Experiences of a digital health intervention for young people exposed to technology assisted sexual abuse: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: There is growing evidence that Technology Assisted Sexual Abuse (TASA) represents a serious problem for large numbers of children. To date, there are very few evidence-based interventions available to young people (YP) after they have been exposed to this form of abuse, and access to support services remains a challenge. Digital tools such as smartphones have the potential to increase access to mental health support and may provide an opportunity for YP to both manage their distress and reduce the possibility of further victimization. The current study explores the acceptability of a digital health intervention (DHI; the i-Minds app) which is a theory-driven, co-produced, mentalization-based DHI designed for YP aged 12-18 who have experienced TASA. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 YP recruited through Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, a Sexual Assault Referral Centre and an e-therapy provider who had access to the i-Minds app as part of a feasibility clinical trial. Interviews focused on the acceptability and usability of i-Minds and were coded to themes based on the Acceptability of Healthcare Interventions framework. RESULTS: All participants found the i-Minds app acceptable. Many aspects of the app were seen as enjoyable and useful in helping YP understand their abuse, manage feelings, and change behavior. The app was seen as usable and easy to navigate, but for some participants the level of text was problematic and aspects of the content was, at times, emotionally distressing at times. CONCLUSIONS: The i-Minds app is useful in the management of TASA and helping change some risk-related vulnerabilities. The app was designed, developed and evaluated with YP who had experienced TASA and this may account for the high levels of acceptability seen. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial was registered on the ISRCTN registry on the 12/04/2022 as i-Minds: a digital intervention for young people exposed to online sexual abuse (ISRCTN43130832).

Psychiatrists' perceptions of conditions and consequences associated with the implementation of open notes: qualitative investigation.

OBJECTIVE: In a growing list of countries, patients are granted access to their clinical notes ("open notes") as part of their online record access. Especially in the field of mental health, open notes remain controversial with some clinicians perceiving open notes as a tool for improving therapeutic outcomes by increasing patient involvement, while others fear that patients might experience psychological distress and perceived stigmatization, particularly when reading clinicians' notes. More research is needed to optimize the benefits and mitigate the risks. METHODS: Using a qualitative research design, we conducted semi-structured interviews with psychiatrists practicing in Germany, to explore what conditions they believe need to be in place to ensure successful implementation of open notes in psychiatric practice as well as expected subsequent changes to their workload and treatment outcomes. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: We interviewed 18 psychiatrists; interviewees believed four key conditions needed to be in place prior to implementation of open notes including careful consideration of (1) diagnoses and symptom severity, (2) the availability of additional time for writing clinical notes and discussing them with patients, (3) available resources and system compatibility, and (4) legal and data protection aspects. As a result of introducing open notes, interviewees expected changes in documentation, treatment processes, and doctor-physician interaction. While open notes were expected to improve transparency and trust, participants anticipated negative unintended consequences including the risk of deteriorating therapeutic relationships due to note access-related misunderstandings and conflicts. CONCLUSION: Psychiatrists practiced in Germany where open notes have not yet been established as part of the healthcare data infrastructure. Interviewees were supportive of open notes but had some reservations. They found open notes to be generally beneficial but anticipated effects to vary depending on patient characteristics. Clear guidelines for managing access, time constraints, usability, and privacy are crucial. Open notes were perceived to increase transparency and patient involvement but were also believed to raise issues of stigmatization and conflicts.

Effects of stricter legislation on coercive measures in child and adolescent psychiatric care: a qualitative interview study with staff.

BACKGROUND: Legislators often want to positively affect psychiatric inpatient care and reduce coercion by a stricter judicial regulation. However, staff experiences and comprehension of such legal changes are largely unknown, yet essential in obtaining the intended outcomes. We examined staff understanding and implementation of a July 1, 2020 legal change in Sweden regarding the use of coercive measures (e.g., restraint, seclusion, and forced medication) in child and adolescent psychiatric inpatient care. METHODS: During 2021, semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine child and adolescent psychiatric inpatient staff (nurses, senior consultants, and head of units). Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. We used an implementation outcomes framework to relate data to a wider implementation science context. RESULTS: The legislative change was viewed as both positive and negative by participating staff. They reported mixed levels of preparedness for the legislative change, with substantial challenges during the immediate introduction, including insufficient preparations and lack of clear guidelines. A knowledge hierarchy was evident, affecting various professional roles differently. While the law was positively viewed for its child-centred approach, we found notable distrust in legislators' understanding of the clinical reality, leading to practical difficulties in implementation. Care practices after the legal change varied, with some participants reporting little change in the use of coercive measures, while others noted a shift towards more seclusion and sedative medication usage. The work environment for consultants was described as more challenging due to increased bureaucratic procedures and a heightened pressure for accuracy. CONCLUSIONS: The study highlights the complexities and challenges in implementing legislative changes in psychiatric care, where stricter legislation does not necessarily entail reduced use of coercion.

Programme de soins psychiatriques : Etude de l'expérience de jeunes patients par une méthode qualitative: Psychiatric care program: A qualitative study of the experience of young patients.

OBJECTIVE: Ambulatory care without consent is widely used, but it is controversial, and its effectiveness has not yet been proven. The patient experience remains largely unstudied in France, particularly that of young patients, yet their adherence to care in the early stages of the disease is complex and has an impact on their prognoses. The aim of this study is to investigate the experience of young patients undergoing a program of care (POC) in order to suggest ways of optimizing their care and to enrich the debate on the use of POCs. METHOD: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 patients between ages 20 and 32, who were either undergoing a POC or had done so in the previous 5 years, followed by a semi-pragmatic phenomenological analysis of the resulting transcripts. RESULTS: (1) The outpatient experience with restraints is contradictory, ranging from deprivation and intrusion to support and protection. (2) The POC is portrayed as a framework for developing awareness of disorders and acceptance of care. (3) Patients report a lack of information about care with restraints, even to the point of being unaware of its existence. Patient-psychiatrist interactions within the POC are complicated by the restraints, but remain perceived as a care relationship. (4) They report constraints in their daily lives in connection to the POC, which can complicate professional involvement. CONCLUSION: The results support the importance of nurturing the therapeutic relationship within the POC and involving patients more in their care, starting with better information. They support the use of POCs as a temporary tool to be combined with work on adherence to treatment and support for social and professional reintegration. SPECIALTY: Psychiatry.

OBJECTIF: Les dispositifs de soins ambulatoires sans consentement sont largement utilisés, mais ils sont controversés et leur efficacité n'est pas prouvée à ce jour. L'expérience des patients concernés reste très peu étudiée en France, et notamment celui des jeunes patients, or leur adhésion aux soins en début de maladie est complexe et a un impact sur le pronostic futur. L'objectif est d'étudier l'expérience de jeunes patients suivis en programme de soins (PDS) afin de proposer des perspectives pour optimiser leur prise en charge et d'enrichir la réflexion sur l'utilisation des PDS. MÉTHODE: Des entretiens semi-directifs ont été réalisés auprès de 11 patients de 20 à 32 ans suivis en PDS ou l'ayant été dans les 5 dernières années, puis une analyse phénoménologique de type sémio-pragmatique a été réalisée sur les verbatims obtenus. RÉSULTATS: (1) L'expérience de la contrainte en ambulatoire est contrastée avec un vécu de privation de libertés et d'intrusion, mais aussi de soutien et de protection. (2) Le PDS est représenté comme un cadre permettant l'évolution de la conscience des troubles et de l'acceptation des soins. (3) Les patients rapportent un manque d'information sur les modalités de soins sous contrainte, pouvant aller jusqu'à la méconnaissance de l'existence de cette mesure. Les interactions patient-psychiatre au sein du PDS sont complexifiées par la contrainte mais restent perçues comme une relation de soin. (4) Ils rapportent des contraintes dans la vie quotidienne liées au PDS et qui peuvent compliquer l'insertion professionnelle. CONCLUSION: Les résultats soutiennent l'importance de soigner la relation thérapeutique au sein du PDS et d'impliquer davantage le patient dans sa prise en charge, en commençant par une meilleure information. Ils soutiennent une utilisation du PDS comme un outil temporaire à associer à un travail sur l'adhésion aux soins et à un accompagnement à la réinsertion sociale et professionnelle. SPÉCIALITÉ: Psychiatrie.

Influence of at-risk family interactions on the course of psychiatric care in adolescence.

Dysparenting, referring to inappropriate parental attitudes, is a vulnerability factor for mental disorders during adolescence and a therapeutic leverage, yet clinicians lack reliable tools to assess it in daily clinical practice. Moreover, the effect of this dysparenting on the amount of psychiatric care remains unclear. The Family and Care study aims to develop the at-risk family interactions and levers (ARFIL) scale, a comprehensive 30-item clinical scale, and to assess in a cross-sectional design, the impact of these at-risk family interactions on the care of adolescents (n = 425) hospitalized in psychiatry and aged 13-19 years old. Factorial analysis shows that the ARFIL scale consists of three main dimensions associated with cohesion/conflicts, love/hostility, and autonomy/control with good psychometric properties. Multivariate regressions show that the ARFIL intensity score predicts the duration of hospital care, regardless of age, gender, medical severity on admission, assessed by the Global Assessment of Functioning scale, the presence of maltreatment and psychiatric diagnoses. Moreover, the ARFIL diversity score (number of items present regardless of their severity) predicts both the number and duration of hospitalizations. At-risk family interactions are a determining dimension of psychiatric adolescent care, and the ARFIL scale could constitute a valuable tool, not only for holistic evaluation and treatment, but also for prevention.

Position Paper: fragmented youth healthcare services in the Netherlands endanger treatment of teenage boys with psychiatric disorders.

For children who show strongly deviant behaviour in the Netherlands, a distinction is made between behavioural problems and psychiatric problems. As a result, two different domains have emerged over time, each with its own legal frameworks and inclusion and exclusion criteria. Consequently, there is no well-organized, coherent system for youth mental health care in the Netherlands. This strong dichotomy raises the question whether patients are being admitted to facilities where they are receiving appropriate care. In addition, referral bias can arise, because the type of complaint with which a young person presents is often dependent on the type of coping of the individual and thus, in turn, the gender of the patient. In this Position Paper, we examined the gender distribution at a youth psychiatric high and intensive care (HIC-Y) and other streams of youth care in the Netherlands to explore possible inequities in access to psychiatric care among children and adolescents. Results show that girls are significantly more likely than boys to be admitted to the HIC-Y for suicidal thoughts, self-harm and emotional dysregulation. In fact, girls account for 80% of all admissions, while boys account for only 20%. In contrast, regional and national reports from youth services and probation show a majority of boys being admitted (56-89%). The way care is organized (lack of cross-domain collaboration and the interplay between gender-dependent coping and exclusion criteria) seems to play a role in the underrepresentation of boys in acute psychiatry and their overrepresentation in secure youth care. Based on our research results, the concern is raised whether boys have a greater chance of undertreatment for psychiatric problems. Further research is needed to better understand the underlying factors that contribute to gender bias in psychiatric admissions, and to develop interventions that promote gender equality in healthcare.

The effect of balint practice on reducing stress, anxiety and depression levels of psychiatric nurses and improving empathy level.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of Balint Group in improving stress, negative mood and empathy of psychiatric nurses. METHOD: In March 2022-March 2023, 150 psychiatric nurses from four hospitals in Lanzhou were selected for the study, randomly grouped into experimental group and control groups (75 per group), the experimental group participated the Balint Group activities biweekly, the control group only attended mental health knowledge lectures. Job stress, negative emotion and empathy of the two groups before and after the intervention were evaluated and compared by using job stressor Scale, coping style Assessment Scale, self-assessment scale for depression, self-assessment Scale for anxiety and Jefferson Empathy Scale. RESULTS: After intervention, the job stressor scale and coping style evaluation of nurses in the two groups were significantly decreased, and the experimental group was lower than the control group (P < 0.05). The depression and anxiety of nurses in the two groups were significantly improved, and the experimental group was better than the control group (P < 0.05). The differences in the total score and dimensions of Jefferson Empathy scale in the experimental group after intervention were higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Balint group activities can effectively relieve the stress, depression and anxiety of psychiatric nurses, and improve the ability of empathy at work.

Psychiatric electronic health records in the era of data breaches - What are the ramifications for patients, psychiatrists and healthcare systems?

OBJECTIVE: To update psychiatrists and trainees on the realised risks of electronic health record data breaches. METHODS: This is a selective narrative review and commentary regarding electronic health record data breaches. RESULTS: Recent events such as the Medibank and Australian Clinical Labs data breaches demonstrate the realised risks for electronic health records. If stolen identity data is publicly released, patients and doctors may be subject to blackmail, fraud, identity theft and targeted scams. Medical diagnoses of psychiatric illness and substance use disorder may be released in blackmail attempts. CONCLUSIONS: Psychiatrists, trainees and their patients need to understand the inevitability of electronic health record data breaches. This understanding should inform a minimised collection of personal information in the health record to avoid exposure of confidential information and identity theft. Governmental regulation of electronic health record privacy and security is needed.

Psychiatric care for people with Prader-Willi syndrome-characteristics, needs and barriers.

BACKGROUND: Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is commonly associated with intellectual disability, but also with a specific behavioural phenotype and a high predisposition to psychiatric comorbidity. This study examines the psychiatric care situation of people with PWS. METHOD: A structured online questionnaire was administered to carers of people with PWS living in Germany, asking about demographic, diagnostic and treatment parameters as well as personal experiences. RESULTS: Of 77 people with PWS, 44.2% had at least one psychiatric comorbid diagnosis. The main reasons for seeking psychiatric care were emotional outbursts and aggressive behaviour. 34.9% reported that they were currently seeking psychiatric care without success. However, 32.5% of PWS had been treated with psychotropic medication, mainly antipsychotics. CONCLUSIONS: Psychiatric comorbidity appears to be undertreated in PWS, especially in the ambulatory setting. Uncertainty among mental health care providers may also lead to frequent off-label use of psychotropic medications.

Prediction of Disruptive Behavior over Time from Changes in Patients' Global Functioning in Acute Psychiatric Care.

Disruptive behavior of patients in acute psychiatric care is a problem for both patients and staff. Preventing a patient's impending disruption requires recognizing and understanding early signals. There are indications that a change in a patient's global functioning may be such a signal. The global functioning of patients is a multidimensional view on their functioning. It captures a patient's psychological symptoms, social skills, symptoms of violence, and activities in daily living. The aim of this study was to gain insight into the predictive value of global functioning on the risk of disruptive behavior of patients in acute psychiatric care. Also assessed was the time elapsed between the change in global functioning and a patient's disruptive behavior, which is necessary to know for purposes of early intervention. In a longitudinal retrospective study, we used daily measurements with the Brøset Violence Checklist (BVC) and the Kennedy Axis V (K-As) of each patient admitted to two acute psychiatric units over a period of six years. Data from 931 patients for the first 28 days after their admission were used for survival analysis and cox regression analysis. Disruptive behavior was mostly observed during the first days of hospitalization. Global functioning predicted disruptive behavior from the very first day of hospitalization. A cut-off score of 48 or lower on the K-As on the first admission day predicted a higher risk of disruptive behavior. If functioning remained poor or deteriorated substantially over three days, this was an additional signal of increased risk of disruptive behavior. Improvement in global functioning was associated with a decreased risk of disruptive behavior. More attention is needed for early interventions on global functioning to prevent disruptive behavior.

[Analysis of changes in legislation on the provision of psychiatric care].

Mental disorders are a serious problem in modern society. They affect millions of people around the world and have a significant impact on the quality of life and people's ability to function in a normal environment. In this regard, the issues of ensuring the rights of citizens suffering from mental disorders do not lose their relevance and require special attention from doctors, lawyers and the scientific community. There are a number of reasons for this, including: 1) an increase in the incidence of mental disorders among the population, especially among socially vulnerable groups such as refugees, orphans, victims of hostilities and natural disasters; 2) medical care for mentally ill people can be provided forcibly, and therefore requires firmly established procedural standards; 3) mentally ill people often pose a danger to both for themselves and for society, therefore, the existence of fair law-restrictive measures is necessary; 4) persons with the status of mentally ill should have guarantees of social protection and integration into society without violating personal freedom (in the case when patients are not socially dangerous). On September 1, 2024, Federal Law No. 465-FZ dated 08/04/2023 «On Amendments to the Law of the Russian Federation «On Psychiatric Care and Guarantees of Citizens' Rights in its Provision¼ will enter into force. This paper analyzes the adopted amendments, how they will affect law enforcement practice, whether they will create even more grounds for restricting the rights of patients in psychiatric hospitals, or are aimed at improving the legal regulation of psychiatric care.

Self-harm in burn patients: An analysis of Finnish patient records (2011-2020).

AIM: To collect data on self-harm burn patients at a national level in Finland and analyze patient characteristics. MATERIAL AND METHODS: First, we went through The National Care Register for Health Care (Hilmo) records from 2011 to 2015 to find all patients in Finland with both burn and self-harm ICD10 codes. Then we investigated the medical records of all patients treated at the National Burn Centre (NBC) in Helsinki in the period 2011-2020. Patients admitted to the hospital because of self-harm burn injuries were compared to those without self-harm injuries. Patients below 18 years old were excluded. RESULTS: The Hilmo register consisted of a total of 3391 adult burn patients admitted to any healthcare unit during the study period. Compared with non-self-harm patients, self-harm patients (N = 82) had lower mean age (41 years vs 54 years, p < 0.001) and longer hospitalization (18 days vs. 6 days, p < 0.05). Two-thirds of the self-harm patients (N = 38) admitted to the NBC in the period 2011-2020 had a pre-burn history of psychiatric care (66%) and one-third of them had a previous record of self-harm or suicide attempt. Men had more severe burns than women (mean TBSA 46% vs. 14%, p < 0.05), and seven of them died during the first 48 h of care, but this was not the case for any female patient. CONCLUSIONS: Self-harm burn patients were younger and had longer hospitalization at all care levels than other burn patients. Based on medical records of hospitalized self-harm burn patients, we found clear gender differences in the severity of the burn injury and in mortality, with men suffering more severe injuries, in some cases leading to death. Recognizing high-risk patients pre-burn could have a strong preventive impact.

An Observational Study of Proactive and On-Request Psychiatry Consultation Services: Evidence for Differing Roles and Outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Proactive psychiatric consultation services rapidly identify and assess medical inpatients in need of psychiatric care. In addition to more rapid contact, proactive services may reduce the length of stay and improve staff satisfaction. However, in some settings, it is impractical to integrate a proactive consultation service into every hospital unit; on-request and proactive services are likely to coexist in the future. Prior research has focused on changes in outcomes with the implementation of proactive services. OBJECTIVE AND METHODS: This report describes differences between contemporary proactive and on-request services within the same academic medical center, comparing demographic and clinical data collected retrospectively from a 4-year period from the electronic medical record. RESULTS: The proactive service saw patients over four times as many initial admissions (7592 vs. 1762), but transitions and handoffs between services were common, with 434 admissions involving both services, comprising nearly 20% of the on-request service's total contacts. The proactive service admissions had a shorter length of stay and a faster time to first psychiatric contact, and the patients seen were more likely to be female, of Black race, and to be publicly insured. There were over three times as many admissions to psychiatry from the proactive service. The on-request service's admissions had a longer length of stay, were much more likely to involve intensive care unit services, surgical services, and transfers among units, and the patients seen were more likely to die in the hospital or to be discharged to subacute rehabilitation. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the results suggest that the two services fulfill complementary roles, with the proactive service's rapid screening and contact providing care to a high volume of patients who might otherwise be unidentified and underserved. Simultaneously, the on-request service's ability to manage patients in response to consult requests over a much larger area of the hospital provided important support and continuity for patients with complex health needs. Institutions revising their consultation services will likely need to consider the best balance of these differing functions to address perceived demand for services.

Assessing general hospital doctors' attitudes toward psychiatric care in multicultural settings.

OBJECTIVE: Psychiatric care in general hospitals depends on collaboration with non-psychiatrist doctors. The Doctors' Attitudes toward Collaborative Care for Mental Health (DACC-MH) is a two-factor scale designed to address this issue and validated in the UK in 2010. However, its applicability in contemporary, culturally diverse settings is unknown and therefore this study was aimed at determining its validity and consistency using data from our 2021 international study. Confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses were used, comparing results from our 2021 study (n = 889) with those from the 2010 UK study (n = 225). RESULTS: The DACC-MH consultation subscale, but not the management subscale, aligned with data from our larger, international study. The 2-factor model failed the Chi-square goodness of fit test (χ2(19) = 53.9, p < 0.001) but had acceptable other fit indices. While the previously identified attitudinal difference between physicians and surgeons was replicated, measurement invariance for this result could not be established. Exploratory factor analysis suggested a 6-factor model, contrasting with the 2-factor model proposed in 2010 for the UK sample. The DACC-MH scale shows significant limitations when applied to a larger, international dataset. Cultural and generational differences in doctors' attitudes appear relevant and should be considered in assessing barriers to psychiatric care in general hospitals.

Activities of psychiatrists in specialized coronavirus disease 2019 wards at Juntendo Hospital.

Since the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in 2020, specialized COVID-19 wards have been established in general hospitals across Japan. Juntendo Hospital also established a dedicated COVID-19 ward; however, many hospitalized patients were found to have psychiatric symptoms, such as delirium and depression. Juntendo Hospital's COVID-19 specialist beds were staffed mainly by internists, who specialized in physical illnesses and were unfamiliar with psychiatric symptoms, making it difficult for them to provide adequate treatment. Some staff members were also found to be suffering from mental illness, compounding these issues. In 2021, to address these challenges, Juntendo Hospital's psychiatry department began having psychiatrists make rounds once a week in specialized COVID-19 wards. The number of consultations varied depending on the status of the COVID-19 epidemic; however, in the peak month, 45 consultations were made per month. Most consultations involved delirium and neurotic conditions, and there had been over 200 consultations for both by August 2023. We addressed not only the mental symptoms of the patients, but also the health status of the staff at the hospital beds, and took measures to maintain the mental health of the staff. Consequently, the hospital has not experienced any large-scale medical breakdowns due to excessive staff fatigue. New pandemics of emerging infectious diseases will likely occur in the future, and we believe that we need to learn from this pandemic and prepare for future pandemics.

Effects of Patient-Initiated Brief Admissions on Psychiatric Care Consumption in Borderline Personality Disorder: ARegister-Based Study.

Previous studies have reported that patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) often have negative experiences in psychiatric inpatient care. To address this issue, a novel intervention known as patient-initiated brief admission (PIBA) has been developed. PIBA offers a constructive approach to crisis management in situations of heightened anxiety, as well as during instances of self-harm and suicidal ideation. The intervention allows patients to directly contact the psychiatric ward to initiate a brief admission lasting 1-3 days. This easily accessible care option during a crisis has the potential to prevent harm to the patient and reduce the need for prolonged hospital stays. The aim of the present study is to investigate the effects of PIBA on psychiatric care consumption among patients diagnosed with BPD. This retrospective register-based study includes data from both inpatient and outpatient care registries for patients diagnosed with BPD. Data were extracted from the National Board of Health and Welfare in Sweden. The study period encompasses 2013-2020, with the PIBA intervention occurring between 2016 and 2019. The sample included 107 patients in the PIBA group and 5659 matched controls. Data were analysed using a difference-in-differences (DiD) approach through ordinary least squares (OLS) regression and ordinal logistic regression. Throughout the 3-year follow-up, both groups exhibited a reduction in the number of days of utilisation of psychiatric inpatient care services. The DiD analysis indicated an additional decrease of 1.5 days at the 6-month mark for the PIBA group (ß = -1.436, SE = 1.531), expanding to 3 days fewer at the 12-month follow-up (ß = -3.590, SE = 3.546), although not statistically significant. For outpatient care, the PIBA group displayed an increase in the number of visits, averaging to half a visit more every 6 months (ß = 0.503, SE = 0.263) compared with the controls. Statistically significant differences were observed for two out of six measurements at the 12-month (ß = 0.960, SE = 0.456) and 18-month follow-up period (ß = 0.436, SE = 0.219). The PIBA group had a statistically significant lower odds of experiencing extended lengths of inpatient care days after the index date than the controls (OR 0.56, 95% CI: 0.44-0.72). In conclusion, PIBA was associated with a significant reduction in the length of individual hospital stays, but not in the overall number of inpatient care days. PIBA may be linked to a shift from longer inpatient care utilisation to outpatient care utilisation. These findings suggest that PIBA may reduce the risk of prolonged hospitalisations for patients who have access to the intervention. Future research should explore the impact of PIBA on healthcare costs and cost-effectiveness, both in relation to health care for the individual and cost-effectiveness in relation to recovery and health.

Long-acting injectable antipsychotics as maintenance therapy for schizophrenia during the COVID-19 pandemic: A micro-narrative review.

The coronavirus disease pandemic has presented healthcare systems with unprecedented challenges globally and substantially impacted the management of chronic diseases such as schizophrenia. This narrative review highlights the usefulness of long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAIs) as maintenance therapy for patients with schizophrenia during the pandemic. The analysis of relevant literature and psychiatric survey data revealed diverse trends in LAIs prescription and patient adherence with oral antipsychotics. Although some studies have reported a decrease in LAIs prescriptions owing to pandemic-related disruptions, others have suggested stable patient adherence with oral antipsychotics. Approximately 70% of Japanese psychiatrists reported an increase in schizophrenia relapse rates in a survey, underscoring the critical role of LAIs in maintaining therapeutic stability. The potential benefits of LAIs with extended dosing intervals have been highlighted, including improving oral medication adherence and reducing the frequency of hospital visits. In conclusion, this review emphasizes the continued need for uninterrupted LAIs therapy in conjunction with community and home-based care despite the disruptions caused by the coronavirus disease pandemic. Further development of LAIs maintenance therapy strategies considering the ongoing pandemic and potential future public health emergencies are required.

Importance of GP contact on readmission rate following psychiatric acute care: A Danish Nationwide study.

Insufficient acute psychiatric care substantially impacts patient well-being and healthcare quality. Early readmissions after discharge from psychiatric care are common, and preventing these is important for the patients as well as appropriate resource allocation. The relationship between post-discharge general practitioner (GP) contact and readmission rates remains to be explored, as does the association between pre-hospital GP contact and post-discharge engagement. AIM: This study examines post-discharge GP contact and its association with outpatient revisits and inpatient readmissions among unplanned psychiatric hospital contacts, including the impact of pre-visit GP contact on post-discharge care within 14 days. METHODS: Utilizing data from the Danish healthcare system (2019-2023), unplanned psychiatric hospital contacts and subsequent 14-day GP encounters were analyzed. RESULTS: Of 298,085 unplanned psychiatric hospital contacts, 12.6% had a 14-day revisit as an outpatient and 13.6% had a 14-day readmission as an inpatient. During regular business hours, GP contact was associated with a decreased risk of unplanned outpatient revisits (HR 0.45, 95% CI 0.44-0.47) and inpatient readmissions (HR 0.43, 95% CI 0.41-0.44). Similarly, utilizing GP on-call services was linked to a reduced risk of unplanned revisits (HR 0.87, 95% CI 0.81-0.94) and readmissions (HR 0.81, 95% CI 0.76-0.87). Having a GP contact within two days before an unplanned psychiatric hospital contact increased the likelihood of having a GP contact within 14 days post-discharge. CONCLUSION: Post-discharge GP encounters were associated with lower rates of 14-day outpatient revisits and inpatient readmissions following unplanned psychiatric hospital contacts. GP contact before psychiatric hospital contact enhances attendance at post-discharge appointments, suggesting a potential efficacy of promoting GP appointments for mental health care.

Suicide risk after discharge from in-patient psychiatric care: A 15-year retrospective cohort study of individual patient data.

BACKGROUND: Suicide rates are known to be increased in patients after discharge from in-patient psychiatric treatment. However, evidence on risk factors for suicide within this patient group are contradictory. Thus, this study aims to investigate suicide after discharge from a sizeable psychiatric care facility to determine associated risk factors. METHODS: Data on individual patient level from a 15-year single-centre cohort were linked to data from the national death registry and cumulative incidence rates were calculated applying competing risk models. Independent variables included the patients' sex, age at admission, diagnosis, and length of admission. For each of these factors, subdistribution hazards ratios were calculated using a Fine-Gray model. RESULTS: In our sample of 18,425 discharges, when using patients with the diagnosis of substance-use-disorders as a comparator, a significant increase in hazard of post-discharge suicide for male sex (SHR = 1.67;p = 0.037) as well as the discharge diagnoses of affective disorders (SHR = 3.56;p = 0.017) and neurotic stress and somatoform disorders (SHR = 3.73;p = 0.024) were found. Interestingly, the hazard of suicide significantly decreased in more recent discharges (SHR = 0.93;p = 0.006). No statistically significant association of the length of admission with the suicide risk was found (SHR = 0.98;p = 0.834). LIMITATIONS: Suicides may have been mis-identified as natural death in the national death register. CONCLUSION: Male sex and distinct diagnoses were associated with an increased risk for suicide after discharge from a psychiatric care institution. The markedly increased suicide risk within this patient collective highlights the need for the development of tools to assess suicidal behaviour in this group of patients reliably.

Micro-elimination of chronic hepatitis C virus in mental health settings: A prospective multicentre pragmatic trial.

INTRODUCTION: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) prevalence is high in the mental health population. We sought to evaluate testing and treatment uptake for HCV following the implementation of a universal nurse led study in inpatient and outpatient mental health populations. METHODS: From January 2018 to December 2020, we screened mental health inpatients (n = 322) and community mental health patients (n = 615) for HCV with either specialist hepatology nurses or mental health nurses (mental health nurse). RESULTS: 75.5% (464/615) of community patients and 100% (322/322) of inpatients consented to screening, with an HCV antibody-positive prevalence of 12.7% (59/464) in community patients and 19.6% (63/322) in inpatients. RNA detectable prevalence was 4.0% (22/464) and 7.5% (24/322), respectively. Community patients who were screened by specialist hepatology nurses were more likely to consent to screening (94.4% vs. 45.7%, p < 0.001) but had lower proportion of HCV antibody (10.5% vs. 20.3%, p < 0.001) and RNA detectable (4.0% vs. 7.5%, p = 0.018) when compared to mental health nurse screening. Engagement with treatment was 27.0% of community mental health patients and 45.8% of mental health inpatients undergoing treatment. All patients undergoing treatment and underwent sustained viral response (SVR) testing achieved SVR. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Universal screening of HCV using a nurse-led model has high rates of success in mental health patients with high proportions undergoing screening, with no reduction in the rates of SVR achieved with DAA therapy compared to the general population. Further work is needed to bridge the gap between identification of HCV and treatment among mental health patients.