[Representations of mental illness in the Greek Press: 2001 vs 2011].

The media seem to have played a prominent role in shaping the contemporary social image of people with mental illness, by perpetuating the stigma attached to it. Worldwide, a vast amount of research findings converge to the stigmatizing representation of people with mental illness by the media, with reference to the dominant stereotype of violence. The present study aims to explore the representations of mental illness in the Greek Press using a quantitative and qualitative approach. Potential changes in the media portrayal of mental illness during the last decade are also being examined: findings are compared to those of a previous research that took place in 2001, following the same methodology. The sample consisted of press articles referring to mental illness, that were indexed daily from the Greek newspapers during the period July-November 2011. The items were categorized into thematic categories and further analyzed taking in account the use of stigmatizing vocabulary, the reproduction of common myths concerning mental illness, the overall valence of each article (stigmatizing, neutral or anti-stigmatizing) towards people with mental illness, as well as the contextual implications conveyed in the use of psychiatric terms as a metaphor. The largest thematic category that emerged from the sample was that referring to the repercussions of the economic crisis to mental health, followed by the category of articles where psychiatric terms are used as a metaphor. The comparisons made between 2001 and 2011 revealed an improved representation of mental illness in terms of stigma, especially regarding schizophrenia. The public expression of stigma has decreased, with fewer stigmatizing articles and notably more neutral in valence articles. The findings of this study suggest a decline of the media propensity for emotionally charged descriptions and a shift towards objective journalism regarding mental illness. This is most likely to be attributed to the anti-stigma campaigns, targeting media workers, that have been implemented during the last decade in Greece. Nevertheless, the public expression of stigma remains present by taking more subtle forms. Such examples are demonstrated by the semantic context of articles in which psychiatric terms are used as a metaphor, or by the recurrent reference of (unspecified) mental illness on the occasion of violent crime.

[Economic crisis and mental health: effects on the prevalence of common mental disorders].

Economic crises have been found to bring adverse repercussions on physical and mental health internationally through various pathways. Research corroborates a link between financial distress and common mental disorders. In this context, the University Mental Health Research Institute conducted epidemiological nationwide surveys in an endeavour to gauge the impact of the ongoing financial crisis on the mental health of the Greek population. The purpose of the present analysis pertains to investigating changes in the prevalence of common mental disorders in the population as a whole as well as in various population sub-groups between years 2009 and 2011. In addition, the association of financial strain with common mental disorders was also explored. For investigating the particular research objectives, two cross-sectional surveys following the same methodology were conducted. A random and representative sample of 2192 respondents in 2009 and 2256 respondents in 2011 took part in telephone interviews. Generalized anxiety disorder and major depression were assessed with the germane modules of Structured Clinical Interview, while financial difficulties with the Index of Personal Economic Distress (IPED), an original scale developed for the purposes of the particular surveys. All measures displayed good psychometric properties. Between the two years, a noteworthy, albeit non-significant, increase in one-prevalence of major depression was documented. On the other hand, the prevalence of generalized anxiety disorder remained largely unchanged. Statistically significant differences in the prevalence of both disorders were reported for particular population subgroups, with married persons and employed people emerging as the most afflicted individuals. Regarding financial distress, it was found to bear a statistically significant association with major depression but not with generalized anxiety disorder. For mitigating the mental health effects of the crisis on the general population, study findings underline the necessity of implementing targeted interventions, tailored to the needs and difficulties of each population sub-group.

Successful stent-graft placement for the treatment of a superior gluteal artery pseudoaneurysm in a patient following complex pelvic surgery.

Aneurysms of the gluteal arteries are rare and were previously managed with open surgical procedures. Recently percutaneous embolisation techniques have helped reduce morbidity and mortality. A case is presented of a 63-year-old man who presented with haemorrhage and had developed a superior gluteal artery aneurysm following treatment for an invasive squamous cell carcinoma in the sacral area. There was concern that embolisation of the aneurysm might compromise the survival of the myocutaneous buttock rotation flaps that had been used for reconstruction. To overcome this, an endovascular stent was deployed to successfully close off the aneurysm whilst at the same time maintaining blood flow through the superior gluteal artery. Aneurysms in larger peripheral vessels have been managed with stents. However, this is the first reported case of this method of treatment being used in the management of gluteal artery aneurysms.