Assessing the quality of the care offer for people with personality disorders in Italy: the QUADIM project. A multicentre research based on the database of use of Mental Health services.

BACKGROUND: Italy can be viewed as a laboratory to assess the quality of mental healthcare delivered in a community-oriented system, especially for severe mental disorders, such as personality disorders. Although initiatives based on clinical indicators for assessing the quality of mental healthcare have been developed by transnational-organisations, there is still no widespread practice of measuring the quality of care pathways delivered to patients with severe mental disorders in a community-oriented system, especially using administrative healthcare databases. The aim of the study is to evaluate the quality of care delivered to patients with personality disorders taken-in-care by mental health services of four Italian regions (Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, Lazio, Sicily). METHODS: A set of thirty-three clinical indicators, concerning accessibility, appropriateness, continuity, and safety of care, was implemented using regional healthcare utilization databases, containing data on mental health treatments and diagnosis, hospital admissions, outpatient interventions and exams and drug prescriptions. RESULTS: 31,688 prevalent patients with personality disorders treated in 2015 were identified, of whom 2,331 newly taken-in-care. One-in-10 patients received a standardized assessment, the treatment discontinuity affected half of the cases. 12.7% of prevalent patients received at least one hospitalization, 10.6% in the newly taken-in-care cohort. 6-out-of-10 patients had contact with community-services within 14 days from hospital discharge. Access to psychotherapy and psychoeducational treatments was low and delivered with a low intensity. The median of psychosocial interventions per person-year was 19.1 and 9.4, respectively, in prevalent and newly taken-in-care cases. Nearly 50% of patients received pharmacological treatments. CONCLUSIONS: Healthcare utilization databases were used to systematically evaluate and assess service delivery across regional mental health systems; suggesting that in Italy the public mental health services provide to individuals with personality disorders suboptimal treatment paths.

Using big data and Population Health Management to assess care and costs for patients with severe mental disorders and move toward a value-based payment system.

BACKGROUND: Mental health (MH) care often exhibits uneven quality and poor coordination of physical and MH needs, especially for patients with severe mental disorders. This study tests a Population Health Management (PHM) approach to identify patients with severe mental disorders using administrative health databases in Italy and evaluate, manage and monitor care pathways and costs. A second objective explores the feasibility of changing the payment system from fee-for-service to a value-based system (e.g., increased care integration, bundled payments) to introduce performance measures and guide improvement in outcomes. METHODS: Since diagnosis alone may poorly predict condition severity and needs, we conducted a retrospective observational study on a 9,019-patient cohort assessed in 2018 (30.5% of 29,570 patients with SMDs from three Italian regions) using the Mental Health Clustering Tool (MHCT), developed in the United Kingdom, to stratify patients according to severity and needs, providing a basis for payment for episode of care. Patients were linked (blinded) with retrospective (2014-2017) physical and MH databases to map resource use, care pathways, and assess costs globally and by cluster. Two regions (3,525 patients) provided data for generalized linear model regression to explore determinants of cost variation among clusters and regions. RESULTS: Substantial heterogeneity was observed in care organization, resource use and costs across and within 3 Italian regions and 20 clusters. Annual mean costs per patient across regions was €3,925, ranging from €3,101 to €6,501 in the three regions. Some 70% of total costs were for MH services and medications, 37% incurred in dedicated mental health facilities, 33% for MH services and medications noted in physical healthcare databases, and 30% for other conditions. Regression analysis showed comorbidities, resident psychiatric services, and consumption noted in physical health databases have considerable impact on total costs. CONCLUSIONS: The current MH care system in Italy lacks evidence of coordination of physical and mental health and matching services to patient needs, with high variation between regions. Using available assessment tools and administrative data, implementation of an episodic approach to funding MH could account for differences in disease phase and physical health for patients with SMDs and introduce performance measurement to improve outcomes and provide oversight.

The quality of mental health care for people with bipolar disorders in the Italian mental health system: the QUADIM project.

BACKGROUND: The assessment of the quality of care pathways delivered to people with severe mental disorders in a community-based system remains uncommon, especially using healthcare utilization databases. The aim of the study was to evaluate the quality of care provided to people with bipolar disorders taken-in-care by mental health services of four Italian areas (Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, Lazio, province of Palermo). METHODS: Thirty-six quality indicators were implemented to assess quality of mental health care for patients with bipolar disorders, according to three dimensions (accessibility and appropriateness, continuity, and safety). Data were retrieved from healthcare utilization (HCU) databases, which contain data on mental health treatments, hospital admissions, outpatient interventions, laboratory tests and drug prescriptions. RESULTS: 29,242 prevalent and 752 incident cases taken-in-care by regional mental health services with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder in 2015 were identified. Age-standardized treated prevalence rate was 16.2 (per 10,000 adult residents) and treated incidence rate 1.3. In the year of evaluation, 97% of prevalent cases had ≥ 1 outpatient/day-care contacts and 88% had ≥ 1 psychiatric visits. The median of outpatient/day-care contacts was 9.3 interventions per-year. Psychoeducation was provided to 3.5% of patients and psychotherapy to 11.5%, with low intensity. 63% prevalent cases were treated with antipsychotics, 71.5% with mood stabilizers, 46.6% with antidepressants. Appropriate laboratory tests were conducted in less than one-third of prevalent patients with a prescription of antipsychotics; three quarters of those with a prescription of lithium. Lower proportions were observed for incident patients. In prevalent patients, the Standardized Mortality Ratio was 1.35 (95% CI: 1.26-1.44): 1.18 (1.07-1.29) in females, 1.60 (1.45-1.77) in males. Heterogeneity across areas was considerable in both cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: We found a meaningful treatment gap in bipolar disorders in Italian mental health services, suggesting that the fact they are entirely community-based does not assure sufficient coverage by itself. Continuity of contacts was sufficient, but intensity of care was low, suggesting the risk of suboptimal treatment and low effectiveness. Care pathways were monitored and evaluated using administrative healthcare databases, adding evidence that such data may contribute to assess the quality of clinical pathways in mental health.

Assessment and Monitoring of the Quality of Clinical Pathways in Patients with Depressive Disorders: Results from a Multiregional Italian Investigation on Mental Health Care Quality (the QUADIM Project).

Ensuring adequate quality of care to patients with severe mental disorders remains a challenge. The implementation of clinical indicators aimed at assessing the quality of health care pathways delivered is crucial for the improvement of mental health services (MHS). This study aims to evaluate the quality of care delivered to patients who are taken-into-care with depressive disorders by MHS. Thirty-four clinical indicators concerning accessibility, appropriateness, continuity, and safety were estimated using health care utilization databases from four Italian regions (Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, Lazio, Sicily). A total of 78,924 prevalent patients treated for depressive disorders in 2015 were identified, of whom 15,234 were newly engaged by MHS. During the year of follow-up, access to psychotherapeutic interventions was low, while the intensity was adequate; 5.1% of prevalent patients received at least one hospitalization in a psychiatric ward (GHPW), and 3.3% in the cohort of newly engaged in services. Five-out-of-10 patients had contact with community services within 14 days after GHPW discharge, but less than half of patients were persistent to antidepressant drug therapy. Furthermore, prevalent patients showed an excess of mortality compared to the general population (SMR = 1.35; IC 95%: 1.26-1.44). In conclusion, the quality of health care is not delivered in accordance with evidence-based mental health standards. Evaluation of health interventions are fundamental strategies for improving the quality and equity of health care.

Mortality from cancer in people with severe mental disorders in Emilia Romagna Region, Italy.

OBJECTIVE: To examine cancer-related mortality in patients with severe mental disorders (SMI) in the Emilia Romagna (ER) Region, Northern Italy, during the period 2008-2017 and compare it with the regional population. METHODS: We used the ER Regional Mental Health Registry identifying all patients aged ≥18 years who had received an ICD-9CM system diagnosis of SMI (i.e., schizophrenia or other functional psychosis, mania, or bipolar affective disorders) during a 10-year period (2008-2017). Information on deaths (date and causes of death) were retrieved through the Regional Cause of Death Registry. Comparisons were made with the deaths and cause of deaths of the regional population over the same period. RESULTS: Amongst 12,385 patients suffering from SMI (64.1% schizophrenia spectrum and 36.9% bipolar spectrum disorders), 24% (range 21%-29%) died of cancer. In comparison with the general regional population, the mortality for cancer was about 50% higher among patients with SMI, irrespective if affected by schizophrenia or bipolar disorders. As for the site-specific cancers, significant excesses were reported for stomach, central nervous system, respiratory, and pancreas cancer with a variability according to psychiatric diagnosis and gender. CONCLUSIONS: Patients suffering from SMI had higher mortality risk than the regional population with some differences according to cancer type, gender, and psychiatric diagnosis. Proper cancer preventive and treatment interventions, including more effective risk modification strategies (e.g., smoking cessation, dietary habits) and screening for cancer, should be part of the agenda of all mental health departments in conjunction with other health care organizations, including psycho-oncology.

Model of Care for Microelimination of Hepatitis C Virus Infection among People Who Inject Drugs.

BACKGROUND: People who inject drugs (PWID) are the largest group at risk for HCV infection. Despite the direct acting antivirals (DAA) advancements, HCV elimination has been hindered by real-life difficulties in PWID. AIMS: This study aimed to assess the impact of a multidisciplinary intervention strategy where HCV screening, treatment and follow-up were performed at the same location on efficacy and safety of DAA-therapy in real-life PWID population. METHODS: All HCV-infected PWID referred to five specialized outpatient centers for drug addicts (SerDs) in Northern Italy were prospectively enrolled from May 2015 to December 2019. Hepatologists and SerDs healthcare workers collaborated together in the management of PWID inside the SerDs. Sustained virologic response (SVR), safety of treatment, proportion of patients lost to follow-up and reinfection rate were evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 358 PWID started antiviral treatment. About 50% of patients had advanced fibrosis/cirrhosis, 69% received opioid substitution treatment, and 20.7% self-reported recent injecting use. SVR was achieved in 338 (94.4%) patients. Two patients died during treatment; one prematurely discontinued, resulting in a non-responder; twelve were lost during treatment/follow-up; and five relapsed. No serious adverse events were reported. SVR was lower in recent PWID than in former ones (89.2% vs. 95.8%; p = 0.028). Seven reinfections were detected, equating to an incidence of 1.25/100 person-years. Reinfection was associated with recent drug use (OR 11.07, 95%CI 2.10-58.38; p = 0.005). CONCLUSION: Our embedded treatment model could be appropriate to increase the linkage to care of HCV-infected PWID. In this setting, DAA regimens are well tolerated and highly effective, achieving a lower rate of reinfection.

Emotion Regulation, Physical Diseases, and Borderline Personality Disorders: Conceptual and Clinical Considerations.

This perspective paper aims at discussing theoretical principles that could explain how emotion regulation and physical diseases mutually influence each other in the context of borderline personality disorder (BPD). Furthermore, this paper discusses the clinical implications of the functional relationships between emotion regulation, BPD and medical conditions considering dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) as a well-validated therapeutic intervention, which encompasses these issues. The inflexible use of maladaptive emotion regulation strategies (e.g., suppression, experiential avoidance, and rumination) might directly increase the probability of developing physical diseases through a physiological pathway, or indirectly through a behavioral pathway. Some metabolic and chronic medical conditions could significantly impact emotional functioning through biological alterations involved in emotion regulation. Several empirical studies have shown high co-occurrence rates between BPD and several chronic physical diseases, especially ones linked to emotion-based maladaptive behaviors. DBT addresses physical diseases reported by individuals with BPD reducing problematic behaviors functionally associated to emotion dysregulation and identifying physical health as a goal for Building a Life Worth Living.

Mortality in mental health patients of the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy: A registry-based study.

Evidence from previous research demonstrated a gap in mortality between patients with mental disorders and the general population. However, a more exhaustive assessment is required to address this public health issue. The aim of this study was to provide comprehensive analysis of mortality examining all causes of death and all psychiatric diagnoses. We conducted a 10-year retrospective cohort study, including all in and out patients registered in the Mental Health Registry of Emilia-Romagna, Italy. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) were calculated. The cohort consisted of 137,351 patients 11,236 of whom died during the study period and the overall SMR was 1.99. 85.9 % of excess mortality was attributable to a broad range of natural causes. Diseases of circulatory and respiratory systems as well as neoplasms were the principal contributors to the mortality gap. All psychiatric conditions led to a higher risk of death. The greatest excess was due to neoplasms in depressed and neurotic patients and to cardiovascular diseases in patients with schizophrenia and personality disorders. Our results highlight the need for close collaboration between mental and primary health care services with the aim of reducing excess mortality as a result of medical diseases among all patients suffering from psychiatric condition.

Impulsiveness and Emotional Dysregulation as Stable Features in Borderline Personality Disorder Outpatients Over Time.

Large-scale longitudinal studies show that specific borderline personality disorder (BPD) symptoms are more likely to remit over time, suggesting that clinical features of BPD may vary between younger patients and older ones. The objective of the present report is to provide a direct comparison between younger (age 18-25 years; n = 44) and older (age 40-59 years; n = 49) BPD patients on the nine DSM-4 BPD criteria (self-harm, emotional dysregulation, impulsiveness, and work and social functioning). Younger and older patients reported similar levels of impulsiveness, emotional dysregulation, and work and social functional impairment. Younger adults were more likely to show anger and self-damaging behaviors compared with older patients, which in turn were more likely to endorse chronic emptiness. In conclusion, older patients with BPD are still impaired in impulsiveness, emotional regulation, and social functioning; treatments for older BPD population should be long term and focused on emotion dysregulation and impulsive behaviors.

[The family of a patient with borderline personality disorder: burden of illness and interventions for caregivers]. / La famiglia del paziente con disturbo borderline di personalità: carico della malattia e interventi destinati ai caregiver.

AIM: The scientific literature focused on factors involved in the onset of borderline personality disorder (BPD) has given a central role to the families of these patients. The role of the family in understanding the disorder has gradually changed thanks to research that investigated the interaction of several factors in the development of this psychopathology. Recently, scientific literature on DBP has allowed to consider parents as no longer "responsible" for the development of the disorder, but as directly involved in interpersonal problems of patients and therefore a potential "ally" in the management of crisis. The aim of this study is to describe and quantify the family burden of BPD patients and browse specific interventions for the family of these patients. METHODS: PubMed and PsycINFO have been used for review with the following keywords: "borderline personality disorder", "family", "psychopathology", "burden", "psychoeducation", "caregiver", "caretaker". RESULTS: Studies on family burden of BPD patients are still few. Research shows that the family burden of BPD patients is comparable with that of families of patients with schizophrenia. Clinical trials of interventions for caregivers of patients with BPD show that specific strategies can reduce the family burden and improve their self-efficacy. DISCUSSION: Scientific literature highlights the relevance of problems of families with a BPD member and the importance of involving them in the treatment of these patients.

The effects of the macro-environment on treatment retention for problem cocaine users.

BACKGROUND: Client dropout is commonly used as an indicator of quality and effectiveness of drug treatment. Following increasing cocaine use in recent years, research has attempted to identify predictors of retention in treatment for cocaine users but there is no consensus about how individual characteristics and system variables (referral source, treatment setting), what we term here as the "macro-environment" - effect risk of dropout. This study sought to identify macro-environmental factors and examine the way these impact upon treatment retention. METHODS: A retrospective longitudinal study of an admission cohort among drug services in Vasta Romagna in Emilia Romagna Region, Italy (up to 8 years of treatment or until discharge) was conducted to determine the effect of macro-environmental variables on retention among first time admitted cocaine-dependent clients in different treatment settings. The sample consisted of 1178 clients meeting DSM-IV-R criteria for cocaine dependence. RESULTS: The joint effect of individual and system factors had a significant impact on dropout rates. In particular, lower rates of dropout were observed for those treated in prison and those who had a stable home, HR: 0.09 (0.02-0.48), or lived in rehabilitation units, HR: 0.36 (0.15-0.88), and among clients referred by the local authority and those living with parents, HR: 0.60 (0.38-0.95). CONCLUSION: The combined effect of individual and system factors on retention in treatment sets a critical background necessary to assess any impact of organizational dynamics and delineate the trajectory for future interventions.