Impact of the economic crisis on health-related behaviors in Italy.

BACKGROUND: Evidence exists supporting the impact of the Great Recession on health-related behaviors internationally, though few studies are available concerning the Italian population. AIM: To assess the impact of the late 2000s economic crisis on health-related behaviors linked to population mental health in Italy. METHODS: Descriptive study. Health indicators came from the Italian Institute of Statistics database (years 2000-2015). Statistics performed by means of linear regression models. RESULTS: Increased smokers (ß = 1.68, p = .03), heavy smokers, that is, people smoking 11-20 cigarettes per day (ß = 2.18, p = .04) or more than 20 cigarettes per day (ß = 1.04, p < .01) and mean number of smoked cigarettes per day (ß = 0.56, p = .02) were noticeable. Also, prevalence of overweight increased (ß = 0.91, p = .04), while the Italian families' expenditure for alcoholic beverages decreased (ß = -812.80, p = .01). Alcohol consumption decreased (ß = -0.60, p < .01), especially in men (ß = -0.95, p < .01); binge drinking increased in years 2009-2010. No change was noticeable in the diet indicators collected. CONCLUSION: The economic crisis may have increased smoking, overweight and binge drinking in Italy (though data on the latter phenomenon are not conclusive), and reduced overall alcohol consumption.

Stigma in the context of schools: analysis of the phenomenon of stigma in a population of university students.

BACKGROUND: Students have stereotyped views about people with mental illness. In particular, they believe that these persons are incurable, dangerous, unpredictable and responsible for their condition. This study aims to investigate the levels of public stigma in an Italian university population. METHODS: The Attribution Questionnaire 27 - Italian Version (AQ-27-I) was administered to a sample of students from the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia. After examining the psychometric characteristics of the AQ-27-I (Cronbach's Alpha and Confirmatory Factor Analysis), multiple linear regression analyses were carried out to identify the predictors of stigmatizing attitudes in this population. RESULTS: Three hundred and eleven students completed the questionnaire, with a response rate of 32.81 % (out of the 948 contacted by email). The AQ-27-I showed good psychometric properties with an α = .68, and the fit indices of the models that partially supported the factor structure and paths. The two variables identified as possible predictors of stigmatizing attitudes (total score of AQ-27-I) were age and time spent reading newspapers. CONCLUSIONS: Antistigma campaigns are needed in university contexts, targeted in particular to students in health professions.

Alexithymia in the medically ill. Analysis of 1190 patients in gastroenterology, cardiology, oncology and dermatology.

OBJECTIVE: To use the Diagnostic Criteria for Psychosomatic Research (DCPR) for characterizing alexithymia in a large and heterogeneous medical population, in conjunction with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) and other DCPR criteria. METHOD: Of 1305 patients recruited from 4 medical centers in the Italian Health System, 1190 agreed to participate. They all underwent an assessment with DSM-IV and DCPR structured interviews. A total of 188 patients (15.8%) were defined as alexithymic by using the DCPR criteria. Data were submitted to cluster analysis. RESULTS: Five clusters of patients with alexithymia were identified: (1) alexithymia with no psychiatric comorbidity (29.3% of cases); (2) depressed somatization with alexithymic features (23.4%); (3) alexithymic illness behavior (17.6%); (4) alexithymic somatization (17%) and (5) alexithymic anxiety (12.8%). CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that DCPR alexithymia is associated with a comorbid mood or anxiety disorder in about one third of cases; it is related to various forms of somatization and abnormal illness behavior in another third and may occur without psychiatric comorbidity in another subgroup. Identification of alexithymic features may entail major prognostic and therapeutic differences among medical patients who otherwise seem to be deceptively similar since they share the same psychiatric and/or medical diagnosis.

A step backward: the 'Rough' facial nerve grading system.

OBJECTIVES: Several modalities currently exist to rate the degree of facial function clinically but even though it has significant limitations, the most widely used scale is the House-Brackmann grading system (HBGS). A simplified scale is introduced here, the 'Rough' Grading System (RGS - Grade I: normal movement; Grade II: slight paralysis; Grade III: frank paralysis with eye closure; Grade IV: frank paralysis without eye closure; Grade V: almost complete paralysis with only slight movements; Grade VI: total paralysis). The aim of the present study was to verify the interrater reliability and the interscale validity of this simplified grading system. STUDY DESIGN: Scale validation study based on a prospective cohort. METHODS: Fifty patients with facial palsy, consecutively referred to our department were filmed while performing some codified facial movements. Then two independent groups (one rating using the HBGS, the other rating using the RGS) assigned a grade after reviewing the videos. The time required for the rating was also noted. RESULTS: The HBGS showed a mean value of interrater agreement of 0.46 while the RGS showed a mean value of 0.59. The concurrent validity between HBGS and RGS ranged from 0.86 to 0.90 (p < 0.001 for every comparison). There was no statistically significant difference between HBGS and RGS in the mean time taken for rating (p = 0.15). CONCLUSIONS: The RGS reached an adequate level of interrater reliability, higher than the HBGS. The correlation between the two scales is high and the times required for rating are similar. The present results may justify the use of the RGS in routine clinical practice. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: N/A.

Anniversary reactions in medical patients.

The aim of this study was to explore the prevalence and characteristics of anniversary reactions (somatic symptoms occurring at the anniversary of specific events) in a large sample of 1498 medical patients from different medical settings who underwent the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID) and the Structured Interview for Diagnostic Criteria for Psychosomatic Research (DCPR), which provide definition of anniversary reactions. In 54 (3.6%) of the 1498 patients for whom anniversary reaction was identified, 61.1% had a concurrent DSM-IV diagnosis. Other syndromes related to somatization, abnormal illness behavior, irritable mood, demoralization, and alexithymia were present in 9 of 10 cases. Symptoms of the conversion syndrome were found in 6 (0.4%) patients with the SCID and in 67 (4.5%) patients with the DCPR, 20% of whom also had anniversary reaction. The results should alert physicians to enquire about the timing of symptoms in relation to meaningful personal events.

Antidepressants for major depressive disorder in patients with a co-morbid axis-III disorder: a meta-analysis of patient characteristics and placebo response rates in randomized controlled trials.

The objective of this study is to assess whether the antidepressants are effective in treating major depressive disorder (MDD) in patients with a co-morbid axis-III disorder, and to compare the relative efficacy (vs. placebo) of antidepressants between these patients and those enrolled in general MDD trials. Medline/Pubmed publication databases were searched. We selected for randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials of antidepressants for MDD, whether conducted in a general population, or in populations with an axis-III disorder. Antidepressants were more effective than placebo in patients with axis-III disorders overall [risk ratio for response (RR)=1.42, P<0.0001], as well as specifically for post-stroke (RR=1.43, P=0.04), human-immunodeficiency virus positive or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (RR=1.66, P=0.005), but not cancer patients (RR=1.26, P=0.19). There was a trend for higher placebo response rates in studies, which did (41.2%) versus those which did not (37.7%) select for axis-III disorders (P=0.06), and significantly higher antidepressant response rates in studies which did (57.4%) versus those which did not (53.5%) select for axis-III disorders (P=0.01). Antidepressants are effective for MDD in patients who present with co-morbid axis-III disorders and as effective (vs. placebo) in this population as they are in the general MDD population. Higher general response rates observed in the co-morbid MDD population are intriguing, and require replication.

The different psychological profiles of subjects attending melanoma screening campaigns and those delaying diagnosis: an aid for designing preventive campaigns?

Patient delay in seeking medical attention for melanoma (MM) constitutes one of the main challenges in designing prevention campaigns. No conclusive studies exploring psychological aspects of those patients, using standardized psychometric instruments, are currently available. We hypothesized that the attitude toward illness of subjects attending the melanoma screening day (EMD) would differ from patients diagnosed with MM following the usual clinical pathways. Five psychometric tests, assessing attitude toward illness, were administered both to EMD and MM groups, this latter further divided into two subgroups (good and bad detectors, GD and BD) considering the histo-clinical characteristics of the lesion. The Mann-Whitney U Test and Pearson Chi Square test were used to compare EMD patients with the other groups and to compare psychometric scores between GD and BD. BD and GD groups showed significant differences. Interestingly, the BD group was characterized by higher scores in Temperament and Character Inventory Fearful subscale, Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Powerful Others scale and Illness Behaviour Questionnaire General Hypochondriasis, Affective Disturbance and Irritability subscales. BD patients tend to react in a phobic manner to medical recommendations and they appear to favour external and more assertive help, which would suggest choosing a more direct approach in proposing a prevention campaign. Although this is a pilot study and further studies are needed, it gives new insight to build up more effective prevention campaigns for those patients.

Irritable mood in Italian patients with medical disease.

Irritability may be a mood state independent of other moods and anxiety disorders, even though it may be symptomatic of several psychiatric disorders, such as major depression. The aims of this exploratory study were to verify the presence of irritable mood in a group of medical outpatients with a variety of clinical conditions (functional gastrointestinal disorders, cardiovascular disorders, endocrine diseases and cancer) and to examine its relationship with major depression. A total of 609 consecutive outpatients recruited from different medical settings were assessed according to DSM-IV and Diagnostic Criteria for Psychosomatic Research using semistructured research interviews. Irritable mood was identified in 163 (27%) patients, while major depression was present in 113 (19%) patients. Even though there was a considerable overlap between the two diagnoses, 76 (67%) patients with major depression were not classified as irritable, and 126 (77%) patients with irritable mood did not satisfy the criteria for major depression. The findings suggest a high prevalence of irritability in the medically ill, which in most cases is independent of mood disorder. Further research may determine whether irritability, alone or in association with major depression, entails prognostic and clinical implications.

Assessing demoralization and depression in the setting of medical disease.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the presence of demoralization and major depression in the setting of medical disease. METHOD: 807 consecutive outpatients recruited from different medical settings (gastroenterology, cardiology, endocrinology, and oncology) were assessed according to DSM-IV criteria and Diagnostic Criteria for Psychosomatic Research, using semistructured research interviews. RESULTS: Demoralization was identified in 245 patients (30.4%), while major depression was present in 135 patients (16.7%). Even though there was a considerable overlap between the 2 diagnoses, 59 patients (43.7%) with major depression were not classified as demoralized, and 169 patients (69.0%) with demoralization did not satisfy the criteria for major depression. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest a high prevalence of demoralization in the medically ill and the feasibility of a differentiation between demoralization and depression. Further research may determine whether demoralization, alone or in association with major depression, entails prognostic and clinical implications.

A brief diagnostic screening instrument for mental disturbances in general medical wards.

OBJECTIVE: Mental illness is prevalent among general hospital ward patients but often goes unrecognised. The aim of this study was to validate the SCL-8d as a brief questionnaire for mental disturbances for use in general hospitals. METHODS: The study included 2040 patients, 18 years or older, consecutively admitted to 11 general internal medicine wards in seven European countries. All patients were screened on admission by means of the SCL-8d questionnaire. The psychometric performance (i.e., the internal validity) of the SCL-8d scale was tested using modern item response theory (IRT) in the form of the Rasch model. RESULTS: Differences between sample characteristics were considerable. Even so, the SCL-8d scale showed a remarkable, statistically significant fit in terms of internal homogeneity (P>.01) in all individual settings, except in Spain and Germany where the item "Everything is an effort" had to be excluded to obtain a fit. When pooling data from all centres, an excellent statistical significance of fit (P>.05) was obtained by exclusion of the "Effort" item. The scale was homogeneous as to gender (P>.05), but not age as it performed better among young patients than among patients older than 60 years (P<.01). In these two patient groups both internal and external homogeneity (gender, median age) was achieved. The SCL-8d sum score showed a marked correlation with current and previous treatment for mental illness. CONCLUSION: Apart from the "Effort" item ranking differently on the latent severity dimension as to age, the SCL-8d seems very robust from a psychometric point of view. Besides being short, the SCL-8d scale contains only emotional symptoms. It would therefore seem to be an excellent diagnostic tool for use in medical settings.