The use of social media after bereavement by suicide: results from a French online survey.

BACKGROUND: According to recent research, the Internet and social media are shaping and changing how we die and mourn. However, the use of social media after bereavement by suicide remains poorly understood. Thus, emerging research is needed to better assess the role that social media can play after bereavement by suicide. The objective of our study was to evaluate the use of social media in French people bereaved by suicide and to assess their expectations toward social media. METHOD: We conducted a national cross-sectional online survey including French people bereaved by suicide assessing their use of social media after the death of their relative. All adults bereaved by suicide were eligible to participate in the study. An online 26-item questionnaire collected sociodemographic and loss-related characteristics and evaluated four dimensions: (1) the use of social media in daily life, (2) the perceived needs regarding suicide bereavement, (3) the use of social media associated with the suicide loss, and (4) the expectations regarding the development of an online resource for people bereaved by suicide and proposals regarding the development of such a resource. RESULTS: Among 401 participants, 61.6% reported using social media after the death of their relative by suicide, especially those recently bereaved, those receiving counseling and bereaved parents. The participants mainly used social media to reach peers bereaved by suicide and to memorialize, while they expected social media to help them finding information on suicide and accessing bereaved peers. Younger participants were more prone to use social media to memorialize, while bereaved partners and those bereaved by the suicide of a parent were less prone to use them with such aim. DISCUSSION: A large part of people bereaved by suicide use social media for their grief process, mainly to contact peers bereaved by suicide and to memorialize their loved one. According to or results, social media contributes to contemporary grief processes after suicide bereavement and can be seen as putative means to improve the well-being of people bereaved by suicide.

The experiences of medical and pharmacy students participating in a collaborative online international learning on social accountability and global health: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Social accountability aims to promote a collective ethic that upholds the fundamental values of equity, efficiency, solidarity, and social justice in healthcare and is now considered as a critical mission of academic health centers. Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) is a pedagogical approach that uses digital technology to provide experiential international learning, specifically for increasingly diverse and multicultural healthcare work environments. The SOLID'AIRS program is an innovative French-language COIL that aims to set up international exchanges and workshops on social accountability between health sciences students. The aim of our study was to assess the impact of participation in the SOLID'AIRS program on medical and pharmacy students. METHOD: Five universities in four different countries were involved in SOLID'AIRS. We conducted a qualitative study by performing individual, semi-directed interviews with students who participated in the program from 2021 to 2022. A thematic analysis was conducted in five chronological phases: (1) reading, (2) descriptive coding, (3) conceptual coding, (4) identification of themes and (5) production of a coherent thematic structure. RESULTS: After including sixteen student participants, 13 medical and 3 pharmacy students, we identified four main themes related to the impact of participation: (1) previous experiences in social accountability and international learning, (2) perception of the program, (3) perceived impacts of the program, and (4) difficulties encountered and avenues to improve the program. Overall, the program was well received by all participants who reported the advantages and limitations of the online learning format. The primary advantage of this format was its feasibility. The participants noted both professional and personal benefits of the program for their current and future practice, including greater reflexivity towards health sciences practice. Based on the challenges faced during the program, particularly in coordinating group work and communication, participants suggested increased supervision of group projects by collaborators, and organizing at least one in-person meeting for future editions. The participants reported encountering difficulties during the COIL and suggested ways of improvement. CONCLUSION: Participating in a COIL on social accountability appears to be an effective way to adopt a reflective approach to medical practice and should be implemented and evaluated in other educational contexts.

"A sign that I am not alone": A grounded theory-informed qualitative study on spirituality after suicide bereavement.

Suicide bereavement is known to be highly distressing and to negatively affect the mental health of the bereaved. The role of religion and spirituality after suicide bereavement remains understudied. We aimed to specifically explore the role of spirituality after suicide bereavement by conducting a qualitative study through semi-structured interviews with fifteen people bereaved by suicide. The grounded theory-informed thematic analysis identified five main themes, namely "continuing bonds with the deceased," "lightening the burden," "grounded spirituality," "perceptual and conceptual shift" and "the movement of giving." For many participants, spirituality was a resource that facilitated the process of accepting their loss by offering a larger entity to which to hand over their suffering. Moreover, the continuing bonds with the deceased helped them to get through this ordeal. Our results can enable mental health professionals to better understand how spirituality can facilitate post-traumatic growth in people bereaved by suicide.

Evaluation of the level of training of French psychiatrists on borderline personality disorder: An online survey.

BACKGROUND: Borderline personality disorder is a common and treatable personality disorder that is often underdiagnosed and untreated, mainly due to a lack of training of psychiatrists and to a lack of accessibility to specialized therapies. However, no study has been conducted in France regarding this issue. Thus, we aimed to evaluate on a national scale the level of training, knowledge, and general attitude toward BPD diagnosis of French psychiatrists. METHODS: We conducted an online survey in an unselected population of residents and senior French psychiatrists between January and March 2022, the results of which are presented descriptively. RESULTS: 228 psychiatrists fully answered the questionnaire, and 21 more psychiatrists answered it partially. We found that most of the responders were unsatisfied with the residency training or the continuing medical education offered regarding BPD, a lack of training resulting in a low level of self-confidence regarding BPD management, in a low number of evidence-based therapies trained psychiatrists in issues regarding diagnostic disclosure, and in misconceptions regarding some aspects of the disorder. CONCLUSIONS: These results underlie a clear lack of training of French psychiatrists, as well as a request from the latter for more opportunities to learn. This calls for a rethinking of the teaching system to incorporate more knowledge and tools related to BPD.

Psychotic experiences, sexual minority status, and suicidal behavior among young adult college students in the United States.

Psychotic experiences significantly predict suicidal behaviors; however, it is unknown whether these associations are conditional on sexual minority status. We analyzed cross-sectional data from the Healthy Minds Study (N = 109,975), which was collected between September 2020 and June 2021 from young adult (aged 18-34) students from across 140 colleges across the United States. Having psychotic experiences and sexual minority status were associated with significantly greater odds of reporting suicidal ideation, suicide plan, and suicide attempt, adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics. We found significant interactions between psychotic experiences and sexual minority status, such that the relations between psychotic experiences and suicidal behaviors were stronger among heterosexual students than among sexual minority students. However, the interactions disappeared for suicidal ideation and plans after adjusting for socio-behavioral risk factors. Future research can explore whether psychotic experiences predict suicide attempts among sexual minority status behavior socio-behavioral risk factors.

An integrative systematic review of online resources and interventions for people bereaved by suicide.

Suicide bereavement is frequent in the general population and it can have deleterious consequences on the mental health and social functioning of the bereaved individuals. However, those bereaved can face substantial barriers to receive support, and online resources may improve the accessibility of support. This systematic review aimed at examining the use and benefits of online resources dedicated to people bereaved by suicide and appraising the quality of the research in this field. Systematic review according to PRISMA guidelines, involving searches in Pubmed, Scopus and Web of Science, conducted in August 2020. The integrative systematic review involved extracting and merging qualitative and quantitative data. Quality assessment was conducted with the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). The review included 12 studies, mostly of moderate quality. Online resources are predominantly used by middle-aged women, parents who lost their child by suicide, and recently bereaved individuals. Online resources offer a way for help-seeking around the clock for less educated, more disadvantaged and isolated people. People bereaved by suicide use online resources to seek and share support, share and find information, memorialize their loved one and for meaning-making. Negative effects of online resources are rare. The evidence on the use and benefits of online resources for people bereaved by suicide remains scarce but show encouraging results regarding their positive impact on the mental and psychosocial health of the users.

Medical students attitudes toward and intention to work with the underserved: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Experts in the field of medical education emphasized the need for curricula that improve students' attitudes toward the underserved. However, some studies have shown that medical education tends to worsen these attitudes in students. We aimed at systematically reviewing the literature assessing the change in medical students' attitudes toward the underserved and intention to work with the underserved throughout medical education, the sociodemographic and educational factors associated with favorable medical student attitudes toward and/or intention to work with the underserved and the effectiveness of educational interventions to improve medical student attitudes toward and/or intention to work with the underserved. METHOD: We conducted a systematic review on MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. Three investigators independently conducted the electronic search. We assessed the change in medical students attitudes toward the underserved by computing a weighted mean effect size of studies reporting scores from validated scales. The research team performed a meta-analysis for the sociodemographic and educational factors associated with medical students attitudes toward and/or intention to work with the underserved. RESULTS: Fifty-five articles met the inclusion criteria, including a total of 109,647 medical students. The average response rate was 73.2%. Most of the studies were performed in the USA (n = 45). We observed a significant decline of medical students attitudes toward the underserved throughout medical education, in both US and non-US studies. A moderate effect size was observed between the first and fourth years (d = 0.51). Higher favorable medical students attitudes toward or intention to work with the underserved were significantly associated with female gender, being from an underserved community or ethnic minority, exposure to the underserved during medical education and intent to practice in primary care. Regarding educational interventions, the effectiveness of experiential community-based learning and curricula dedicated to social accountability showed the most positive outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Medical students attitudes toward the underserved decline throughout medical education. Educational interventions dedicated to improving the attitudes or intentions of medical students show encouraging but mixed results. The generalizability of our results is impeded by the high number of studies from the global-North included in the review.

Perceived ethnic discrimination as a risk factor for psychotic symptoms: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown an elevated risk of psychotic symptoms (PS) and experiences (PEs) among ethnic minority groups, with significant variation between groups. This pattern may be partially attributable to the unfavorable socio-environmental conditions that surround ethnic minority groups. Perceived ethnic discrimination (PED) in particular has been a salient putative risk factor to explain the increased risk. METHODS: We conducted a systematic literature review and meta-analysis to assess the impact of PED on reporting PS/PEs in ethnic minorities. This review abides by the guidelines set forth by Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. The included studies were obtained from the databases: Medline, PsycINFO, and Web Of Science. Sub-group analyses were performed assessing the effect of PED in different subtypes of PS, the influence of ethnicity and moderating/mediating factors. RESULTS: Seventeen studies met the inclusion criteria, and nine were used to conduct the meta-analysis. We found a positive association between PED and the occurrence of PS/PEs among ethnic minorities. The combined odds ratio were 1.77 (95% CI 1.26-2.49) for PS and 1.94 (95% CI 1.42-2.67) for PEs. We found that the association was similar across ethnic groups and did not depend on the ethnic origin of individuals. Weak evidence supported the buffering effects of ethnic identity, collective self-esteem and social support; and no evidence supported the moderating effect of ethnic density. Sensitivity to race-based rejection significantly but only slightly mediated the association. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that PED is involved in the increased risk of PS/PEs in ethnic minority populations.

Suicidal behaviors and ideation during emerging viral disease outbreaks before the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic rapid review.

The current COVID-19 pandemic is the most severe pandemic of the 21st century, on track to having a rising death toll. Beyond causing respiratory distress, COVID-19 may also cause mortality by way of suicide. The pathways by which emerging viral disease outbreaks (EVDOs) and suicide are related are complex and not entirely understood. We aimed to systematically review the evidence on the association between EVDOs and suicidal behaviors and/or ideation. An electronic search was conducted using five databases: Medline, Embase, Web of Science, PsycINFO and Scopus in April 2020. A rapid systematic review was carried out, which involved separately and independently extracting quantitative data of selected articles. The electronic search yielded 2480 articles, of which 9 met the inclusion criteria. Most of the data were collected in Hong Kong (n = 3) and the USA (n = 3). Four studies reported a slight but significant increase in deaths by suicide during EVDOs. The increase in deaths by suicide was mainly reported during the peak epidemic and in older adults. Psychosocial factors such as the fear of being infected by the virus or social isolation related to quarantine measures were the most prominent factors associated with deaths by suicide during EVDOs. Overall, we found scarce and weak evidence for an increased risk of deaths by suicide during EVDOs. Our results inform the need to orient public health policies toward suicide prevention strategies targeting the psychosocial effects of EVDOs. High-quality research on suicide risk and prevention are warranted during the current pandemic.

Suicide Prevention Interventions for Older People in Nursing Homes and Long-Term Care Facilities: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: The death rate due to suicide among older people is high, especially among men. Because many older people live in nursing homes or long-term care facilities in high-income countries, reviewing the impact of prevention strategies on the suicidal behavior of residents in these settings is of interest. METHODS: Following PRISMA guidelines, we performed a systematic review of the existing literature found in Pubmed, Scopus, Web of Science, PsycINFO, and Sociological Abstracts, focusing on interventions to prevent suicidal behavior or ideation in nursing home residents. The studies' quality was evaluated according to TIDieR and MMAT. RESULTS: Only 6 studies met the inclusion criteria. Four of them described various "gatekeeper" trainings for nursing home staff and 2 described interventions focused on residents. Only 1 study was randomized. Gatekeeper training studies were mostly before/after comparisons. No intervention demonstrated a direct effect on suicidal ideation or behaviors. One study showed that "life review" had a long-lasting effect on depression scores and another that gatekeeper training led to changes in the care of suicidal residents. CONCLUSIONS: Interventions to prevent suicidal ideation or behaviors in nursing homes are not rigorously evaluated, and no conclusion can be drawn on their effectiveness in preventing suicidal behaviors. We propose to better evaluate gatekeeper training for staff as well as peer support. Individual interventions targeting residents could be modified for broader implementation.

Ethnic minority position and migrant status as risk factors for psychotic symptoms in the general population: a meta-analysis.

Psychotic symptoms (PS) are experienced by a substantial proportion of the general population. When not reaching a threshold of clinical relevance, these symptoms are defined as psychotic experiences (PEs) and may exist on a continuum with psychotic disorders. Unfavorable socio-environmental conditions, such as ethnic minority position (EMP) and migrant status (MS), may increase the risk of developing PS and PEs. We conducted an electronic systematic review and a meta-analysis assessing the role of EMP and MS for the development and persistence of PS in the general population. Sub-group analyses were performed investigating the influence of ethnic groups, host countries, age, types of PS, and scales. Twenty-four studies met our inclusion criteria. EMP was a relevant risk factor for reporting PS [odds ratio (OR) 1.44, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.22-1.70) and PEs (OR 1.36, 95% CI 1.16-1.60). The greatest risk was observed in people from the Maghreb and the Middle East ethnic groups in Europe (OR 3.30, 95% CI 2.09-5.21), in Hispanic in the USA (OR 1.98, 95% CI 1.43-2.73), and in the Black populations (OR 1.85, 95% CI 1.39-2.47). We found a significant association between MS and delusional symptoms (OR 1.47, 95% CI 1.33-1.62). We found no association between EMP and persistence of PEs.EMP was associated with increased risk of reporting PS and PEs, and the risk was higher in ethnic groups facing deprivation and discrimination. We found an association between MS and delusional symptoms. These results raise questions about the precise role of socio-environmental factors along the psychosis continuum.

Identification of biopSychoSocial factors predictive of post-traUmatic stress disorder in patients admitted to the Emergency department after a trauma (ISSUE): protocol for a multicenter prospective study.

BACKGROUND: Traumatic exposure is a frequent issue in patients visiting emergency departments (EDs). Some patients will subsequently develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) while other will not. The problem is under-diagnosed in EDs and no standardized management is provided to prevent PTSD. Most studies focused on a particular group of trauma whereas we need a global approach to further develop interventions for detecting and treating patients at high risk. We aim to assess the prevalence of traumatic exposure and situation at high risk of further PTSD and identify pre and peri-traumatic biopsychosocial factors predisposing individuals to PTSD in the general context of EDs. METHODS: This comprehensive multicenter study will have two steps. The first step will be a cross-sectional study on moderate and high risk of PTSD prevalence among EDs visitors with a recent history of trauma. All patients aged 18-70 years, presenting with a recent history of trauma (< 1 month) in one of the six EDs in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region (≈1/10° of the French population) will be included over a 1-month period and approximately 1500 subjects are expected in this cross-sectional step. The risk of PTSD will be assessed using the Impact of Event Scale Revised (IES-R). Self-administered questionnaires will be used to measure acute stress (IES-R), and a number of potential bio-psycho-social risk factors. Demographic and physical health-related data will be collected from medical file. Second step will be a prospective cohort study within a sub-sample of 400 patients enrolled in step 1, randomly selected with stratification on sex, age, ED, and IES-R score. At 3 months, PTSD will be defined by a ≥ 33 score at PTSD Check List for DSM-5 (PCL-5) through a telephone interview. We will evaluate definite PTSD biopsychosocial predictive factors using a multivariate logistic regression model and describe evolution of PTSD at 3 months. DISCUSSION: This is the first study to assess PTSD predictors prospectively with a biopsychosocial approach within a cohort representative of EDs visitors. The results will inform the development of dedicated interventions to decrease the risk of subsequent PTSD. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03615014 ; ISSUE protocol 2nd version was approved on 07/08/2018.

[Psymobile, for the prevention of crisis situations]. / Psymobile, pour prévenir les situations de crise.

The mobile psychiatric team Psymobile is a new method of response to the mental health problems encountered within the general population, notably for patients who have stopped receiving care or who have never had access to care. Intervening before a potential emergency, its mission is primarily one of prevention. Its purpose is to improve access to care and avoid the rehospitalisation of patients suffering from psychiatric pathologies.

Global Perspectives, Local Policies: The Complexities of Race and Ethnicity in Research.

The recent article by Riccioni et al.1 entitled "Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis: Reporting and Representation of Race/Ethnicity in 310 Randomized Controlled Trials of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Medications" highlights the gaps and disparities in the inclusion and reporting of racial and ethnic data in clinical research, using the example of research on attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder pharmacological treatment. The authors emphasized the underreporting of data on race and ethnicity in randomized controlled trials on attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder medications and the overrepresentation of White participants. Their thorough analysis serves as a vital call to action for enhancing representativeness and transparency in research, ensuring that findings are both comprehensive and applicable to diverse populations. However, while the intent to improve inclusivity in clinical trials is universally important, implementing this can be challenging, especially when considering the varied legal and cultural landscapes across different countries.

Mental health outcomes of multiracial individuals: A systematic review between the years 2016 and 2022.

BACKGROUND: Emerging evidence suggests that multiracial individuals are at high risk for mental health problems. Systematic and ongoing synthesis of literature is necessary to understand mental health among multiracial individuals. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review of scholarly articles published during the years 2016-2022. Studies must have focused explicitly on mental health outcomes of biracial/multiracial individuals using quantitative methods. A total of 22 articles met criteria for this review. RESULTS: Studies were mainly from the United States, with one study from the United Kingdom and one from the Netherlands. Sample sizes ranged from 57 to 393,681. Findings revealed a complicated picture between multiracial identity and mental health, which may be a function of how multiracial identity is defined and empirically examined. Among studies comparing multiracial individuals with monoracial groups, multiracial individuals tended to have worse mental health, with notable exceptions depending on the multiracial subgroup, the mental health outcome, and the reference group. Among studies that only examined multiracial individuals, discrimination and ethno-racial identity emerged as complex explanatory factors that can shape mental health, though each of these constructs can be explored more deeply across social milieu. LIMITATIONS: The review focused on studies explicitly examining multiracial mental health, published during a limited time frame. CONCLUSION: Multiracial individuals tended to have worse mental health outcomes compared to their monoracial counterparts, with variations depending on the outcomes, populations/subgroups, contexts, and reference groups. Racial discrimination and ethno-racial identity may shape mental health trajectories of multiracial people, calling for more research to inform targeted interventions.

The synergy of depression and flourishing/languishing on suicidal thoughts and behaviors: Findings from a national sample of emerging adult students in higher education in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Suicide is a leading cause of death among students in higher education, driven in large part by mental illness, but also mental wellness. Relatively few studies have examined the extent to which depression and flourishing/languishing interact in relation to suicidal thoughts and behaviors. METHODS: We analyzed data from the Healthy Minds Study (2020-2021; emerging adult students aged 18-29; N = 101,435), and calculated interaction contrast ratios to estimate the interaction between depression and flourishing/languishing on suicidal thoughts and behaviors, using an additive scale, adjusting for age, gender, race/ethnicity, and food insecurity. RESULTS: When compared with students who were flourishing without depression, the students who were languishing without depression, and the students who were depressed but still flourishing had significantly greater odds of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. However, students who were depressed and languishing had the greatest odds, exceeding the sum of the individual effects. CONCLUSION: The interaction of depression and flourishing/languishing produced a synergy that increased odds of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Flourishing interventions may prove to be an effective strategy for universal suicide prevention.

Psychiatric trainees as second victims after exposure to patient suicide: a French qualitative study.

Background: The exposure to patient suicide (PS) has been identified as one of the most frequent and troubling professional experience for psychiatric trainees. Further studies are needed to better understand how residents cope with these experiences and the association between perceived support and the impacts of PS. Method: In this qualitative study, we aimed to assess the impact of exposure to PS during psychiatric residency on trainees' professional career and practical experience. A total of 19 French psychiatric residents participated in 4 focus-groups performed between November 2017 and May 2019. Results: A total of 4 thematic clusters were identified through a five-step content analysis, namely: (a) reactions to the exposure; (b) coping strategies; (c) professional impact; and (d) prevention and postvention proposals. All participants described the critical impact of the support provided after PS, especially by their senior staff. Those who felt supported by their superior reported less negative impact, both in emotional and professional dimensions. Participants also shared proposals to improve the prevention and postvention issues related to the exposure to PS. Conclusion: We performed the first qualitative study based on focus groups on the impact of PS on psychiatric residents, which allowed for an in-depth understanding of the participants' lived experiences of the exposure to PS. The narratives inform the need and means to implement prevention and postvention strategies designed to buffer the negative impact of the exposure to PS in psychiatric trainees.

Sexual Minority Status and Psychotic Experiences Among Young Adult College Students in the United States.

2020-2021 Healthy Minds Study, and used multivariable logistic regression to examine the associations between sexual minority status and psychotic experiences, adjusting for age, gender, and race/ethnicity. We then tested whether psychosocial factors accounted for the association. Sexual minority status was associated with 1.87 times greater odds of having psychotic experiences over the past 12 months (aOR: 1.87; 95% CI: 1.77-1.99; N = 110,551). Several factors mediated the association between sexual orientation and psychotic experiences such as loneliness (26.93%), anxiety (30.90%), depression (33.18%), and marijuana use (13.95%); all factors together accounted for 59.01% of the association between sexual minority status and psychotic experiences. Food insecurity, recent abuse, and discrimination did not significantly mediate the association. Findings should raise clinical awareness that psychotic experiences are more common among sexual minorities than among heterosexuals, which is largely explained by mental health factors, calling for targeted outreach and intervention.

Lived Experiences of Suicide Bereavement within Families: A Qualitative Study.

BACKROUND: The lifetime prevalence of suicide exposure in the family is estimated at 3.8% in the general population. Familial bonds can constitute a crucial factor in determining individual bereavement outcomes via the interactional and communicational aspects of the bereavement process within the family. However, the literature on the lived experiences of suicide bereavement within the family remains scarce. METHOD: Our objectives were to qualitatively (a) assess the impact of suicide on different types of family members, (b) evaluate the interactions between the familial and individual bereavement processes, and (c) obtain precise insights into the familial interactions that occur following a suicide. We performed a qualitative study by conducting semidirected interviews with family members who had been bereaved by suicide. Computer-based and manual thematic analyses were used for data analysis. In order to mitigate biases related to the qualitative design of the data collection, two main measures were undertaken, namely triangulation and saturation. RESULTS: Sixteen family members bereaved by suicide participated in our study, including a majority of women (n = 12). Mean age of participants was 56.4 and mean duration of suicide bereavement was 10.5 years. Most of the relatives deceased by suicide were middle-aged men who died by hanging or firearm. A total of six themes emerged from the analyses, namely (1) "familial trauma", (2) "external adversity", (3) "individual bereavement and familial interactions", (4) "communicational and relational processes within the family", (5) "perceived help and support within the family" and (6) "evolution over time". CONCLUSION: We reported that suicide bereavement significantly impacts internal familial interactions via complex emotional and communication processes. Family conflicts, taboos or cohesion can occur in the aftermath of a suicide. We also found that familial coping strategies can shape individual reactions to the death on the part of each member of the family.

Patients' and relatives' views on unmet mental health care needs through a qualitative study: Symptoms are a major barrier.

Unmet needs in mental health care are a prominent issue and concern almost half of people with such disorders. Psymobile is a mobile outreach psychiatric team whose objective is to facilitate access to psychiatric services. Its intervention is at the request of relatives or social workers, making it possible to encounter situations of long-standing unmet needs. Our objective was to understand the barriers to accessing mental health care as perceived by patients and their relatives. We conducted a qualitative study with patients and their relatives using face-to-face semi-structured interviews and a hierarchical thematic analysis. Four major themes were identified: psychological and behavioural barriers, socio-economic barriers, structural barriers and physical barriers. Anosognosia or lack of insight is cited as a primary barrier, as are fear of stigma, and former negative experiences. The complexity of the French care system and the lack of literacy about mental illnesses were also emphasized by the participants. Physical determinants, such as the distance to healthcare facilities, were rarely mentioned. As a conclusion, outreach teams appear to be an appropriate way to address the issue of unmet mental health care needs when they provide psychiatric care.