absence and disability pension in a cohort of employees initially on long-term sick leave due to psychiatric disorders in Sweden.
Over the last decade sickness absence and disability pension (DP) due to psychiatric disorders have increased considerably in Western countries. The scientific knowledge base about prognoses for such absences is very limited, but employers and clinicians often predict them to be very long. The aim of this study was to investigate sickness absence and disability pension in a cohort of employees who initially were on long-term sick leave due to psychiatric disorders, with regard to gender, age, socioeconomic status, and previous sickness absence. ⋯ Employees with long-term sick leave due to psychiatric disorders did not have a high level of sickness absence in the 3 years prior to inclusion in the study. Also, 3 years after inclusion, only 35% had very low levels of sickness absence, whereas 26% had been granted DP. Employees who were aged 55-61 showed the lowest risk of sick leave but the highest risk of DP. Low SES was a significant predictor of DP in 2002.
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Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol · Mar 2007
Antidepressant utilization in primary care in a Spanish region: impact of generic and reference-based pricing policy (2000-2004).
To describe the evolution of antidepressant use in primary care in the Valencian region (Spain) from 2000 to 2004 and to analyze the effects of reference-based price and generic drugs introduction on drug utilization and cost saving. ⋯ In 2004, reference price policy and the implementation of generic drugs reduced the antidepressant cost by DDD. However, antidepressant expenditure increased since 2000 due to a continued growth in consumption (SSRIs and novel agents) and a displacement of prescriptions to drugs that were not included in the reference price policy.
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Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol · Mar 2007
Risk factors for suicide in the immediate post-discharge period.
Suicide risk is highest in the first few months following psychiatric in-patient care. Most data on post-discharge suicides have come from Western countries. Many studies collected cases of suicide over a long post-discharge period and did not focus on this high-risk period. This study aims to describe the characteristics and examine the risk factors of suicides occurring in the immediate post-discharge period in Hong Kong. ⋯ Vulnerable (previous suicidality) and uncooperative (compulsory admission and out of contact) patients who live alone and are exposed to work stresses are prone to immediate post-discharge suicide. Thorough treatment of the circumstances leading to the index admissions, management of work stresses, improved engagement in follow-up care and systematic assessment of suicide risk are indicated.
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Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol · Jan 2007
Comparative StudyThe performance of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale in English speaking and non-English speaking populations in Australia.
The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) has been widely used to assess maternal depression following childbirth in a range of English speaking countries, and increasingly also in translation in non-English speaking ones. It has performed satisfactorily in most validation studies, has proved easy to administer, is acceptable to women, and rates of depression in the range of 10-20% have been consistently found. ⋯ The good item consistency of the EPDS and the relative stability of the factor patterns across the samples are indicative that the scale is understood and completed in similar ways by women in these different English speaking and non-English speaking population groups. With the proviso that careful translation processes and extensive piloting of translations are always needed, these findings lend further support to the use of the EPDS in cross-cultural research on depression following childbirth.