The substance use disorder treatment gap among US college students: Findings from the 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.

Background: Substance use and substance use disorders (SUD) are prevalent among college students. Information about the gap between substance use treatment need versus treatment receipt can guide efforts to increase service access. This study examined past-year DSM-5 SUD and receipt of treatment among US college students. Methods: Past-year DSM-5 SUD and treatment receipt were estimated among a sample of 6115 college students aged 16 and older and a comparison group of non-students from the 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, weighted to be nationally representative. Among the college student sample, multiple logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with past-year SUD. Bivariate analyses were used to compare socio-demographic and substance use differences between college students who received treatment and those who had an SUD but did not receive treatment. Results: Weighted prevalence of past-year SUD among college students was 21.8 %. Only 4.6 % of students who had an SUD received treatment in any setting. Relative to non-students with SUD, proportionately fewer college students with SUD received treatment. Among college students, age, sex, past-year psychological distress, and past-year substance use were significantly associated with past-year SUD; and receipt of treatment differed significantly by age, insurance type, level of education, and enrollment status. College students who received treatment had greater prevalence of stimulant, opioid, tranquilizer, and poly-SUDs and more severe SUD symptomology than those who did not receive treatment. Conclusion: Additional efforts are needed to engage college students with SUDs in acceptable, evidence-based treatment services.

A cross-sectional study of healthcare provider perceptions of the management of epilepsy in pregnancy in sub-Saharan Africa.

BACKGROUND: Epilepsy prevalence in sub-Saharan Africa is high with a significant treatment gap. In this context, epilepsy presents substantial challenges to effective and safe reproductive and maternal healthcare. To improve this, it is important to understand the views and perceptions of healthcare professionals delivering epilepsy care to this population. METHODS: This study uses an online questionnaire which asked healthcare professionals (both from nursing and medical backgrounds) who work in sub-Saharan African countries to rate a set of pre-established options designed with the feedback of a local focus group of epilepsy experts from countries targeted. The questionnaire consisted of 21 questions and was a mix of multiple choice and Likert scale questions on managing reproductive health in women in local settings. RESULTS: Of 203 healthcare professionals respondents from over 10 countries majority were doctors (48%) or nurses (36%). The Gambia (28.6%), Nigeria (22.2%), Cameroon (13.3%) and Zambia (9.4%) accounted for nearly three-quarters of respondents. Over half (54%) felt that they have the necessary training to counsel women with epilepsy on reproductive health and pregnancy. Only 40% reported they regularly discuss family planning. Carbamazepine was reported to be the most used anti-seizure medication (ASM) for childbearing age women. Key challenges outlined were epilepsy awareness among patients and their families, information deficit on ASMs and pregnancy and access to a sufficient range of ASMs. CONCLUSION: Understanding the challenges faced by health professionals in sub-Sharan Africa, provides better comprehension of the specific "treatment-education gap" in counselling women with epilepsy on ASM risks and benefits.

Primary treatment gap among adults with epilepsy: A cross-sectional analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Despite recommendations to initiate antiseizure medication treatment once the diagnosis of epilepsy is confirmed, a certain proportion of patients with epilepsy who should receive antiseizure medication treatment remain untreated. We aimed to evaluate the rate of and the reasons for the treatment gap in patients with epilepsy who were referred to their first visit in our epilepsy clinic. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the computerized database and the medical records of all the patients with epilepsy who had their first visit in our outpatient epilepsy clinic during a 10-year period (2012-2021). RESULTS: Forty-nine (6.5%) of 746 patients with epilepsy were not treated with antiseizure medications: 27 (3.6%) were nonadherent to treatment, 12 (1.6%) patients were not definitively diagnosed with epilepsy prior to their first epilepsy clinic visit, and in 10 (1.3%) patients antiseizure medication treatment was not recommended. Untreated patients had shorter epilepsy duration compared to patients treated with antiseizure medications (p = .003). At last follow-up, 77% of the untreated patients at first visit were receiving antiseizure medications compared to 97% of the initially treated group, and fewer were receiving antiseizure medication polytherapy (p = .0001). SIGNIFICANCE: Although the rate of treatment gap was relatively low, we believe that it should be further reduced. Efforts may focus on addressing individual causes of nonadherence to antiseizure medication treatment and on promoting knowledge of diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy among healthcare professionals.

Prescription patterns and therapeutic gaps among persons with epilepsy in Southwestern Nigeria.

Introduction: Pharmacotherapy with antiseizure medications (ASMs) has been a cornerstone for achieving long-term remissions in persons with epilepsy (PWEs). This study aims to determine the prescription patterns and treatment gaps (TGs) among PWEs. Methods: Accordingly, a descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 940 PWEs aged ≥18 years having clinically confirmed diagnosis of epilepsy based on the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) criteria. At a scheduled interview with each participant, a previously established questionnaire was used to obtain clinical information relating to epilepsy in terms of the age of onset, etiology, duration of epilepsy, frequency, types, and number of ASMs used. Results: There were fewer male participants [445 (47.4%) vs. 495 (53.6%)] than females, with a higher mean age of onset [(35.19 ± 21.10 vs. 31.58 ± 20.82 years; p = 0.009]. The medication characteristics showed that 336 (35.7%) of the 940 PWEs recruited were not on any ASMs, whereas the remaining 604 (64.3%) patients were on ASMs, with 504 (83.4%) on monotherapy vs. 100 (16.6%) on polytherapy. The PWEs on ASM monotherapy had a higher mean age [40.92 ± 19.40 vs. 33.61 ± 16.51 years; p < 0.001] and higher mean age of onset [34.47 ± 21.80 vs. 25.39 ± 19.78 years; p < 0.001] than those on polytherapy. Furthermore, there were more persons on ASM monotherapy among the participants with seizure duration < 2 years [251 (87.5%) vs. 36 (12.5%)] and seizure duration > 2 years [253 (79.8%) vs 64 (20.2%)]. Conclusion: The majority of the participants receiving ASMs were on monotherapy, with carbamazepine being the most frequently prescribed medication. Furthermore, about a third of the participants had TGs; therefore, healthcare providers should focus on alleviating the TGs among PWEs.

Treatment gap and barriers to access mental healthcare among women with postpartum depression symptoms in Pakistan.

Background and Objectives: Postpartum depression (PPD) is prevalent among women after childbirth, but accessing mental healthcare for PPD is challenging. This study aimed to assess the treatment gap and barriers to mental healthcare access for women with PPD symptoms living in Punjab, Pakistan. Methods: A multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted in five populous cities of Punjab from January to June 2023 by administering the questionnaire to the women using stratified random sampling. A total of 3,220 women in first 6 months postpartum were screened using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Of them, 1,503 women scored thirteen or above, indicating potential depressive disorder. Interviews were conducted to explore help-seeking behavior and barriers to accessing mental healthcare. Descriptive statistics along with nonparametric tests (e.g., Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney U) were used and group differences were examined. Scatter plot matrices with fitted lines were used to explore associations between variables. Classification and regression tree methods were used to classify the importance and contribution of different variables for the intensity of PPD. Results: Only 2% of women (n = 33) with high PPD symptoms sought mental healthcare, and merely 5% of women (n = 75) had been in contact with a health service since the onset of their symptoms. 92.80% of women with PPD symptoms did not seek any medical attention. The majority of women, 1,215 (81%), perceived the need for mental health treatment; however, 91.23% of them did not seek treatment from healthcare services. Women who recently gave birth to a female child had higher mean depression scores compared to those who gave birth to a male child. Age, education, and birth location of newborn were significantly associated (p  <  0.005) with mean barrier scores, mean social support scores, mean depression scores and treatment gap. The results of classification and regression decision tree model showed that instrumental barrier scores are the most important in predicting mean PPD scores. Conclusion: Women with PPD symptoms encountered considerable treatment gap and barriers to access mental health care. Integration of mental health services into obstetric care as well as PPD screening in public and private hospitals of Punjab, Pakistan is critically needed to overcome the treatment gap and barriers.

Treatment odyssey to epilepsy surgery in children with focal cortical dysplasia: Risk factors for delayed surgical intervention.

OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the patient's journey to epilepsy surgery and identify the risk factors contributing to surgical delay in pediatric patients with drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) due to focal cortical dysplasia (FCD). METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted of 93 pediatric patients who underwent curative epilepsy surgery for FCD between January 2012 and March 2023 at a tertiary epilepsy center. The Odyssey plot demonstrated the treatment process before epilepsy surgery, including key milestones of epilepsy onset, first hospital visit, epilepsy diagnosis, MRI diagnosis, DRE diagnosis, and surgery. The primary outcome was surgical delay; the duration from DRE to surgery. Multivariate linear regression models were used to examine the association between surgical delay and clinical, investigative, and treatment characteristics. RESULTS: The median age at seizure onset was 1.3 years (interquartile range [IQR] 0.14-3.1), and at the time of surgery, it was 6 years (range 1-11). Notably, 46% experienced surgical delays exceeding two years. The Odyssey plot visually highlighted that surgical delay comprised a significant portion of the patient journey. Although most patients underwent MRI before referral, MRI abnormalities were identified before referral only in 39% of the prolonged group, compared to 70% of the non-prolonged group. Multivariate analyses showed that delayed notification of MRI abnormalities, longer duration from epilepsy onset to DRE, older age at onset, number of antiseizure medications tried, and moderate to severe intellectual disability were significantly associated with prolonged surgical delay. CONCLUSION: Pediatric DRE patients with FCD experienced a long journey until surgery. Early and accurate identification of MRI abnormalities is important to minimize surgical delays.

Treatment demand for cannabis use problems: analyses of routine data from 30 European countries.

Cannabis use and treatment demand has risen in the past decade. Previous analyses of treatment demand are limited by methodological constraints or are outdated. Cross-country differences and trends in cannabis treatment demand are described using data from the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction. Two novel indicators are employed: firstly, the cannabis-attributable treatment fraction (CATF) is obtained by dividing the number of treatment entrants for cannabis use problems by the number of treatment entrants for any substance use problem, accounting for possible changes in the reporting system. Secondly, comparing the number of treatment entrants for cannabis use problems to the number of people who use cannabis (near) daily yields the treated-user-ratio (TUR), which considers a proxy for treatment need (frequent use). Across 30 countries with available data, the importance of cannabis in European treatment facilities varies greatly (CATF: min = 3%; max = 65%), with lower estimates in Eastern European countries. Across 20 countries with complete data, the CATF has risen from 29.4% in 2013 to 37.1% in 2020. The TUR calculated on 26 countries suggests that about 3 in 100 frequent users have sought treatment for their cannabis use problems. Over time, treatment demand has increased at a slower pace than treatment need in most countries. One in three treatment entrants for substance use problems in Europe are due to cannabis, with large variations between countries. There are indications for a widening treatment gap for cannabis use problems. In countries liberalising cannabis laws, monitoring changes in treatment access and demand is warranted.

Australian Headache Epidemiology Data (AHEAD): a pilot study to assess sampling and engagement methodology for a nationwide population-based survey.

BACKGROUND: There are no robust population-based Australian data on prevalence and attributed burden of migraine and medication-overuse headache (MOH) data. In this pilot cross-sectional study, we aimed to capture the participation rate, preferred response method, and acceptability of self-report questionnaires to inform the conduct of a future nationwide migraine/MOH epidemiological study. METHODS: We developed a self-report questionnaire, available in hard-copy and online, including modules from the Headache-Attributed Restriction, Disability, Social Handicap and Impaired Participation (HARDSHIP) questionnaire, the Eq. 5D (quality of life), and enquiry into treatment gaps. Study invitations were mailed to 20,000 randomly selected households across Australia's two most populous states. The household member who most recently had a birthday and was aged ≥ 18 years was invited to participate, and could do so by returning a hard-copy questionnaire via reply-paid mail, or by entering responses directly into an online platform. RESULTS: The participation rate was 5.0% (N = 1,000). Participants' median age was 60 years (IQR 44-71 years), and 64.7% (n = 647) were female. Significantly more responses were received from areas with relatively older populations and middle-level socioeconomic status. Hard copy was the more commonly chosen response method (n = 736). Females and younger respondents were significantly more likely to respond online than via hard-copy. CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study indicates that alternative methodology is needed to achieve satisfactory engagement in a future nationwide migraine/MOH epidemiological study, for example through inclusion of migraine screening questions in well-resourced, interview-based national health surveys that are conducted regularly by government agencies. Meanwhile, additional future research directions include defining and addressing treatment gaps to improve migraine awareness, and minimise under-diagnosis and under-treatment.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on HIV treatment gap lengths and viremia among people living with HIV British Columbia, Canada, during the COVID-19 pandemic: Are we ready for the next pandemic?

The SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted the care of people living with HIV (PLWH). This study aims to characterize the impact of the pandemic on the length of HIV treatment gap lengths and viral loads among people living with HIV (PLWH) in British Columbia (BC), Canada, with a focus on Downtown Eastside (DTES), which is one of the most impoverished neighbourhoods in Canada. We analyzed data from the HIV/AIDS Drug Treatment Program from January 2019 to February 2022. The study had three phases: Pre-COVID, Early-COVID, and Late-COVID. We compared results for individuals residing in DTES, those not residing in DTES, and those with no fixed address. Treatment gap lengths and viral loads were analyzed using a zero-inflated negative binomial model and a two-part model, respectively, adjusting for demographic factors. Among the 8982 individuals, 93% were non-DTES residents, 6% were DTES residents, and 1% had no fixed address during each phase. DTES residents were more likely to be female, with Indigenous Ancestry, and have a history of injection drug use. Initially, the mean number of viral load measurements decreased for all PLWH during the Early-COVID, then remained constant. Treatment gap lengths increased for all three groups during Early-COVID. However, by Late-COVID, those with no fixed address approached pre-COVID levels, while the other two groups did not reach Early-COVID levels. Viral loads improved across each phase from Pre- to Early- to Late-COVID among people residing and not residing in DTES, while those with no fixed address experienced consistently worsening levels. Despite pandemic disruptions, both DTES and non-DTES areas enhanced HIV control, whereas individuals with no fixed address encountered challenges. This study offers insights into healthcare system preparedness for delivering HIV care during future pandemics, emphasizing community-driven interventions with a particular consideration of housing stability.

Risk factors of substance use treatment gaps among a nationally representative sample of black American adults in relation to sexual minority status and health insurance coverage.

BACKGROUND: Little research has investigated predictors of specialty substance use treatment gaps among Black adults. This study examined differential odds of experiencing self-reported, past-year treatment gaps among Black adults with respect to sexual minority status and health insurance coverage, accounting for social cofactors. METHOD: This cross-sectional study comprised 36,098 Black Americans aged 18 and older who completed the 2015-2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) and provided responses for all selected survey items. Design-based multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine predictors of drug and alcohol treatment gaps. RESULTS: Sexual minority Black adults reported greater odds of experiencing treatment gaps to specialty treatment (i.e., inpatient hospital, inpatient/outpatient rehabilitation facility, or mental health center) compared to Black heterosexuals in adjusted models (Gay or lesbian: AOR = 2.01, 95% CI = 1.39-2.89; Bisexual: AOR = 2.35, 95% CI = 1.77-3.12), with bisexual Black women experiencing the greatest odds (AOR = 3.10, 95% CI = 2.33-4.14). Black adults with no health insurance were significantly more likely to report substance use treatment gaps relative to their peers with health insurance coverage (AOR = 50, 95% CI = 1.26-1.78). CONCLUSION: The results suggest a critical need for more investigations into patterns of specialty substance use treatment gaps within Black populations and for developing sexual identity-affirming mechanisms for closing the disparity gap, particularly for Black sexual minorities and those who lack health insurance coverage.

A novel case-finding strategy based on artificial intelligence for the systematic identification and management of individuals with osteoporosis or at varying risk of fragility fracture.

An artificial intelligence-based case-finding strategy has been developed to systematically identify individuals with osteoporosis or at varying risk of fragility fracture. This strategy has the potential to close the critical care gap in osteoporosis treatment in primary care, thereby lessening the societal burden imposed by fragility fractures. BACKGROUND: Osteoporotic fractures represent a major cause of morbidity and, in older adults, a precursor of disability, loss of independence, poor quality of life and premature death. Despite the detrimental health impact, osteoporosis remains largely underdiagnosed and undertreated worldwide. Subjects at risk for osteoporosis-related fractures are identified either via organised screening or case finding. In the absence of a population-based screening policy, subjects at high risk of fragility fractures are opportunistically identified when a fracture occurs or because of other clinical risk factors (CRFs) for osteoporotic fracture and areal bone mineral density (aBMD) measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). PURPOSE: This paper describes the development of a novel case-finding strategy, named Osteoporosis Diagnostic and Therapeutic Pathway (ODTP), which enables to identify subjects with osteoporosis or at varying risk of fragility fracture. This strategy is based on a specifically designed software tool, named "Bone Fragility Query" (BFQ), which analyses the electronic health record (EHR) databases of General Practitioners (GPs) to systematically identify individuals who should be prescribed DXA-BMD measurement, vertebral fracture assessment (VFA) and anti-osteoporosis medications (AOM). CONCLUSIONS: The ODTP through BFQ tool is a feasible, convenient and time-saving osteoporosis model of care for GPs during routine clinical practice. It enables GPs to shift their focus from what to do (clinical guidelines) to how to do it in the primary health care setting. It also allows a systematic approach to primary and secondary prevention of fragility fractures, thereby overcoming clinical inertia and contributing to closing the gap between evidence and practice for the management of osteoporosis in primary care.

Urate-lowering therapy, serum urate, inflammatory biomarkers, and renal function in patients with gout following pegloticase discontinuation.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Little is known about long-term clinical outcomes or urate-lowering (ULT) therapy use following pegloticase discontinuation. We examined ULT use, serum urate (SU), inflammatory biomarkers, and renal function following pegloticase discontinuation. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of gout patients who discontinued pegloticase using the Rheumatology Informatics System for Effectiveness (RISE) registry from 1/2016 to 6/2022. We defined discontinuation as a gap ≥ 12 weeks after last infusion. We examined outcomes beginning two weeks after last dose and identified ULT therapy following pegloticase discontinuation. We evaluated changes in lab values (SU, eGFR, CRP and ESR), comparing on- treatment (≤ 15 days of the second pegloticase dose) to post-treatment. RESULTS: Of the 375 gout patients discontinuing pegloticase, median (IQR) laboratory changes following discontinuation were: SU: +2.4 mg/dL (0.0,6.3); eGFR: -1.9 mL/min (- 8.7,3.7); CRP: -0.8 mg/L (-12.8,0.0); and ESR: -4.0 mm/hr (-13.0,0.0). Therapy post-discontinuation included oral ULTs (86.0%), restarting pegloticase (4.5%), and no documentation of ULT (9.5%), excluding patients with multiple same-day prescriptions (n = 17). Oral ULTs following pegloticase were: 62.7% allopurinol, 34.1% febuxostat. The median (IQR) time to starting/restarting ULT was 92.0 days (55.0,173.0). Following ULT prescribing (≥ 30 days), only 51.0% of patients had SU < 6 mg/dL. Patients restarting pegloticase achieved a median SU of 0.9 mg/dL (IQR:0.2,9.7) and 58.3% had an SU < 6 mg/dL. CONCLUSION: Pegloticase treats uncontrolled gout in patients with failed response to xanthine oxidase inhibitors, but among patients who discontinue, optimal treatment is unclear. Based on this analysis, only half of those starting another ULT achieved target SU. Close follow-up is needed to optimize outcomes after pegloticase discontinuation.

Treatment Gap in Mental Health Care for Victims of Road Traffic Accidents.

Road traffic accidents (RTAs) are among the most frequent negative life-events. About one in five RTA survivors is susceptible to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Knowledge about needs for, and usage of, mental health services (MHSs) may improve options for care for RTA victims. The current study aimed to assess rates of victims using different MHSs, including psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy and support groups, and to explore correlates of needs for and use of these MHSs. Further, we aimed to estimate the treatment gap in post-RTA care, defined as including people with probable PTSD who did not use MHSs and people wanting but not getting help from MHSs. Dutch victims of nonlethal RTAs (N = 259) completed self-report measures on needs for and use of MHSs and PTSD. Results showed that 26% of participants had utilized care from psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy or support groups. Among people with probable PTSD, this was 56%. Increased posttraumatic stress was the strongest correlate of MHS use. Forty-eight participants (17.8%) had an unmet care need and represented the treatment gap. Commonly reported reasons and barriers preventing MHS use were perceptions that problems were limited or would disappear without care and financial worries. Regarding possible future care, participants reported a preference for face-to-face (over online) help from a psychologist (over other professionals). The treatment gap for Dutch RTA victims may be limited. However, a significant number of RTA victims need care but do not obtain this care. Care options may be improved by reducing practical barriers to MHSs and increasing mental health literacy and acceptability of different forms of care (besides face-to-face care).

The Ws of Parental Help-Seeking: When, Where, and for What Do Parents Seek Help for Child Mental Health.

Parental help-seeking preferences may help explain the treatment gap in child mental health. This study examined mothers' and fathers' help-seeking behaviors for child mental health to further understand their individual preferences for treatment. A total of 394 mothers and fathers completed questionnaires assessing the types of help sought for mental health concerns for a target child (age 3-7 years), as well as measures representing illness profile, predisposing characteristics, and barriers/facilitators proposed to influence help-seeking. Parents often sought informal rather than professional help. Regression modelling indicated mothers' different help-seeking behaviors were significantly associated with illness profile (marital quality, child mental health, parental education), predisposing factors (parental attributions, child age), and family income, while fathers' different help-seeking behaviors were significantly associated with child demographics (age, gender). The results support expanding treatments into nonclinical settings and improving child mental health literacy to improve appropriate parental help-seeking for child mental health concerns.

A Fracture Liaison Service to Address Vitamin D Deficiency for Patients Hospitalized for Osteoporotic Fracture.

Context: Addressing vitamin D deficiency (VDD) is important for fracture secondary prevention. Objectives: To explore the function of a fracture liaison service (FLS) to address VDD. Design Setting and Patients: An observational study of patients admitted to the Massachusetts General Hospital with fractures between January 1, 2016, and October 31, 2023, cared for by the FLS. Intervention: Ergocalciferol 50 000 international units (50ku-D2) oral daily for 3 to 7 days. Main Outcomes Measures: VDD prevalence. Efficacy of inpatient daily 50ku-D2 in raising serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) levels. Results: Of the 2951 consecutive patients, 724 (24.53%) had VDD (defined by 25OHD ≤ 19 ng/mL). Men (252/897, or 28.09%) were more likely than women (472/2054, or 22.98%) to have VDD (P = .003). VDD was seen in 41.79% (117/280), 24.41% (332/1360), and 20.98% (275/1311) of patients of aged ≤59, 60 to 79, and ≥80 years, respectively (P < .00001). Of the 1303 patients with hip fractures, 327 (25.09%) had VDD, which was associated with a longer length of stay (8.37 ± 7.35 vs 7.23 ± 4.78 days, P = .009) and higher trend of 30-day-readmission rate (13.63% vs 18.35%, P = .037). In a cohort of 32 patients with complete data, each dose of 50ku-D2 increased serum 25OHD by 3.62 ± 2.35 ng/mL without affecting serum calcium or creatinine levels. Conclusion: VDD was seen in nearly 25% of Massachusetts General Hospital FLS patients and more prevalent in male and younger patients. VDD was associated with longer length of stay and higher 30-day-readmission risk in patients with hip fracture. Daily 50ku-D2 appeared to be a practical way to quickly replete vitamin D in the inpatient setting.

Gaps in treatment of epileptic seizures in a Zambian rural area.

BACKGROUND: Epilepsy is a multifactorial neurological disorder, including parasitic infections of the brain such as neurocysticercosis (NCC). People with epileptic seizures (PWES) in low and middle-income countries often do not receive appropriate treatment, which besides epileptic seizures, may also lead to reduced quality of life and possibly death. The objective of this study was to describe gaps in treatment of epileptic seizures in a Zambian rural area. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Sinda district of Zambia between August and October 2018. PWES identified from clinic records and with the help of community healthcare workers were recruited. Two questionnaires, one to PWES and the other to local healthcare workers, were administered to describe the treatment gap. RESULTS: A total of 146 PWES and 43 healthcare workers were interviewed. Of the 146 PWES, 131 had taken anti-seizure medication (ASM) at some point since their seizure onset, of which 49.6% were on current treatment. Only 18.3% were on continuous ASM, an overall treatment gap of 83.6%. Over 55% of healthcare workers did not know the relationship between epilepsy and NCC. The risk factors associated with lack of appropriate treatment were stock-outs of ASMs, lack of diagnostic equipment, poor patient follow-up, and PWES opting for traditional medicine. CONCLUSION: The treatment gap is substantial in Sinda district. The causes are multifactorial, involving shortcomings at the level of healthcare facilities, communities, and individuals. Directed training of healthcare workers and significant improvements in the supply and dispensing of ASMs will be key in substantially reducing the gap.

Mental health and help-seeking in Czech sexual minorities: a nationally representative cross-sectional study.

AIMS: The mental health of sexual minority (SM) individuals remains overlooked and understudied in Czechia. We aimed to estimate (1) the prevalence rate and (2) the relative risk of common mental disorders and (3) the mental distress severity among the Czech SM people compared with the heterosexual population. In addition, we aimed to investigate help-seeking for mental disorders in SM people. METHODS: We used data from a cross-sectional, nationally representative survey of Czech community-dwelling adults, consisting of 3063 respondents (response rate = 58.62%). We used the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview to assess the presence of mental disorders. In individuals scoring positively, we established help-seeking in the past 12 months. We assessed symptom severity using the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire and the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale. We computed the prevalence of mental disorders and the treatment gap with 95% confidence intervals. To assess the risk of having a mental disorder, we used binary logistic regression. RESULTS: We demonstrated that the prevalence of current mental disorders was 18.85% (17.43-20.28), 52.27% (36.91-67.63), 33.33% (19.5-47.17) and 25.93% (13.85-38) in heterosexual, gay or lesbian, bisexual and more sexually diverse individuals, respectively. Suicidal thoughts and behaviours were present in 5.73% (4.88-6.57), 25.00% (11.68-38.32), 22.92% (10.58-35.25) and 11.11% (2.45-19.77) of heterosexual, gay or lesbian, bisexual and more sexually diverse individuals, respectively. After confounder adjustment, gay or lesbian individuals were more likely to have at least one current mental disorder compared with heterosexual counterparts (odds ratio = 3.51; 1.83-6.76). For bisexual and sexually more diverse individuals, the results were consistent with a null effect (1.85; 0.96-3.45 and 0.89; 0.42-1.73). The mean depression symptom severity was 2.96 (2.81-3.11) in heterosexual people and 4.68 (2.95-6.42), 7.12 (5.07-9.18) and 5.17 (3.38-6.95) in gay or lesbian, bisexual and more sexually diverse individuals, respectively. The mean anxiety symptom severity was 1.97 (1.85-2.08) in heterosexual people and 3.5 (1.98-5.02), 4.63 (3.05-6.2) and 3.7 (2.29-5.11) in gay or lesbian, bisexual and more sexually diverse individuals, respectively. We demonstrated broadly consistent levels of treatment gap in heterosexual and SM individuals scoring positively for at least one current mental disorder (82.91%; 79.5-85.96 vs. 81.13%; 68.03-90.56). CONCLUSIONS: We provide evidence that SM people in Czechia have substantially worse mental health outcomes than their heterosexual counterparts. Systemic changes are imperative to provide not only better and more sensitive care to SM individuals but also to address structural stigma contributing to these health disparities.

Pathways to care and barriers in treatment among patients with Dissociative disorders.

INTRODUCTION: Dissociative disorder patients often present with sudden and embarrassing symptoms, and it is difficult for the patient and care giver to understand initially, recognize the need for help and reach for appropriate treatment timely. This can result in high risk of engaging in dangerous behaviors such as self-harm and suicidal acts, impaired global functioning, and poor quality of life. Knowledge about the types of barriers which are there in treatment seeking, can help in planning strategies for their removal and to facilitate the treatment process. METHODS: Cross-sectional study among patients (n=133) with Dissociative disorders which were recruited from January 2023 to June 2023 in a tertiary care hospital. Pathways to care and barriers in treatment for Dissociative disorders were assessed by interviewing patients using semi-structured proforma. The Dissociative Experience Scale and World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0)) were used to assess disease severity and impact of illness on various domains of life respectively. Group comparison was made to assess differences in social- clinical profile of patients choosing different modalities of treatment. RESULTS: 133 patients of Dissociative disorders with mean age 29.6±9.2, showed their first-choice of help seeking from general practitioner/ neurologist (40.6%), traditional faith healers (35.3%), psychiatrist (18.1%) and 5.2% preferred alternative treatments. This trend changed with 2nd and 3rd contact of help seeking with greater preference for psychiatrist in their 2nd (n=45, 33.8%) and 3rd (n=69, 51.8%) contact. The median duration of untreated illness was 56 weeks (IQR 24-182 weeks). Social-clinical profile of patients varied with their choice of treatment, having lower education level (P = 0.013), longer duration of untreated illness (p=0.003), more severity of symptoms (p=0.032) and greater disability scores(p=0.002) in patients whose first treatment choice was traditional faith healers. More than 70% patients faced availability barriers, stigma, unawareness about mental illness and influence of others in treatment of choice as barriers in initiating and continuing treatment. CONCLUSION: Patients with Dissociative disorders seek treatment from a multitude of healthcare providers including traditional faith healers, general physicians, and alternative medicine practitioners before reaching psychiatrist and undergoes various barriers in treatment. There is need to implement necessary measures for sensitization and awareness about Dissociative disorders to prevent prolonged and undue delays in initiation of appropriate management.

AUD in perspective.

Alcohol is a major cause of pre-mature death and individual suffering worldwide, and the importance of diagnosing and treating AUD cannot be overstated. Given the global burden and the high attributable factor of alcohol in a vast number of diseases, the need for additional interventions and the development of new medicines is considered a priority by the World Health Organization (WHO). As of today, AUD is severely under-treated with a treatment gap nearing 90%, strikingly higher than that for other psychiatric disorders. Patients often seek treatment late in the progress of the disease and even among those who seek treatment only a minority receive medication, mirroring the still-prevailing stigma of the disease, and a lack of access to effective treatments, as well as a reluctance to total abstinence. To increase adherence, treatment goals should focus not only on maintaining abstinence, but also on harm reduction and psychosocial functioning. A personalised approach to AUD treatment, with a holistic view, and tailored therapy has the potential to improve AUD treatment outcomes by targeting the heterogeneity in genetics and pathophysiology, as well as reason for, and reaction to drinking. Also, the psychiatric co-morbidity rates are high in AUD and dual diagnosis can worsen symptoms and influence treatment response and should be considered in the treatment strategies.

Attachment to robots and therapeutic efficiency in mental health.

Previous studies in the mental health context have demonstrated that interactions with social robots can improve the mood and cognitive capacities of their users, and enhance their quality of life. In this Perspective article, our goal is to systematize the possible roles of social robots and to point out that different roles require different levels of attachment. We argue that the attachment between the client and the (robot) therapist is a fundamental ingredient of any helping relationship and that the full potential of using social robots in mental health settings can only be realized if the strength of attachment is appropriately correlated with the type of relationship established.