Patterns, predictors, and patient-reported reasons for antidepressant discontinuation in the WHO World Mental Health Surveys.

BACKGROUND: Despite their documented efficacy, substantial proportions of patients discontinue antidepressant medication (ADM) without a doctor's recommendation. The current report integrates data on patient-reported reasons into an investigation of patterns and predictors of ADM discontinuation. METHODS: Face-to-face interviews with community samples from 13 countries (n = 30 697) in the World Mental Health (WMH) Surveys included n = 1890 respondents who used ADMs within the past 12 months. RESULTS: 10.9% of 12-month ADM users reported discontinuation-based on recommendation of the prescriber while 15.7% discontinued in the absence of prescriber recommendation. The main patient-reported reason for discontinuation was feeling better (46.6%), which was reported by a higher proportion of patients who discontinued within the first 2 weeks of treatment than later. Perceived ineffectiveness (18.5%), predisposing factors (e.g. fear of dependence) (20.0%), and enabling factors (e.g. inability to afford treatment cost) (5.0%) were much less commonly reported reasons. Discontinuation in the absence of prescriber recommendation was associated with low country income level, being employed, and having above average personal income. Age, prior history of psychotropic medication use, and being prescribed treatment from a psychiatrist rather than from a general medical practitioner, in comparison, were associated with a lower probability of this type of discontinuation. However, these predictors varied substantially depending on patient-reported reasons for discontinuation. CONCLUSION: Dropping out early is not necessarily negative with almost half of individuals noting they felt better. The study underscores the diverse reasons given for dropping out and the need to evaluate how and whether dropping out influences short- or long-term functioning.

The case for eliminating excessive worry as a requirement for generalized anxiety disorder: a cross-national investigation.

BACKGROUND: Around the world, people living in objectively difficult circumstances who experience symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) do not qualify for a diagnosis because their worry is not 'excessive' relative to the context. We carried out the first large-scale, cross-national study to explore the implications of removing this excessiveness requirement. METHODS: Data come from the World Health Organization World Mental Health Survey Initiative. A total of 133 614 adults from 12 surveys in Low- or Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) and 16 surveys in High-Income Countries (HICs) were assessed with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Non-excessive worriers meeting all other DSM-5 criteria for GAD were compared to respondents meeting all criteria for GAD, and to respondents without GAD, on clinically-relevant correlates. RESULTS: Removing the excessiveness requirement increases the global lifetime prevalence of GAD from 2.6% to 4.0%, with larger increases in LMICs than HICs. Non-excessive and excessive GAD cases worry about many of the same things, although non-excessive cases worry more about health/welfare of loved ones, and less about personal or non-specific concerns, than excessive cases. Non-excessive cases closely resemble excessive cases in socio-demographic characteristics, family history of GAD, and risk of temporally secondary comorbidity and suicidality. Although non-excessive cases are less severe on average, they report impairment comparable to excessive cases and often seek treatment for GAD symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with non-excessive worry who meet all other DSM-5 criteria for GAD are clinically significant cases. Eliminating the excessiveness requirement would lead to a more defensible GAD diagnosis.

Prevalence and acceptability of psychological and/or economic intimate partner violence, and utilization of mental health services by its survivors in Lithuania.

BACKGROUND: Lithuania has one of the highest averages in the European Union when it comes to psychological and/or economic intimate partner violence (PE-IPV). IPV survivors are several times more likely to have mental health conditions than those without IPV experiences. The aim of this article is to study the prevalence, characteristics and attitudes of PE-IPV survivors in Lithuania, and the predictors of them accessing mental health services. METHODS: A cross-sectional study based on a national survey representative of the adult population. The survey was implemented by a third-party independent market research company employing an online survey panel. Logistic regression models were used in the analysis. RESULTS: Almost 50% of women in Lithuania experience PE-IPV. Females are significantly more likely to experience it than males. The vast majority of women find PE-IPV unacceptable; however, only one-third of survivors seek any type of help. Only one-tenth approach mental health services, with divorcees being at higher odds of doing so. CONCLUSIONS: Further research is needed to explore predictors and contextual factors of why IPV survivors seek mental healthcare, or not. Policy implications include the need to eliminate IPV and mental health stigma; develop accessible mental health services and effective treatment approaches.

Responding to the needs of survivors of intimate partner violence in Lithuania: perceptions of mental health and social care professionals.

Around eight-out-of-ten survivors of domestic violence in Lithuania are women, and of those, eight-out-of-ten suffer violence specifically from their intimate partners (IPV). Women who experience IPV are at higher risk of having mental health conditions. This study aims to explore the perspectives of mental health and social care professionals regarding the provision of mental health support to IPV survivors in Lithuania. Four focus groups were conducted among 29 service providers from across the country. Audio-recordings were transcribed verbatim and analyzed thematically using MAXQDA software. The five main themes derived from the analysis reveal: 1) low levels of IPV awareness among IPV survivors who seek support with their mental health; 2) a lack of specialized training among professionals as a barrier to effective support; 3) a low prioritization on the national level; 4) little inter-sectoral collaboration which undermines the complexity of needed responses; 5) broader systemic problems. The provision of mental health support to IPV survivors lacks the recognition that IPV is gender-based violence and a major public (mental) health problem. The complexity of needed services is absent. Further research needs to explore the utilization of mental health services by IPV survivors and their perceptions concerning it.

Use of coercion in mental healthcare services in Nigeria: Service providers' perspective.

BACKGROUND: There is increasing advocacy to reduce coercive practices in mental healthcare. Little research has been done on the topic in developing countries. AIMS: To explore what mental health professionals in Nigeria think about coercion, why it is used, and what contextual factors influence its use in mental healthcare services. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 16 doctors and 14 nurses from two psychiatric hospitals in two regions of Nigeria. The audio-recorded interviews were analyzed thematically with the aid of MAXQDA software. RESULTS: Three broad categories relating to the perception of, reasons for, and barriers/facilitators to the use of coercion were derived. Coercion was viewed as being for the best interests of patients, a means to an end, and effective for achieving desired outcomes. Safety was both a reason to use a coercive measure and a deterrent to using specific coercive measures thought to be unsafe. The socio-cultural context, obsolete mental health legislation, staff shortages, and attitudes were factors influencing the use of coercion in mental healthcare. CONCLUSION: Coercion was perceived to be ultimately beneficial in mental health practice. There is need for a new mental health legislation and more resources for mental health care in Nigeria to address the problem of coercion.

Rare copy number variation in posttraumatic stress disorder.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a heritable (h2 = 24-71%) psychiatric illness. Copy number variation (CNV) is a form of rare genetic variation that has been implicated in the etiology of psychiatric disorders, but no large-scale investigation of CNV in PTSD has been performed. We present an association study of CNV burden and PTSD symptoms in a sample of 114,383 participants (13,036 cases and 101,347 controls) of European ancestry. CNVs were called using two calling algorithms and intersected to a consensus set. Quality control was performed to remove strong outlier samples. CNVs were examined for association with PTSD within each cohort using linear or logistic regression analysis adjusted for population structure and CNV quality metrics, then inverse variance weighted meta-analyzed across cohorts. We examined the genome-wide total span of CNVs, enrichment of CNVs within specified gene-sets, and CNVs overlapping individual genes and implicated neurodevelopmental regions. The total distance covered by deletions crossing over known neurodevelopmental CNV regions was significant (beta = 0.029, SE = 0.005, P = 6.3 × 10-8). The genome-wide neurodevelopmental CNV burden identified explains 0.034% of the variation in PTSD symptoms. The 15q11.2 BP1-BP2 microdeletion region was significantly associated with PTSD (beta = 0.0206, SE = 0.0056, P = 0.0002). No individual significant genes interrupted by CNV were identified. 22 gene pathways related to the function of the nervous system and brain were significant in pathway analysis (FDR q < 0.05), but these associations were not significant once NDD regions were removed. A larger sample size, better detection methods, and annotated resources of CNV are needed to explore this relationship further.

Determinants of effective treatment coverage for posttraumatic stress disorder: findings from the World Mental Health Surveys.

BACKGROUND: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with significant morbidity, but efficacious pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy are available. Data from the World Mental Health Surveys were used to investigate extent and predictors of treatment coverage for PTSD in high-income countries (HICs) as well as in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). METHODS: Seventeen surveys were conducted across 15 countries (9 HICs, 6 LMICs) by the World Health Organization (WHO) World Mental Health Surveys. Of 35,012 respondents, 914 met DSM-IV criteria for 12-month PTSD. Components of treatment coverage analyzed were: (a) any mental health service utilization; (b) adequate pharmacotherapy; (c) adequate psychotherapy; and (d) effective treatment coverage. Regression models investigated predictors of treatment coverage. RESULTS: 12-month PTSD prevalence in trauma exposed individuals was 1.49 (S.E., 0.08). A total of 43.0% (S.E., 2.2) received any mental health services, with fewer receiving adequate pharmacotherapy (13.5%), adequate psychotherapy (17.2%), or effective treatment coverage (14.4%), and with all components of treatment coverage lower in LMICs than HICs. In a multivariable model having insurance (OR = 2.31, 95 CI 1.17, 4.57) and severity of symptoms (OR = .35, 95% CI 0.18, 0.70) were predictive of effective treatment coverage. CONCLUSION: There is a clear need to improve pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy coverage for PTSD, particularly in those with mild symptoms, and especially in LMICs. Universal health care insurance can be expected to increase effective treatment coverage and therefore improve outcomes.

A qualitative integrative analysis of service users' and service providers' perspectives on ways to reduce coercion in mental health care.

PURPOSE: The movement to develop and implement non-coercive alternatives in the provision of mental health care is gaining momentum globally. To strengthen the basis of potential interventions that will be contextually relevant, and to complement the body of literature which is largely from high-income settings, the current study sought to explore the suggestions of service users and providers in Nigeria on how to reduce the use of coercive measures in mental health settings. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews with 30 mental health professionals and four focus group discussions among 30 service users from two psychiatric hospitals in Nigeria were conducted. The data were analyzed thematically with the aid of MAXQDA. RESULTS: The suggestions proposed by service users and mental health professionals were within the broad themes of communication, policies and legislation, and increased resources. Service users felt that improved communication, home consultations, non-legal advocates and clear rules and legislation would reduce the use of coercion, while service providers suggested increased public mental health literacy, better interpersonal relationships with patients, increased resources for mental health care, more research on the topic and regulation of coercive measures. CONCLUSION: Many of the suggestions from this study reinforce strategies already in place to decrease coercion in other settings. However, additional recommendations that are relevant to the study setting, such as enhancing public mental health literacy, mental health legislation reform and increasing access to mental health services, deserve further consideration.

Increased risks for mental disorders among LGB individuals: cross-national evidence from the World Mental Health Surveys.

PURPOSE: Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals, and LB women specifically, have an increased risk for psychiatric morbidity, theorized to result from stigma-based discrimination. To date, no study has investigated the mental health disparities between LGB and heterosexual AQ1individuals in a large cross-national population-based comparison. The current study addresses this gap by examining differences between LGB and heterosexual participants in 13 cross-national surveys, and by exploring whether these disparities were associated with country-level LGBT acceptance. Since lower social support has been suggested as a mediator of sexual orientation-based differences in psychiatric morbidity, our secondary aim was to examine whether mental health disparities were partially explained by general social support from family and friends. METHODS: Twelve-month prevalence of DSM-IV anxiety, mood, eating, disruptive behavior, and substance disorders was assessed with the WHO Composite International Diagnostic Interview in a general population sample across 13 countries as part of the World Mental Health Surveys. Participants were 46,889 adults (19,887 males; 807 LGB-identified). RESULTS: Male and female LGB participants were more likely to report any 12-month disorder (OR 2.2, p < 0.001 and OR 2.7, p < 0.001, respectively) and most individual disorders than heterosexual participants. We found no evidence for an association between country-level LGBT acceptance and rates of psychiatric morbidity between LGB and heterosexualAQ2 participants. However, among LB women, the increased risk for mental disorders was partially explained by lower general openness with family, although most of the increased risk remained unexplained. CONCLUSION: These results provide cross-national evidence for an association between sexual minority status and psychiatric morbidity, and highlight that for women, but not men, this association was partially mediated by perceived openness with family. Future research into individual-level and cross-national sexual minority stressors is needed.

Barriers to mental health services utilisation in Portugal - results from the National Mental Health Survey.

BACKGROUND: The treatment gap for mental disorders remains a challenge worldwide. Identifying reasons for nontreatment may contribute to reducing this gap. AIMS: To evaluate sociodemographic and clinical factors associated with use and barriers to treatment in Portugal. METHOD: Data from the 2009 National Mental Health Survey were used. Participants reported 12-month treatment and reasons for nontreatment. Logistic regression models analysed the association between sociodemographic (education; employment; income; marital status) and clinical variables (mental disorder diagnosis; disability) with treatment and type of barriers (low perceived need; structural; attitudinal). RESULTS: The majority of participants with a mental disorder was not treated. Treatment was more common among participants with mood disorders (OR = 4.19; 95% CI: 2.72-6.46), and disability (OR = 2.43; 95% CI: 1.33-4.46), and less common among single participants (OR = 0.38; 95% CI: 0.20-0.70) and those with basic/secondary education (OR = 0.42; 95% CI: 0.24-0.73). Attitudinal barriers were more likely among participants with none/primary (OR = 2.90; 95% CI: 1.42-5.90) and basic/secondary education (OR = 1.70; 95% CI: 1.01-2.85), and less likely among those with substance use disorders (OR = 0.27; 95% CI: 0.10-0.70). Low perceived need was higher among single people (OR = 1.77; 95% CI: 1.01-3.08), and lower among those with anxiety (OR = 0.50; 95% CI: 0.28-0.90) and mood disorders (OR = 0.16; 95% CI: 0.09-0.30). Unemployed participants had higher odds of reporting structural barriers (OR = 3.76; 95% CI: 1.29-10.92). CONCLUSIONS: This study identifies factors associated with nontreatment, providing useful evidence to develop policies and effective interventions.

How did the use of psychotropic drugs change during the Great Recession in Portugal? A follow-up to the National Mental Health Survey.

BACKGROUND: Research suggests that economic recessions might be associated with a higher use of psychotropic drugs, but literature is scarce and contradictory in identifying the most vulnerable groups. This study aims to assess possible changes in the use of psychotropic drugs due to the economic recession in Portugal, by comparing self-reported consumption in 2008/09 and 2015/16. METHODS: Data from the World Mental Health Survey Initiative Portugal (2008/09) and the National Mental Health Survey Follow-Up (2015/16) were used (n = 911). McNemar's tests were performed to estimate changes in consumption of any psychotropic drug and of antidepressants, anxiolytics, and hypnotics/sedatives. Multiple Generalised Estimating Equations models with interaction effects were used to estimate the population odds of consuming psychotropic drugs according to year, gender and age. RESULTS: An increase of 6.74% was estimated in the consumption of psychotropic drugs from 2008/09 to 2015/16. Population odds of consuming any psychotropic drugs in 2015/16 were estimated to be 1.5 times higher than in 2008/09 (OR = 1.50;95%CI:1.13-2.01), particularly for hypnotics/sedatives (OR = 1.60;95%CI:1.14-2.25). Women and older individuals presented higher odds of consuming any psychotropic drugs (OR = 2.79;95%CI:2.03-3.84, and OR = 1.80;95%CI:1.28-2.54), after adjusting for year of assessment and education. However, when evaluating the interaction effect of the year with gender and age, men and younger individuals reported higher odds of consuming any psychotropic drugs in 2015/16, when compared to 2008/09 (OR = 1.85;95%CI:1.08-3.17, and OR = 1.95;95%CI:1.32-2.90, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicate that the period of economic recession was associated with an increased risk of psychotropic drugs use in Portugal. Consumption of psychotropic drugs remained higher among women and older individuals, but the results suggest that the economic crisis had a disproportionate impact on men and younger individuals. This identification of the most vulnerable population groups is useful to design effective and targeted public health interventions aimed at alleviating the effects of economic recessions.

Patterns of Mental Health Care in Remote Areas: Kimberley (Australia), Nunavik (Canada), and Lapland (Finland): Modèles de soins de santé mentale dans les régions éloignées: Kimberley (Australie), Nunavik (Canada) et Laponie (Finlande).

OBJECTIVE: Mental health (MH) care in remote areas is frequently scarce and fragmented and difficult to compare objectively with other areas even in the same country. This study aimed to analyze the adult MH service provision in 3 remote areas of Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries in the world. METHODS: We used an internationally agreed set of systems indicators, terminology, and classification of services (Description and Evaluation of Services and DirectoriEs for Long Term Care). This instrument provided a standard description of MH care provision in the Kimberley region (Australia), Nunavik (Canada), and Lapland (Finland), areas characterized by an extremely low population density and high relative rates of Indigenous peoples. RESULTS: All areas showed high rates of deprivation within their national contexts. MH services were mostly provided by the public sector supplemented by nonprofit organizations. This study found a higher provision per inhabitant of community residential care in Nunavik in relation to the other areas; higher provision of community outreach services in the Kimberley; and a lack of day services except in Lapland. Specific cultural-based services for the Indigenous population were identified only in the Kimberley. MH care in Lapland was self-sufficient, and its care pattern was similar to other Finnish areas, while the Kimberley and Nunavik differed from the standard pattern of care in their respective countries and relied partly on services located outside their boundaries for treating severe cases. CONCLUSION: We found common challenges in these remote areas but a huge diversity in the patterns of MH care. The implementation of care interventions should be locally tailored considering both the environmental characteristics and the existing pattern of service provision.

Pre-marital predictors of marital violence in the WHO World Mental Health (WMH) Surveys.

PURPOSE: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a pervasive public health problem. Existing research has focused on reports from victims and few studies have considered pre-marital factors. The main objective of this study was to identify pre-marital predictors of IPV in the current marriage using information obtained from husbands and wives. METHODS: Data from were obtained from married heterosexual couples in six countries. Potential predictors included demographic and relationship characteristics, adverse childhood experiences, dating violence, and psychiatric disorders. Reports of IPV and other characteristics from husbands and wives were considered independently and in relation to spousal reports. RESULTS: Overall, 14.4% of women were victims of IPV in the current marriage. Analyses identified ten significant variables including age at first marriage (husband), education, relative number of previous marriages (wife), history of one or more categories of childhood adversity (husband or wife), history of dating violence (husband or wife), early initiation of sexual intercourse (husband or wife), and four combinations of internalizing and externalizing disorders. The final model was moderately predictive of marital violence, with the 5% of women accounting for 18.6% of all cases of marital IPV. CONCLUSIONS: Results from this study advance understanding of pre-marital predictors of IPV within current marriages, including the importance of considering differences in the experiences of partners prior to marriage and may provide a foundation for more targeted primary prevention efforts.

Exploring socioeconomic and mental health trajectories during times of economic recession: a qualitative study with primary health care users and professionals.

Background: The 2008 economic recession has been shown to affect populations' mental health due to deterioration of socioeconomic and living conditions. Concurrently, mental health problems may have constituted a vulnerability to wider social inequalities during this period.Aims: To explore perceptions and experiences of primary health care users and professionals regarding the relationship between mental health and socioeconomic position during the economic recession in Portugal.Method: Data were collected in three primary health care centres in Lisbon Metropolitan Area. Focus groups and semi-structured interviews were conducted with users and professionals, respectively. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and underwent thematic analysis.Results: Two themes were obtained. The first comprised the relationship between changes in socioeconomic conditions (unemployment, precarious work conditions and financial hardship) and poor mental health. The second involved the consequences of experiencing mental health problems during the recession, namely disability, need of sick leave and early retirement.Conclusions: This study provided a comprehensive overview of the bidirectional relationship between socioeconomic conditions and mental health, emphasizing the need to develop policies to address the drivers of poor mental health during times of economic downturn and tackle the barriers faced by people with mental disorders to promote their full social inclusion.

Treatment gap for anxiety disorders is global: Results of the World Mental Health Surveys in 21 countries.

BACKGROUND: Anxiety disorders are a major cause of burden of disease. Treatment gaps have been described, but a worldwide evaluation is lacking. We estimated, among individuals with a 12-month DSM-IV (where DSM is Diagnostic Statistical Manual) anxiety disorder in 21 countries, the proportion who (i) perceived a need for treatment; (ii) received any treatment; and (iii) received possibly adequate treatment. METHODS: Data from 23 community surveys in 21 countries of the World Mental Health (WMH) surveys. DSM-IV mental disorders were assessed (WHO Composite International Diagnostic Interview, CIDI 3.0). DSM-IV included posttraumatic stress disorder among anxiety disorders, while it is not considered so in the DSM-5. We asked if, in the previous 12 months, respondents felt they needed professional treatment and if they obtained professional treatment (specialized/general medical, complementary alternative medical, or nonmedical professional) for "problems with emotions, nerves, mental health, or use of alcohol or drugs." Possibly adequate treatment was defined as receiving pharmacotherapy (1+ months of medication and 4+ visits to a medical doctor) or psychotherapy, complementary alternative medicine or nonmedical care (8+ visits). RESULTS: Of 51,547 respondents (response = 71.3%), 9.8% had a 12-month DSM-IV anxiety disorder, 27.6% of whom received any treatment, and only 9.8% received possibly adequate treatment. Of those with 12-month anxiety only 41.3% perceived a need for care. Lower treatment levels were found for lower income countries. CONCLUSIONS: Low levels of service use and a high proportion of those receiving services not meeting adequacy standards for anxiety disorders exist worldwide. Results suggest the need for improving recognition of anxiety disorders and the quality of treatment.

The effect of socioeconomic position in the experience of disability among people with mental disorders: findings from the World Mental Health Survey Initiative Portugal.

BACKGROUND: Mental disorders are a major cause of disability with impacts on daily functioning and quality of life, which has been associated with socioeconomic disadvantage. The present study aims to assess how socioeconomic position is related to the disability reported by people with mental disorders, using data from the World Mental Health Survey (WMHS) Initiative Portugal. METHODS: Using data from the Portuguese Mental Health Survey, a nationally representative cross-sectional study (n = 3849), several logistic regression models with interaction terms were performed to evaluate the effect of different indicators of socioeconomic position on the disability reported by people with any mental disorder (any 12-month mood or anxiety disorder). Odds ratios were estimated at the specific values of the main effects and interaction terms between the presence of any mental disorder and education, employment status, self-perceived financial deprivation and subjective social status. RESULTS: The prevalence rate of any mood or anxiety disorder was 21.0% (n = 788), among which 14.7% (n = 115) reported disability. The results show that among people with any 12-month mental disorder, those in the employment category of "retired or others" had two times higher odds of reporting disability (OR = 2.19; 95%CI: 1.06-4.48) when compared to participants categorized as "working". Likewise, individuals with financial deprivation had two times higher odds of reporting disability when compared to those non-financially deprived (OR = 2.36; 95%CI: 1.31-4.24). The odds ratios obtained for the specific years of education evaluated were not statistically significant but seem to suggest an educational gradient. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study indicate that the disability reported by people with mental disorders varies according to socioeconomic position and draw attention to the need to develop policies to address these inequalities.

Trauma and psychotic experiences: transnational data from the World Mental Health Survey.

BackgroundTraumatic events are associated with increased risk of psychotic experiences, but it is unclear whether this association is explained by mental disorders prior to psychotic experience onset.AimsTo investigate the associations between traumatic events and subsequent psychotic experience onset after adjusting for post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental disorders.MethodWe assessed 29 traumatic event types and psychotic experiences from the World Mental Health surveys and examined the associations of traumatic events with subsequent psychotic experience onset with and without adjustments for mental disorders.ResultsRespondents with any traumatic events had three times the odds of other respondents of subsequently developing psychotic experiences (OR = 3.1, 95% CI 2.7-3.7), with variability in strength of association across traumatic event types. These associations persisted after adjustment for mental disorders.ConclusionsExposure to traumatic events predicts subsequent onset of psychotic experiences even after adjusting for comorbid mental disorders.

A cluster randomised controlled trial of a staff-training intervention in residential units for people with long-term mental illness in Portugal: the PromQual trial.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to assess the efficacy of a staff-training intervention to improve service users' engagement in activities and quality of care, by means of a cluster randomised controlled trial. METHOD: All residential units with at least 12-h a day staff support (n = 23) were invited to participate. Quality of care was assessed with the Quality Indicator for Rehabilitative Care (QuIRC) filled online by the unit's manager. Half the units (n = 12) were randomly assigned to continue providing treatment as usual, and half (n = 11) received a staff-training intervention that focused on skills for engaging service users in activities, with trainers working alongside staff to embed this learning in the service. The primary outcome was service users' level of activity (measured with the Time Use Diary), reassessed at 4 and 8 months. Secondary outcomes were the quality of care provided (QuIRC), and service users' quality of life (Manchester Short Assessment of Quality of Life) reassessed at 8 months. Generalized linear mixed effect models were used to assess the difference in outcomes between units in the two trial arms. The trial was registered with Current Controlled Trials (Ref NCT02366117). RESULTS: Knowledge acquired by the staff during the initial workshops increased significantly (p ≤ 0.01). However, the intervention and comparison units did not differ significantly in primary and secondary outcomes at either follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The intervention increased the level of knowledge of staff without leading to an improvement in service users' engagement in activities, quality of life, or quality of care in the units.

Predictors of repeat visits to hospital psychiatric emergency departments in Malaga (Spain) and in Lisbon (Portugal).

OBJECTIVE: This study describes the profile of people with mental disorders attending emergency departments (EDs) in two countries and to identify specific mental disorders associated with repeat emergency visits. METHODS: Retrospective analyses of 1 year of EDs data from two hospitals with psychiatric departments, one in Amadora/Sintra (Lisbon, Portugal, 2008) and the other in Malaga (Spain, 2009), were carried out. To determine which mental disorders were associated with repeat visits in each setting, negative binomial models were calculated. RESULTS: There were 5141 visits for a mental disorder made by 3667 patients. Patients with affective disorder were the most frequent (32.2%). Among all mental health patients, 19.9% had at least one repeat visit during the year. For the two EDs setting combined, patients with personality disorders (incidence rate ratio (IRR)=3.79, 95% CI: 2.39 to 6.02) and psychotic disorders (IRR=1.46, 95% CI: 1.13 to 1.89) were more likely to have repeat visits compared with patients with affective disorders, whereas mental disorders due to psychoactive substance use (IRR=0.52, 95% CI: 0.37 to 0.73) was associated with lower likelihood of repeat visits. Nearly all significant differences were attributable to the Malaga sample, where patients with personality disorders were four times more likely to have repeat EDs visits compared with patients with affective disorders. However, at both sites, patients with mental disorders due to psychoactive substance use were less likely to have repeat visits. CONCLUSIONS: Certain mental disorders may be predictive of more frequent ED visits. The different results for each country suggest that further studies might focus not only on the characteristics of patients, but also on local healthcare organisation.

Living conditions and quality of care in residential units for people with long-term mental illness in Portugal--a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: As in most European countries, mental health care has shifted from large hospitals to smaller community based settings in Portugal. Our study objectives were to determine: a) the characteristics of users of mental health residential facilities in Portugal; b) the quality of care provided comparing community and hospital units; and c) to investigate associations between quality of care, service and service users' characteristics and experiences of care. METHODS: All longer term mental health units in Portugal providing on-site staffed support for at least 12 h per day were assessed with the Quality Indicator for Rehabilitative Care (QuIRC), a standardised tool completed by the unit manager. The QuIRC rates seven domains of care (Living Environment, Therapeutic Environment, Treatments and Interventions, Self/Management and Autonomy, Recovery Based Practice, Social Inclusion, and Human Rights). A random sample of service users were interviewed using standardised measures of autonomy, experiences of care and quality of life. RESULTS: Most (60 %) of the 42 units were in Lisbon and surrounding districts with 50 % based in the community and 50 % in hospital settings. They had a mean of 11.5 beds. Service users (n = 278) were mainly men (66.2 %), with a diagnosis of schizophrenia (72.7 %), and a mean age of 49.4 years. Community units scored higher than hospital units on the Living Environment, Treatments and Interventions, and Self-Management and Autonomy domains of the QuIRC. Increased service user age was negatively associated with all but one domain. All QuIRC domains were positively associated with service users' autonomy and experiences of care. CONCLUSIONS: Investing in better quality, community based mental health facilities is associated with better outcomes for service users who require longer term support.