Pattern of psychiatric in-patient admissions in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.

An understanding of the current state of mental health services in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from a clinical perspective is an important step in advising government and stakeholders on addressing the mental health needs of the fast-growing population. We conducted a retrospective study of data on all patients admitted to a regional psychiatric in-patient unit between June 2012 and May 2015. More Emiratis (UAE nationals) were admitted compared with expatriates. Emiratis were diagnosed more frequently with substance use disorders and expatriates with stress-related conditions. Psychotic and bipolar disorders were the most common causes for admission and had the longest in-patient stays; advancing age was associated with longer duration of in-patient stay.

A new type of scale for determining remission from depression: the Remission from Depression Questionnaire.

Current standards for treating major depressive disorder (MDD) recommend that achieving remission should be considered the principal goal of treatment. Recent research suggests that the symptom-based definitions of remission used in efficacy studies do not adequately reflect the perspective of depressed patients receiving treatment in routine clinical settings. We developed the Remission from Depression Questionnaire (RDQ) to capture the broader array of domains considered by patients to be relevant to the construct of remission--symptoms of depression, nondepressive symptoms, features of positive mental health, coping ability, functioning, life satisfaction and a general sense of well-being. The current report is the first study of the reliability and validity of the RDQ. The test-retest reliability of the RDQ was studied in 60 depressed outpatients in ongoing treatment. The convergent and discriminant validity of the RDQ was studied in 274 depressed outpatients who were rated on the 17-item Hamilton Depression Scale (HAM-D) and who completed several self-report scales including the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (QIDS). The RDQ demonstrated excellent internal consistency, with a Cronbach's α of .97 for the total scale and above .80 for each of the 7 subscales. The test-retest reliability of the total scale was .85 and above .60 for each subscale. Both the RDQ and QIDS were significantly associated with patients' self-reported remission status. However, the RDQ remained significantly associated with remission status after controlling for QIDS scores (r = -.32, p < .001) whereas the QIDS was not associated with remission status after controlling for RDQ scores (r = -.06). The RDQ is a reliable and valid measure that evaluates the multiple domains that depressed patients consider important in determining remission. The results are consistent with prior research suggesting that depressed patients' perspective of remission goes beyond symptom resolution.

Depressed patients' perspectives of 2 measures of outcome: the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (QIDS) and the Remission from Depression Questionnaire (RDQ).

BACKGROUND: Current operational definitions of remission, at their root, are exclusively symptom-based and therefore limited in scope. In this report from the Rhode Island Methods to Improve Diagnostic Assessment and Services (MIDAS) project we examined patient acceptability of a new measure, the Remission from Depression Questionnaire (RDQ), a scale designed to capture a broader array of domains patients consider relevant to the construct of remission. Patient acceptance of the RDQ was compared with that of the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (QIDS), the instrument used to measure outcome in the Sequenced Treatment Alternatives to Relieve Depression study. METHODS: One hundred and two depressed outpatients in ongoing treatment completed the RDQ, QIDS, and a 9-item measure of patient preference. RESULTS: Patients indicated the RDQ was a better indicator of their overall state and treatment goals. Patients judged the RDQ to be a more accurate and preferred measure to determine treatment outcome, and a more accurate indicator of remission. CONCLUSIONS: Patients considered the multifactorial RDQ a more accurate indicator of their treatment goals than a purely symptom measure such as the QIDS.

Underrecognition of clinically significant side effects in depressed outpatients.

OBJECTIVE: The presence of medication side effects is one of the most frequent reasons depressed patients discontinue medication, and premature discontinuation of medication is associated with poorer outcome in the treatment of depression. Despite the clinical importance of detecting side effects, few studies have examined the adequacy of their detection and documentation by clinicians. We are not aware of any studies comparing psychiatrists' clinical assessments to a standardized side effects checklist in depressed patients receiving ongoing treatment in clinical practice. The goal of the present report from the Rhode Island Methods to Improve Diagnostic Assessment and Services (MIDAS) project was to test the hypothesis that fewer side effects would be recorded by psychiatrists in their patients' charts compared to the number reported by patients on a side effects checklist. METHOD: Three hundred depressed outpatients (diagnosed according to DSM-IV criteria) in ongoing treatment completed a self-administered version of the Toronto Side Effects Scale (TSES). The patients rated the frequency of each of the 31 side effects and the degree of trouble caused by them. A research assistant reviewed patients' charts to extract side effects information recorded by the treating psychiatrist. The study was conducted from June 2008 to July 2008. RESULTS: The mean number of side effects reported by the patients on the TSES was 20 times higher than the number recorded by the psychiatrists (P < .01). When the self-reported side effects were limited to frequently occurring or very bothersome side effects, the rate was still 2 to 3 times higher (P < .01). CONCLUSIONS: Psychiatrists may not be aware of most side effects experienced by psychiatric outpatients receiving ongoing pharmacologic treatment for depression.