Twelve-month mental disorders in South Africa: prevalence, service use and demographic correlates in the population-based South African Stress and Health Study.

BACKGROUND: South Africa's history and current social conditions suggest that mental disorders are likely to be a major contributor to disease burden, but there has been no national study using standardized assessment tools. METHOD: The South African Stress and Health Study was a nationally representative in-person psychiatric epidemiological survey of 4351 adults (aged 18 years) that was conducted as part of the WHO World Mental Health (WMH) Survey Initiative between January 2002 and June 2004. Twelve-month prevalence and severity of DSM-IV disorders, treatment, and sociodemographic correlates were assessed with Version 3.0 of the WHO Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI 3.0). RESULTS: The 12-month prevalence of any DSM-IV/CIDI disorder was 16.5%, with 26.2% of respondents with disorder classified as severe cases and an additional 31.1% as moderately severe cases. The most common disorders were agoraphobia (4.8%), major depressive disorder (4.9%) and alcohol abuse or dependence (4.5%). Twenty-eight percent of adults with a severe or moderately severe disorder received treatment compared to 24.4% of mild cases. Some 13.8% of persons with no disorder received treatment. Treatment was mostly provided by the general medical sector with few people receiving treatment from mental health providers. CONCLUSIONS: Psychiatric disorders are much higher in South Africa than in Nigeria and there is a high level of unmet need among persons with severe and moderately severe disorders.

Periscapular bronchogenic cyst.

Periscapular location of bronchogenic cysts is extremely rare with four cases reported in literature. We report a relatively late presentation in a ten-year-old boy that was clinically mistaken for a typical sebaceous cyst. The definitive treatment is total excision after preoperative imaging to detect the occasional intrathoracic extension. Histologically they are lined by pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium, which can rarely undergo malignant transformation.

I am woman: the impact of social identities on African American women's mental health.

We examine the psychological impact of a range of social identities among a sample of African American women. Using data from the National Survey of Black Americans (NSBA), we find that measures of body image, role performance, discrimination, and social class position are related to mental health status. Women of lower social class standing are especially at risk for poor mental health outcomes. Having low educational attainment, low personal incomes, and less prestigious occupations is associated with a poor self-concept (self-esteem and self-efficacy). Women with low self-concepts, in turn, report poorer mental health. We argue that African American women face multilayered realities that may compromise their abilities to handle the stresses of everyday life.

Role occupancy and minority mental health.

Most studies of the mental health consequences of role occupancy do not consider racial/ethnic variation. Using a national sample of adults (N = 13,017), this paper examines the relationship between three role characteristics (role accumulation, role status, and role combinations) and mental health for Blacks, Mexicans, and Puerto Ricans and explores the extent to which these patterns differ from those for non-Hispanic Whites. Blacks and Puerto Ricans do not benefit from role accumulation whereas Mexicans and Whites who report a high number of roles report better psychological health than those who report few roles. All ethnic groups benefit from the spousal role but there is no consistent effect of either employment or parenthood. Membership in organizational groups benefits non-Hispanic Whites only, whereas familial roles (especially having a sibling) are related to improved mental health among all ethnic groups, except Puerto Ricans. In terms of role combinations, the psychological benefits of occupying all three adult social roles is more evident among non-Hispanic Whites and Mexican Americans compared to Blacks and Puerto Ricans. These findings are discussed in the context of their implications for sociological research which assumes that social psychological processes operate in the same manner across racial/ethnic groups.

Factors affecting recruitment of physical therapy personnel in Utah.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: This study assessed the current and future needs of physical therapy personnel in Utah, including both physical therapists and physical therapist assistants. SUBJECTS: Three hundred twenty-two health care facilities selected from four major employer groups in Utah and a total of 590 physical therapy personnel were surveyed. Two hundred forty-four health care facilities (76%) and 198 physical therapy personnel (33.6%) responded. METHODS: Two survey instruments were developed: one to assess the current and future supply and demand of physical therapy personnel in Utah, and the other to determine recruitment and retention factors. RESULTS: Utah health care facilities projected a need for 46 additional physical therapists and 28 additional physical therapist assistants in 1992. Surveyed physical therapy personnel reported feeling satisfied with the profession and had chosen the profession through a person of influence. Freedom on the job and development of skills were the most often mentioned determinants of job satisfaction, and pay and benefits were the major determinants of retention. CONCLUSION AND DISCUSSION: Physical therapy personnel should have a role in recruitment efforts. Physical therapy personnel have many options for employment and often choose to seek a diversity of opportunities for better compensation.

Health and disease in intensive aquaculture.

The paper deals with the increasing importance of aquaculture in South Africa and with the possible importance of disease problems following intensification and importation. It deals specifically with some infectious, parasitic and metabolic diseases found in South African eels. Attention is drawn to the role of fish as a public health hazard and to the need for increased attention to the provision of fish as food.