Current opinion in psychiatry
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Curr Opin Psychiatry · Jul 2013
ReviewHow did we arrive at burden of disease estimates for mental and illicit drug use disorders in the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010?
The Global Burden of Disease study 2010 (GBD 2010) estimated regional and global burden of 291 diseases and 67 risk factors. Here, we provide an overview of the methodological approach taken to this work, as well as the challenges and limitations encountered in deriving the burden of mental and drug use disorders. ⋯ GBD 2010 findings demonstrated the major public health importance of mental and drug use disorders. The methodology used to estimate burden was more sophisticated than previous GBD studies, with some restrictions required in order to achieve defensible numerical measures of burden for mental and drug use disorders.
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Curr Opin Psychiatry · Nov 2012
ReviewPrevention and treatment options for postoperative delirium in the elderly.
To review recent findings and developments in strategies for prevention and treatment of postoperative delirium. ⋯ Postoperative delirium is a common and serious complication in elderly patients. Preoperative assessment of risk profiles and tailored multimodal prevention approaches proved effective and should be integrated into clinical practice. Despite promising recent findings, at present, the routine use of pharmacological prophylaxis cannot be recommended. Validated and easy-to-use bedside diagnostic tools are available and should be regularly applied for delirium screening in the first days after surgery. In patients developing delirium, causal conditions and contributing factors need to be identified and addressed. Whereas administration of antipsychotics may represent an option for symptomatic treatment, further studies are needed to evaluate the effects of pharmacological approaches on long-term outcomes in elderly patients with delirium.
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This article reviews evidence about the impact of immigration detention and other restrictive immigration policies on the mental health of children, young people and the adults who care for them. We review the implications of this for clinicians attempting to assess or work with incarcerated child and adult refugees and asylum seekers. ⋯ Clinicians are required to consider the intersection of mental health assessment and treatment with human rights violations, and the impact of restrictive immigration policies, not only on asylum seekers and refugees but also on clinicians, clinical practice and professional ethics.
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Curr Opin Psychiatry · Jul 2012
ReviewMental health and the school environment: secondary schools, promotion and pathways to care.
Addressing youth mental health in secondary schools has received greater attention globally in the past decade. It is essential that educators, mental health experts, researchers, and other related service providers understand the most current research findings to inform policy making, and identify priority areas for the development of future interventions and research strategies. This review describes literature during the past year on school-based mental health programs addressing mental health promotion, prevention, early identification and intervention/treatment. ⋯ Although the opportunity in school mental health is substantial, much yet needs to be done to develop and evaluate interventions that can be proven to be effective, safe and cost-effective. Mental health literacy may be an appropriate start that will help to set the foundation for mental health promotion, prevention and intervention.