Prevalence of somatic diseases in adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in Japan is highest in people aged ≥40 years with mental disorders: a cross-sectional study of a Japanese health insurance claims database.

Introduction: Studies have reported an association between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and somatic diseases; however, the correlation of mental disorders with the association between ADHD and somatic diseases remains uninvestigated. This study investigated and compared the prevalence of somatic diseases among adults with/without ADHD, stratified by the presence or absence of mental disorders. Methods: This cross-sectional study (October 2020-September 2021), using data (June 2013-September 2021) from a Japanese health insurance claims database, included adult participants with a medical record of and receiving medication for ADHD (ADHD group); the control group (matched 1:5 by age/sex) comprised participants without ADHD. The prevalence and odds ratio (OR; ADHD versus control) of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), diabetes complications, hypertension, cardiovascular disease (CVD), dyslipidemia, gout and hyperuricemia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), non-alcoholic fatty liver disease/non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NAFLD/NASH), and atopic dermatitis were investigated. Pooled ORs for stratified analysis were calculated using the Mantel-Haenszel method. Results: In the matched analysis sets, the ORs for all somatic diseases were significantly higher for the ADHD group (n=15,028) versus the control group (n=74,796). On stratified analysis, the Mantel-Haenszel ORs were significant for NAFLD/NASH (1.53; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.34, 1.73), diabetes complications (1.39; 95% CI: 1.09, 1.77), and gout and hyperuricemia (1.34; 95% CI: 1.19, 1.51). Furthermore, the stratum-specific ORs for T2DM, hypertension, and dyslipidemia were >1 and <1 in the presence and absence of mental disorders, respectively. The prevalence of all somatic diseases except atopic dermatitis increased with age. For participants aged ≥40 years, the Mantel-Haenszel ORs were significant for all somatic diseases except CVD, COPD, and atopic dermatitis. Conclusions: The prevalence of several somatic diseases, including chronic disorders, was high among adults with ADHD, particularly in those aged ≥40 years and those with mental disorders.

Effectiveness of a community health worker-led case management programme to improve outcomes for people with psychotic disorders in Thailand: a one-year prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Intensive case management (ICM) programmes for psychotic patients are effective in improving outcomes, but often unfeasible in resource-poor settings, as they typically require extensive human resources and expertise. We developed and evaluated the effectiveness of a less intensive case management program (LICM), led by community health workers, on one-year social functioning and service use. METHODS: A prospective cohort study was conducted on patients aged 18 and above residing in a hospital catchment area. Outcomes were compared between LICM (n = 64) and non-LICM participants (n = 485). A counterfactual framework approach was applied to assess causal effects of the LICM on outcomes. The programme effectiveness was analyzed by augmented-inverse probability of treatment weighting (AIPW) to estimate potential outcome mean (POM) and average treatment effect (ATE). Outcomes were employment status and use of emergency, inpatient and outpatient services. Analyses were stratified by the number of previous psychotic relapse (≤ 1, > 1) to assess heterogeneity of treatment effect on those in an early and later stages of psychotic illness. RESULTS: In the early-stage cohort, the likelihood of being employed at one year post-baseline was significantly greater in LICM participants than non-LICM participants (ATE 0.10, 95%CI 0.05-0.14, p < 0.001), whereas service use of all types, except outpatient, was not significantly different between the two groups. In the later-stage cohort, the likelihoods of employment between the two groups at post-baseline were similar (ATE -0.02, 95%CI -0.19-0.15, p = 0.826), whereas service use of all types was significantly higher in LICM participants. CONCLUSION: LICM in a setting where community mental services are scarce may benefit those at an early stage of psychotic illness, by leading to better social functioning and no higher use of unscheduled services at the end of the programme, possibly through their better prognosis and medication adherence. A more intensive case management model may be appropriate for those in a later stage of the illness.

Impact of duration of untreated psychosis on remission in first-episode schizophrenia in Thailand: a cohort study

ABSTRACT Background: To scale up the services for first-episode schizophrenia in Thailand, it is essential to understand to what extent health care-seeking is delayed, and how much the delay affects the treatment outcome. Objectives: To investigate the duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) and its impact on remission in first-episode schizophrenia across the country. Methods: 276 outpatients with a first-episode schizophrenia were followed for 6 months and assessed whether they fulfilled the criteria for remission at the follow-up. The proportion of those achieving remission was compared by the DUP. The impact of DUP on remission was estimated in multivariate analyses. Results: At the follow-up, 83% (71/86) of patients who had met the criteria for symptomatic remission at the baseline achieved enduring remission, whereas 63% (119/190) of patients who had not met the criteria for symptomatic remission at baseline met it at the follow-up. The shorter the DUP, the higher the proportion of those who achieved symptomatic or enduring remission at the follow-up. The impact of DUP on symptomatic remission appeared to be significant after controlling for other factors influencing remission. Conclusion: Since the DUP would influence remission of patients with schizophrenia, early detection and intervention services should be provided in Thailand.

Home-Based Contingency Management Delivered by Community Health Workers to Improve Alcohol Abstinence: A Randomized Control Trial.

AIM: To evaluate the effectiveness of home-based contingency management (CM) in improving abstinence in an incentive-dependent manner among alcoholic individuals. METHODS: A 12-week, home-visit (HV) only controlled, randomized incentive-ranging trial of 161 adults with current alcohol dependence was recruited using social network theory techniques. Participants randomly received HV, low- (CM-L) or higher-magnitude CM (CM-H). Community health workers made regular home visits, monitored drinking behavior and delivered CM as appropriate. Two follow-up visits at weeks 13 and 16 were conducted to assess whether abstinence would still be maintained after the interventions discontinued. Rates of continuous reported abstinence (primary), numbers of positive breath samples (secondary) over the intervention period and rates of prolonged reported abstinence (secondary) were evaluated. RESULTS: CM did not significantly improve the rates of continuous reported abstinence across the 12-week intervention period (odds ratio (OR) for trend 1.2, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.7-2.1, P = 0.601). There was a significant reduction, however, in the average number of positive breath samples submitted by the CM-H group (generalized linear model, ß -0.5, 95% CI -0.9 to -0.2, P = 0.005). The CM-H arm also had a significantly higher abstinence rate during the follow-up period (OR 3.4, 95% CI 1.3-8.8, P = 0.013). Event history model suggested that the CM-H condition had significantly higher chances of achieving renewed abstinence across the study period (OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.3-3.2, P = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Home-based CM with sufficient incentive is promising in reducing alcohol use and in improving rates of abstinence over time. Allowing for a certain grace period may better capture the delayed treatment effect of home-based CM.

Estimating Impact Based on Stages of Mental Illness on Employment and Earnings in Bangkok Metropolitan Region.

BACKGROUND: Evidence suggests mental disorders are associated with substantial economic burden. However, as the status of mental illness tends to change over time, estimating the burden based on cross-sectional presence or severity of illness may be problematic. An approach based on illness staging may provide a more stable estimate. AIMS OF THE STUDY: We aim to explore whether three predefined stages of mental illness (i.e. early active, remitted, chronic) have differential impact on employment and earnings. METHODS: A community survey of household population aged 18 and over in a university hospital's catchment area within Bangkok Metropolitan Region (BMR) was conducted (N=3877). The third version of the World Health Organization-Composite International Diagnostic Interview (WHO-CIDI) was administered to assess lifetime and 12-month common major mental disorders and the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6) to assess current psychological distress. Multivariate approaches were used to estimate the observed and expected annual earnings and employment for persons with mental illness at each stage, controlling for sociodemographic variables. RESULTS: Increasing level of chronicity, from the early active to the remitted and then to the chronic stage, was associated with increasing reduction in earnings (beta --0.14 95% CI -0.15 to --0.13, p = 0.004). All stages of illness were significantly associated with reduced earnings, with individuals at chronic stage having 12-month earnings averaging 78,522 Thai baht (USD 2,356) less than those without a history of mental illness, followed by those at remitted (38,703 baht or USD 1,161) and early active stages (25,870 baht or USD 776), with the same values for control variables. Remitted and chronic stages, but not early active one, were associated with reduced odds of paid employment. The estimated societal-level loss in earnings was 26.9 billion baht (USD 808.2 million) in the total BMR population. DISCUSSION: The findings suggest that all stages of mental disorders, particularly chronic one, are associated with substantial individual- and societal-level burden, and highlight differences in employment and earnings gaps among individuals at each stage of illness. IMPLICATIONS FOR HEALTH CARE PROVISION AND USE: Mental health service should be provided in close coordination with vocational and welfare services in order to alleviate financial and work difficulties faced by mentally ill people at various stages of illness. IMPLICATIONS FOR HEALTH POLICIES: There is a need to tailor disability benefits and employment promotion schemes to the needs of mentally ill people at each stage in order to maximize their productivity and quality of life. IMPLICATIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH: Direct and other indirect costs of mental illness should be further investigated. Longitudinal studies would help to clarify how much of the reported association is due to mental illness causing unemployment and reduced earnings or vice versa.