Deaths with COVID-19 and from all-causes following first-ever SARS-CoV-2 infection in individuals with preexisting mental disorders: A national cohort study from Czechia.

BACKGROUND: Evidence suggests reduced survival rates following Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in people with preexisting mental disorders, especially psychotic disorders, before the broad introduction of vaccines. It remains unknown whether this elevated mortality risk persisted at later phases of the pandemic and when accounting for the confounding effect of vaccination uptake and clinically recorded physical comorbidities. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We used data from Czech national health registers to identify first-ever serologically confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infections in 5 epochs related to different phases of the pandemic: 1st March 2020 to 30th September 2020, 1st October 2020 to 26th December 2020, 27th December 2020 to 31st March 2021, 1st April 2021 to 31st October 2021, and 1st November 2021 to 29th February 2022. In these people, we ascertained cases of mental disorders using 2 approaches: (1) per the International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision (ICD-10) diagnostic codes for substance use, psychotic, affective, and anxiety disorders; and (2) per ICD-10 diagnostic codes for the above mental disorders coupled with a prescription for anxiolytics/hypnotics/sedatives, antidepressants, antipsychotics, or stimulants per the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classification codes. We matched individuals with preexisting mental disorders with counterparts who had no recorded mental disorders on age, sex, month and year of infection, vaccination status, and the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI). We assessed deaths with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and from all-causes in the time period of 28 and 60 days following the infection using stratified Cox proportional hazards models, adjusting for matching variables and additional confounders. The number of individuals in matched-cohorts ranged from 1,328 in epoch 1 to 854,079 in epoch 5. The proportion of females ranged from 34.98% in people diagnosed with substance use disorders in epoch 3 to 71.16% in individuals diagnosed and treated with anxiety disorders in epoch 5. The mean age ranged from 40.97 years (standard deviation [SD] = 15.69 years) in individuals with substance use disorders in epoch 5 to 56.04 years (SD = 18.37 years) in people with psychotic disorders in epoch 2. People diagnosed with or diagnosed and treated for psychotic disorders had a consistently elevated risk of dying with COVID-19 in epochs 2, 3, 4, and 5, with adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) ranging from 1.46 [95% confidence intervals (CIs), 1.18, 1.79] to 1.93 [95% CIs, 1.12, 3.32]. This patient group demonstrated also a consistently elevated risk of all-cause mortality in epochs 2, 3, 4, and 5 (aHR from 1.43 [95% CIs, 1.23, 1.66] to 1.99 [95% CIs, 1.25, 3.16]). The models could not be reliably fit for psychotic disorders in epoch 1. People diagnosed with substance use disorders had an increased risk of all-cause mortality 28 days postinfection in epoch 3, 4, and 5 (aHR from 1.30 [95% CIs, 1.14, 1.47] to 1.59 [95% CIs, 1.19, 2.12]) and 60 days postinfection in epoch 2, 3, 4, and 5 (aHR from 1.22 [95% CIs, 1.08, 1.38] to 1.52 [95% CIs, 1.16, 1.98]). Cases ascertained based on diagnosis of substance use disorders and treatment had increased risk of all-cause mortality in epoch 2, 3, 4, and 5 (aHR from 1.22 [95% CIs, 1.03, 1.43] to 1.91 [95% CIs, 1.25, 2.91]). The models could not be reliably fit for substance use disorders in epoch 1. In contrast to these, people diagnosed with anxiety disorders had a decreased risk of death with COVID-19 in epoch 2, 3, and 5 (aHR from 0.78 [95% CIs, 0.69, 0.88] to 0.89 [95% CIs, 0.81, 0.98]) and all-cause mortality in epoch 2, 3, 4, and 5 (aHR from 0.83 [95% CIs, 0.77, 0.90] to 0.88 [95% CIs, 0.83, 0.93]). People diagnosed and treated for affective disorders had a decreased risk of both death with COVID-19 and from all-causes in epoch 3 (aHR from 0.87 [95% CIs, 0.79, 0.96] to 0.90 [95% CIs, 0.83, 0.99]), but demonstrated broadly null effects in other epochs. Given the unavailability of data on a number of potentially influential confounders, particularly body mass index, tobacco smoking status, and socioeconomic status, part of the detected associations might be due to residual confounding. CONCLUSIONS: People with preexisting psychotic, and, less robustly, substance use disorders demonstrated a persistently elevated risk of death following SARS-CoV-2 infection throughout the pandemic. While it cannot be ruled out that part of the detected associations is due to residual confounding, this excess mortality cannot be fully explained by lower vaccination uptake and more clinically recorded physical comorbidities in these patient groups.

Temporal trends in inpatient care use for adult mental disorders in Czechia: a nationwide register-based study from 1994 to 2015.

PURPOSE: To describe temporal trends in inpatient care use for adult mental disorders in Czechia from 1994 until 2015. METHODS: Data from the nationwide register of inpatient care use and yearly census data were used to calculate (a) yearly admissions rates, (b) median length of stay, and (c) standardized inpatient-years for adult mental disorders (ICD-10 codes F0-F6] or G30). Segmented regressions were used to analyze age- and sex-specific temporal trends. RESULTS: Admission rates were increasing in adults (average annual percent change = 0.51; 95% confidence interval = 0.16 to 0.86 for females and 1.01; 0.63 to 1.40 for males) and adolescents and emerging adults (3.27; 2.57 to 3.97 for females and 2.98; 2.08 to 3.88 for males), whereas in seniors, the trend was stable (1.22; -0.31 to 2.73 for females and 1.35; -0.30 to 2.98 for males). The median length of stay for studied mental disorders decreased across all age and sex strata except for a stable trend in male adolescents and emerging adults (-0.96; -2.02 to 0.10). Standardized inpatient-years were decreasing in adults of both sexes (-0.85; -1.42 to -0.28 for females and -0.87; -1.19 to -0.56 for males), increasing in female adolescents and emerging adults (0.95; 0.42 to 1.47), and stable in the remaining strata. CONCLUSION: Psychiatric hospital admissions were increasing or stable coupled with considerable reductions in median length of stay, suggesting that inpatient episodes for adult mental disorders have become more frequent and shorter over time. The overall psychiatric inpatient care use was decreasing or stable in adults and seniors, potentially implying a gradual shift away from hospital-based care.

Population mental health, help-seeking and associated barriers following the COVID-19 pandemic: Analysis of repeated nationally representative cross-sectional surveys in Czechia.

This study investigated the Czech adults' mental health following the COVID-19 pandemic and the potential influence of data collection methodology on prevalence estimates. Separately, it investigated changes in help-seeking and associated barriers. Data from representative surveys on Czech adults, conducted in November 2017 (n = 3,306), in May (n = 3,021) and November 2020 (n = 3,000), and in November and December 2022 (n = 7,311), were used. Current mental disorders were assessed by the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview, and the treatment gap was established in individuals scoring positively. In help-seeking individuals, encountering barriers was investigated. In 2017 and 2022, 20.02 % and 27.22 % of individuals had at least one mental disorder, respectively. The 2022 panel sampling and online and telephone interviewing estimates (34.29 % and 26.7 %) were substantially higher than those from household sampling and personal interviewing (19.9 %). Prevalence rates based on household sampling and personal interviewing were broadly consistent in 2017 and 2022. The treatment gap was around 80 % from 2017 to 2022. More than 50 % of individuals encountered structural barriers in help-seeking in 2022. This study showed that prevalence rates were still elevated in 2022, but suggests that data collection methodology influenced the estimates. Separately, the treatment gap remained consistently very high, and encountering structural barriers in help-seeking was common.

Mental health and access to care among the Roma population in Europe: A scoping review.

The Roma are Europe's largest ethnic minority group, and often face discrimination and social exclusion. Social strife and lack of access to healthcare are associated with increased symptoms of psychopathology. We aimed to review evidence on mental health outcomes and on access to mental healthcare among the Roma population in Europe. We systematically searched five databases (PsycINFO, Global Health, Social Policy and Practice, Web of Science and PubMed) and conducted a grey literature search in August 2020. We identified 133 studies, 26 of which were included for final analysis. We present the results using a narrative synthesis. The available literature indicates a relatively high prevalence of anxiety, depression and substance abuse among Roma, and females seem to be more affected than males. Roma children exhibit more externalizing and internalizing disorders when compared with non-Roma children. Mental health and perceived well-being among the Roma population are strongly linked to social determinants of health such as housing or economic income. Access to mental healthcare is limited for Roma people because of several barriers pertaining to language, lack of information regarding available services, and the insurance and economic status of Roma people. Roma people report mainly negative experiences with mental health services, including a lack of understanding from healthcare providers, and instances of racism and discrimination. There is a need for more research on mental health and access to healthcare in Roma people. Future studies should be participatory in order to provide guidelines for mental healthcare that addresses the needs of the Roma population.

Mental health conditions and help-seeking among Ukrainian war refugees in Czechia: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to screen Ukrainian war refugees (UWR) in Czechia for depression and anxiety, and to assess their recognition of personal mental health problems and related help-seeking. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study on a sample of UWR in Czechia. We used PHQ-8 and GAD-7 to screen for depression and anxiety, SELF-I to assess the recognition of respondents' own mental health problems, and a set of questions regarding mental health-related help-seeking. FINDINGS: Our sample consisted of 1,347 UWR. More than 41 % of respondents screened positively for moderate or severe depression and more than 23 % for moderate or severe anxiety. Self-recognition of mental health as well as help-seeking was very low among those who screened positively for moderate or severe depression or anxiety. INTERPRETATION: Even those UWR who report severe symptoms do not identify themselves as potentially having mental health issues and are not seeking help.

Methods and tools to assess implementation of mental health policies and plans: A systematic review.

Mental health policies and plans (MHPPs) are important policy instruments and powerful tools to facilitate development of mental health systems and services across the world. We aimed to map and analyse methods and tools used to assess the extent, process and impact of implementing MHPPs. We systematically searched peer-reviewed and grey literature across seven scientific databases. We extracted and analysed the data on a) the characteristics of included studies (e.g., policy areas, region of origin, income setting) and b) the methodology and evaluation tools applied to assess the extent and process of implementation. We included 48 studies in the analyses. Twenty-six of these studies employed only qualitative methods (e.g., semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, desk review, stakeholder consultations); 12 studies used quantitative methods (e.g., trend analysis, survey) and 10 used mixed-methods approaches. Generally, methods and tools used for assessment were described poorly with less than half of the studies providing partial or full details about them. Only three studies provided assessment of full policies. There is a lack of rigorous research to assess implementation MHPPs. Assessments of the implementation of entire MHPPs are almost non-existent. Strategies to assess the implementation of MHPPs should be an integral part of MHPPs.

Providing immediate digital mental health interventions and psychotrauma support during political crises.

We describe the development and provision of a digital mental health intervention and trauma support platform for victims of political and social repression in Belarus. The Samopomoch platform provides secure and effective support tailored to the needs of such victims, and individuals are provided with access to the service via a modern, encrypted, and protected communication platform. The service involves personal health tracking (e-mental health self-screening), targeted and untargeted client communication (psychoeducation and self-help information), and psychological counselling sessions. The Samopomoch platform is also collecting evidence to show the effectiveness of the service and proposes a model for replication in similar settings. To our knowledge, this is the first immediate digital mental health-care response to a political crisis, and the high needs and increasing demand for this service within the targeted population indicate the necessity for its continuation and scaling-up. We urge policy makers to provide immediate responses for establishing digital mental health interventions and psychological trauma support.

Introducing Cambridge Prisms: Global Mental Health.

With the launch of the Prisms Global Mental Health series, we are taking the opportunity to make explicit our vision for Global Mental Health. We strongly propose a Public Mental Health approach, incorporating culture and context and prioritizing equity and inclusion, particularly of previously marginalized groups. In using a Public Mental Health approach, we are framing Global Mental Health research as population-oriented research that seeks to understand the etiology, prevention, promotion, and treatment of mental and behavioral health problems with a strong emphasis on 'knowledge generation' which is relevant, transferable, and generalizable to different populations and settings. The public health approach also incorporates policy and systems research and evaluation, with a particular focus on accessibility and quality of care and human rights. By using the term Global, we are being explicit in acknowledging the role(s) of culture and context in all stages of research, from conceptualization through interpretation and dissemination. In centering equity and inclusion, we are advocating for a focus on populations who have been marginalized and have not been well represented within Global Mental Health research and active participation of voices of the populations that are included in the research. We are also working to promote participation of individuals from diverse and underrepresented communities and diverse experiences, including those with lived experience, in all stages of research pipeline: from conceptualization to publication of findings. Our readers will see these values and ideas operationalized in the choice of article topics and the published manuscripts as well as in the editorial and advisory board membership and selection of reviewers.

Development and validation of a universal mental health literacy scale for adolescents (UMHL-A).

Mental health literacy (MHL) grows in importance as the prevalence of mental health conditions rises worldwide. There is a need for valid MHL measures especially among adolescents. The current study aims to develop and validate a Universal mental health literacy scale for adolescents (UMHL-A), a self report scale to assess MHL of children between ages 10 and 14 across all four components within Kutcher's framework for MHL. The development of the UMHL-A was initiated by a literature review and followed by item generation. Then, we tested the face and content validity of the scale via a delphi study, focus groups and cognitive interviews with the target group. Next with a convenience sample, we established the factor structure and construct validity of the scale using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Lastly, we tested the scale convergent validity with other measures. The final form of the scale was refined on a representative sample of Czech asolescents. The UMHL-A scale comprises 17 items measuring four components of MHL. The scale has substantial methodological advantages in comparison to existing measures of MHL, especially considering its brevity and comprehensive coverage of MHL. Further studies are needed to test its application and validity globally.

Suicide Risk in Individuals With and Without Mental Disorders Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Analysis of Three Nationwide Cross-Sectional Surveys in Czechia.

OBJECTIVE: The impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on suicidal thoughts and behavior has been widely hypothesized but remains largely unexplored at the population-level. We aimed to assess changes in suicide risk (SR) in people with and without mental disorders, before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Czechia. METHODS: We analyzed data from three nationwide cross-sectional surveys of Czech adults (November 2017, May and November 2020). For the 2017 data collection, we employed paper and pencil interviewing, while for the two 2020 data collections, we used a mixed computer-assisted web interviewing and computer-assisted telephone interviewing approach. All samples were representative in terms of age, gender, education, and area of residence for the Czech adult population (18+). We used the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview to screen for mental disorders and SR. We calculated weighted prevalence rates with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). RESULTS: When compared to baseline, we found a 4% and 6% increase in SR in individuals without mental disorders in pandemic surveys (1.95% (1.45%; 2.44%) vs. 6.29% (5.28%; 7.30%) and 8.42% (7.19%; 9.65%)). Relative to baseline, SR in people with major depressive episode or anxiety disorders was elevated in May and November 2020 (22.35% (17.64%; 27.06%) vs. 36.68% (32.45%; 40.91%) and 38.88% (34.51%; 43.25%)). CONCLUSIONS: We found substantially increased SR in both people with and without mental disorders, however, these changes could be partially related to differing data collection methods used in the baseline and subsequent surveys. Ongoing prevention, monitoring and evaluation of nationwide suicidality is warranted.HIGHLIGHTSWe found that suicide risk substantially increased during the pandemicSuicide risk was elevated in both individuals with and without mental disordersOur findings support increased suicide monitoring and prevention.

Development and implementation of fidelity assessment in first episode psychosis services in Czechia: A pilot study.

AIM: The aim of the study was to evaluate fidelity in first episode psychosis (FEP) teams in Czechia and to gage the feasibility and utility of the process in a mental health system that is undergoing a transformation. METHODS: Fidelity assessment was conducted using The First Episode Psychosis Services Fidelity Scale (FEPS-FS). Fidelity assessment was based on a review of data abstracted from the health records of active clients, program documents, administrative data, and interviews with members of staff. The mean scores were compared across the teams. Feasibility and utility were assessed by program response to their fidelity results. RESULTS: Three FEP teams were involved in the fidelity assessment. Across the 35 items, the mean fidelity score ranged from 2.5 to 3.1. Across the FEP teams, the percentage of the 35 items rated as 4 or 5 (satisfactory or exemplary) ranged from 34.3% to 51.4%. CONCLUSIONS: This study provided an opportunity to implement FEPS-FS and assess fidelity in FEP teams in Czechia. The fidelity assessment also provided a baseline for measuring change.

Mortality and life-years lost following subsequent physical comorbidity in people with pre-existing substance use disorders: a national registry-based retrospective cohort study of hospitalised individuals in Czechia.

BACKGROUND: Substance use disorders constitute a major global public health problem, attributable largely to their subsequent comorbidity with other health conditions. This study aimed to investigate the risk of all-cause death and life-years lost following hospitalisation for 28 subsequent physical comorbid conditions in people with a previous hospitalisation for substance use disorder, compared with matched counterparts without substance use disorder. METHODS: We did a retrospective cohort study on data from Czech nationwide registers of all-cause hospitalisations and deaths during the period from Jan 1, 1994, to Dec 31, 2017. The cohorts consisted of individuals who had initially been hospitalised between 15 and 70 years of age (index hospitalisation) and who were subsequently hospitalised with one or more of 28 comorbid physical health conditions. We included individuals with an index hospitalisation for substance use disorders and up to three counterparts without substance use disorders with a subsequent hospitalisation for the same physical health condition, with matching on sex, age (±3 years), work status, and discharge year at first hospitalisation for the subsequent condition. Data on ethnicity were not available. Risk of death due to any cause following the first hospitalisation for each physical health condition until Dec 31, 2017, and life-years lost after disease onset at ages 30, 45, and 60 years, and before 81 years of age, were examined. FINDINGS: From a total 56 229 563 records of hospitalisations identified, we included 121 153 people with hospitalisation for substance use disorders and 6 742 134 people without hospitalisation for substance use disorders in the study. The 28 condition-specific cohorts comprised a median of 6444 individuals (IQR 2033-12 358), ranging from 444 for multiple sclerosis to 36 356 for diseases of the circulatory system. Across the cohorts, the proportion of males ranged from 31·4% for thyroid disorder to 100·0% for prostate disorders. The mean baseline age ranged from 30·0 years (SD 9·1) for chronic viral hepatitis in people with pre-existing substance use disorders to 62·2 years (9·7) for Parkinson's disease in people without pre-existing substance use disorders. After adjusting for potential confounders using stratified Cox proportional hazards models, individuals with a pre-existing substance use disorder had an increased risk of death due to any cause after the onset of 26 out of 28 physical health conditions, relative to their counterparts without substance use disorders, with adjusted hazard ratios ranging from 1·15 (1·09-1·21) for chronic liver disease to 3·86 (2·62-5·67) for thyroid disorder. For seven subsequent health conditions, the risk of death was more than doubled in the group with pre-existing substance use disorders. When compared with the general population via mortality tables, people with pre-existing substance use disorders had substantial losses in life-years after the onset of most of the subsequent physical health conditions regardless of age of onset, and, for the majority of comorbidities, lost considerably more life-years than their counterparts without substance use disorders. INTERPRETATION: A history of hospitalisation for substance use disorders appears to have a significant negative effect on prognosis following the development of various subsequent physical health conditions. These findings strongly suggest that clinical vigilance and high-quality integrated treatment for people with substance use disorders could be life-saving and should be given higher priority on the public health agenda. FUNDING: National Institute for Health and Care Research Applied Research Collaboration East of England at Cambridge and Peterborough National Health Service Foundation Trust.

The stigma of alcohol-related liver disease and its impact on healthcare.

People with alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) experience stigma and discrimination. This review summarises the evidence on stigma in healthcare and its implications for people with ALD, drawing from the literature on the stigma associated with mental illness and, specifically, alcohol use disorder (AUD). Public stigma, self-stigma and structural stigma all contribute to failure to seek help or delays in seeking help, inferior healthcare, and negative health outcomes, which increase the overall burden of ALD. Stigma can be experienced, but also anticipated and avoided, with both scenarios negatively impacting on ALD healthcare. Blaming people with ALD for their condition is central to the stigma of ALD. Stigma affects ALD healthcare at all stages, from prevention, early detection and intervention, to allocation of scarce resources in liver transplantation. People with lived experience need to be empowered to lead action against the stigmatisation of patients with ALD. Promulgating a dynamic model of individual and social responsibility for AUD, a continuum model of harmful alcohol use, and establishing training on ALD-related stigma for healthcare professionals are strategies to address stigma. Integrating addiction and ALD services, providing stigma-free prevention, and overcoming the frequent separation of addiction services from general healthcare are necessary. Beyond healthcare, addressing social inequality, the social dimensions of ALD risk and outcomes, and ensuring equal access to services is necessary to improve outcomes for all people with ALD. More research is needed on the stigma of ALD in low- and middle-income countries and in countries with restrictive drinking norms. Interventions to reduce the stigma of ALD and facilitate early help-seeking need to be developed and evaluated.

Serious physical assault and subsequent risk for rehospitalization in individuals with severe mental illness: a nationwide, register-based retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Victimization is associated with worse social and clinical outcomes of individuals with severe mental illness (SMI). A relapse of SMI may be one of the clinical consequences of assaultive trauma. As far as we know, there is no published study that analyzes nationwide health registers to assess the risk of SMI rehospitalization following assault. AIM: We aimed to assess whether exposure to assault is associated with an increased risk of psychiatric hospitalization in those with SMI. METHODS: We utilized data from the Czech nationwide registers of all-cause hospitalizations and all-cause deaths. We defined exposed individuals as those discharged from a hospitalization for SMI between 2002 and 2007, and hospitalized for serious injuries sustained in an assault in the subsequent 7 years. For each assaulted individual, we randomly selected five counterparts, matched on SMI diagnosis, age and sex, who were not assaulted in the examined time period. We used mixed effect logistic regression to assess the effect of assault on the risk of SMI rehospitalization within the following 6 months. We fitted unadjusted models and models adjusted for the number of previous SMI hospitalizations and drug use disorders. RESULTS: The sample consisted of 248 exposed and 1 240 unexposed individuals. In the unadjusted model, assaulted individuals were almost four times more likely to be rehospitalized than their non-assaulted counterparts (odds ratio (OR) = 3.96; 95% CI 2.75; 5.71). After adjusting for all covariates, the OR remained threefold higher (OR = 3.07; 95% CI 2.10; 4.49). CONCLUSION: People with a history of SMI hospitalization were approximately three times more likely to be rehospitalized for SMI within 6 months after an assault than their non-assaulted SMI counterparts. Soon after a person with SMI is physically assaulted, there should be a psychiatric evaluation and a close follow-up.

Development of public stigma toward people with mental health problems in Czechia 2013-2019.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to assess the changes in public stigma towards people with mental health problems in Czechia; and to investigate the association between these and the exposure to the ongoing mental health care reform and one of its implementation projects focused on reducing stigma. METHODS: We analyzed data from three cross-sectional surveys representative of the Czech adult population. We used linear regression models to compare population attitudes and desire for future contact with people with mental health problems between the 2013/2014 baseline and the 2019 follow-up. In our 2019 sample, we employed linear regression models to assess the relationship between exposure to mental health care reform and nation-wide anti-stigma campaign, and population stigmatizing attitudes and intended behavior. We utilized a propensity score matching procedure to mitigate potential bias. RESULTS: The 2013, 2014, and 2019 datasets consisted of 1797, 1810, and 1077 participants, respectively. Population attitudes improved significantly between 2014 and 2019 (B = 0.99, 95% CI = 0.06; 1.93), but we did not detect a change in population desire for future contact with people with mental health problems. Exposure to the nationwide anti-stigma campaign or mental health care reform was associated with more favorable attitudes (B = 4.25, 95% CI = 2.07; 6.42 and B = 7.66, 95% CI = 3.91; 11.42), but not with higher desire for future contact with people with mental health problems. CONCLUSIONS: Mental health care reform and its nation-wide anti-stigma project seems to have a positive impact on population attitudes, but not on desire for future contact with people with mental health problems.

Prevalence of current mental disorders before and during the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic: An analysis of repeated nationwide cross-sectional surveys.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the prevalence of mental disorders during the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic in comparison with both, baseline and the first wave of the pandemic, and to identify disproportionally affected non-clinical subgroups. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We used data from three nationally representative cross-sectional studies and compared the prevalence of current mood and anxiety disorders, and alcohol-use disorders at baseline (November 2017, n = 3306), immediately after the first peak (May 2020, n = 3021), and during the second peak (November 2020, n = 3000) of COVID-19 in Czechia. We used the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I.) as a screening instrument, and calculated weighted prevalence (%) with 95% weighted confidence intervals (95% CIs). Additionally, we examined the prevalence of these disorders across different non-clinical population sub-groups during the second wave of the pandemic. RESULTS: The proportion of individuals experiencing at least one mental disorder was highest during the second wave of the pandemic (32.94%, 95% CI = 31.14%; 34.77%), when compared to both the baseline in November 2017 (20.02%, 95% CI = 18.64%; 21.39%), and the first wave in May 2020 (29.63%, 95% CI = 27.9%; 31.37%). Younger adults, students, those having lost a job or on forced leave, and those with only elementary education displayed disproportionally high prevalence of mental disorders. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that population mental health has not returned to pre-COVID-19 levels. It seems that mental health of some population subgroups, such as young adults or those worse off economically, might have been affected disproportionately by the COVID-19 situation, and future studies identifying high-risk groups are warranted.

Mental Health and Quality & Safety of Care in Czech Residential Institutions during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Mixed-Methods Study.

Long-stay institutions have been considerably affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. We aimed to assess the mental health of clients and staff as well as quality and safety of care in long-stay institutions during the state-of-emergency in the Czech Republic in response to COVID-19 pandemic. We found a high prevalence of poor mental health outcomes in clients (46% poor well-being, 58% depression, 45% anxiety) and staff (17% poor well-being, 22% depression, 14% anxiety). In clients, COVID-19 health-related and economic worries were associated with depression (1.79, 95% CI = 1.14; 2.8 and 2.28, 95% CI = 1.27; 4.08 respectively) and anxiety (1.63, 95% CI = 1.11; 2.4 and 1.85, 95% CI = 1.2; 2.85 respectively) and in staff with any mental health outcome (1.92, 95% CI = 1.33; 2.77 and 1.75, 95% CI = 1.15; 2.66 respectively). Lack of information and communication from authorities, lack of protective equipment and logistic difficulties were reported as challenges. Delivery of care was mostly disrupted as well as admission and discharge processes. Other reported issues included lack of staff, lack of activities for patients or an increase in usage of restrictive measures. Best practices and key future measures were identified by each institution, a summary of which is presented in the article.

Widespread collapse, glimpses of revival: a scoping review of mental health policy and service development in Central Asia.

PURPOSE: We aimed to map evidence on the development of mental health care in Central Asia after 1991. METHOD: We conducted a scoping review complemented by an expert review. We searched five databases for peer-reviewed journal articles and conducted grey literature searching. The reference lists of included articles were screened for additional relevant publications. RESULTS: We included 53 articles (Kazakhstan: 13, Kyrgyzstan: 14, Tajikistan: 10, Uzbekistan: 9, Turkmenistan: 2, Multinational: 5). Only 9 were published in internationally recognised journals. In the 1990's mental health services collapsed following a sharp decline in funding, and historically popular folk services re-emerged as an alternative. Currently, modernised mental health policies exist but remain largely unimplemented due to lack of investment and low prioritisation by governments. Psychiatric treatment is still concentrated in hospitals, and community-based and psycho-social services are almost entirely unavailable. Stigma is reportedly high throughout the region, psychiatric myths are widespread, and societal awareness of human rights is low. With the exception of Kyrgyzstan, user involvement is virtually absent. After many years of stagnation, however, political interest in mental health is beginning to show, along with some promising service developments. CONCLUSIONS: There is a substantial knowledge gap in the region. Informed decision-making and collaboration with stakeholders is necessary to facilitate future reform implementation.

Attitudes towards People with Mental Illness and Low Interest in Psychiatry among Medical Students in Central and Eastern Europe.

This study aimed to examine attitudes towards people with mental illness and psychiatry and interest in career choice in psychiatry among medical students from three medical schools in Czechia and Slovakia. A total of 495 medical students participated in a cross-sectional study. Participants completed (1) the Medical students' version of mental illness: clinicians' attitudes (MICA-2) scale, (2) the Reported and intended behaviour scale (RIBS), (3) the Attractiveness of working on a psychiatry-related position scale (P-ATTRACT), and (4) the Status of psychiatry scale (P-STATUS). Descriptive statistics, group comparisons and regression models were calculated. From 23 to 30% of students considered a specialization in psychiatry. However, only about 1% of them had a strong interest in psychiatry as a future career, moreover, students of higher years of study found psychiatry less attractive compared to those who are in the beginning of the study. The consideration of specialization in psychiatry was found to be statistically significantly associated with less stigmatizing attitudes and lower social distance towards people with mental illness. There were statistically significant differences in stigmatizing attitudes among medical schools, with a medical school emphasizing the education in psychiatry the most showing more positive attitudes. It is necessary to increase the interest in psychiatry and minimize stigma among medical students. Psychiatry curriculum in Central and Eastern European region should include more psychiatry-related courses, training in community and out-patient facilities, peer-lectors, and offer counselling after exposure to emotionally challenging clinical situations.