Community mental health journal
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Community Ment Health J · Jun 2012
Mental health status and related characteristics of Chinese male rural-urban migrant workers.
To explore mental health status and related characteristics in a sample of Chinese male rural-urban migrants. Subjects were 1,595 male rural-urban migrant workers selected though a multi-stage sample survey conducted in two cities (Hangzhou and Guangzhou). Data were collected by means of a self-administered questionnaire. ⋯ Logistic regression analysis revealed that five characteristics were positively associated with risk for probable mental disorders: originating in the South (OR = 2.00; 95% CI = 1.02, 4.00), higher life stress (OR = 7.63; 95% CI = 5.88, 10.00), staying in the city for 5-9 months each year (OR = 2.56; 95% CI = 1.67, 3.85), higher work stress (OR = 2.56; 95% CI = 1.96, 3.33), and separation from wife (OR = 2.43; 95% CI = 1.61, 3.57). Employment in machinery and transportation (OR = 0.54; 95% CI = 0.36, 0.81) and higher self-worth (OR = 0.42; 95% CI = 0.28, 0.62) were negatively associated. Findings support an urgent need to develop specific policies and programs to address mental health problems among Chinese rural-urban migrants.
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Community Ment Health J · Jun 2012
Prevalence of psychological distress, as measured by the Kessler 6 (K6), and related factors in Japanese employees.
The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of and related factors for psychological distress among employees. The employees in Akita prefecture, Japan, were invited to complete the Kessler 6 (K6). A value of 13 or higher on the K6 scale indicated high psychological distress. ⋯ The data of 1,709 employees indicated that 10.8% of the employees had high psychological distress; the proportion of psychological distress found in the present study was high compared to that found in previous studies. The identified socio-demographic and occupation-related factors included young age groups associated with a high risk and clerical or administrative tasks associated with a low risk of psychological distress. The data of this study can be used as K6 benchmark values, which enhance the significance of future corporate health risk appraisal surveys.
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'Engagement' and 'treatment engagement' are terms that frequently appear in the mental health literature, and are operationalized differently across studies. A clearer understanding and conceptualization of engagement would enhance research and practice. ⋯ However, therapists viewed engagement as much more than the relationship; it is a complex process that is affected by many factors, including agency policies and practices. Suggestions are made to advance the study of how clinical and organizational factors affect engagement.
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Community Ment Health J · Feb 2012
Mental health screening of African American adolescents and facilitated access to care.
This study retrospectively reviews de-identified records from school-based mental health screening in a predominantly African American community. We compare participation rates, screening results, referrals to services and access to care of white and African American adolescents. Among those offered screening, 20.1% of white students (n = 297), and 28.8% of African American students (n = 499) were screened (χ(2) = 32.47, df = 1, P < .001). ⋯ The groups did not differ in the odds of accessing community-based services (AOR = .58; P = .49). African American students were, however, more likely than white students to access school-based services (AOR = 10.08; P = .022). The findings support the effectiveness of screening in school settings in predominantly African American communities.
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Community Ment Health J · Dec 2011
Does transinstitutionalization explain the overrepresentation of people with serious mental illnesses in the criminal justice system?
Although there is broad consensus that people with serious mental illnesses (SMI) are overrepresented in correctional settings, there is less agreement about the policy trends that may have created this situation. Some researchers and policymakers posit a direct link between deinstitutionalization and increased rates of SMI in jails and prisons, a phenomenon described as transinstitutionalization. ⋯ This paper reviews claims from both sides of the debate, and concludes that merely increasing access to state psychiatric hospital beds would likely not reduce the number of people with SMI in jails and prisons. A more nuanced approach is recommended for explaining why people with SMI become involved in the criminal justice system and why developing effective strategies to divert them out of jails and prisons and into community-based treatment is needed to improve both their mental health and criminal justice outcomes.