DSM-IV-TR Axes-I and II mental disorders in a representative and referred sample of unemployed youths--results from a psychiatric liaison service in a job centre.

OBJECTIVES: Increased levels of anxiety, depression and alcohol abuse are associated with unemployment. This study compares both DSM-IV-TR Axis-I and Axis-II mental disorders between a representative and a referred sample of unemployed youths aged 16.0 to 24.9. METHODS: One hundred subjects were randomly recruited on the premises of the vocational services centre in the urban region of Essen, Germany (representative sample, RS). One hundred and sixty-five subjects constituting the 'clinical sample' (CS) were preselected and referred by case managers to the on-site psychiatric liaison service. Structured Clinical Interviews for DSM-IV (SCID-I and -II), measures of psychopathology and health service utilization were administered. RESULTS: Ninety-eight percent and 43% of CS and RS subjects fulfilled DSM-IV criteria for mental disorders. Mood-, anxiety- and substance-related disorders were the most common Axis-I disorders in both samples. Personality disorders were diagnosed significantly more frequently in the CS. Despite the more severe psychopathology in subjects with mental disorders from the CS compared to the RS, no differences were found for recent mental health service utilisation. CONCLUSION: Because the sample of unemployed youths referred by case managers was significantly more disturbed in psychiatric terms, such a pre-selection is deemed useful in conjunction with a psychiatric liaison service on the premise of a job centre.

Homepages of German dental schools - a target group-oriented evaluation.

INTRODUCTION: The Internet represents the central communication medium in higher education. University applicants, students, teachers and scientists use the Internet when seeking information on medicine. The homepages of dental schools are not just sources of information, but also a means of presenting the school. No comparative studies have been undertaken concerning the content and extent of their Internet sites so far. METHODS: Based on the literature and assessments of medical school websites, 136 criteria were defined within the setting of a Delphi procedure and drawn upon for a standardised evaluation of the websites of all 30 German dental schools. Structure and extent of the content of the websites were evaluated. Possible influencing factors, such as financial resources and number of applicants, were investigated. RESULTS: The results yielded by the homepages varied considerably. The best Internet site received 84% of the possible points, the poorest 38%. On average, 62% of the criteria were fulfilled. Influencing factors, such as the amount of funding by the particular state government, could not be detected. Two-thirds of the dental schools addressed students, three-fourth teachers and scientists as target groups. More than 50% did not address applicants. Specific requirements regarding barrier-free accessibility of information were hardly met. CONCLUSIONS: Individual faculties already have homepages of a high quality; for others, there is a need for improvement. General recommendations for university websites should be discussed at the European level to ensure a uniform standard of quality. The criteria presented here offer faculties the possibility to reflect upon their own Internet sites.

[Internet presence of psychiatrists in private practice. Status, chances and legal framework]. / Internetauftritte niedergelassener Psychiater. Status quo, Möglichkeiten und gesetzliche Vorgaben.

BACKGROUND: Physicians increasingly use home pages to call attention to their practice. Based on predefined criteria, this study examines the web presence of psychiatrists and medical psychotherapists in private practice. METHODS: All registered psychiatrists and psychotherapists of six northern German states were examined in May 2010 with regards to existence and quality of their web presence. Homepages were evaluated by means of a standardized criteria catalogue with 42 items. Statistical analysis comprised descriptive and analytic approaches (ANOVA, linear models). RESULTS: The analysis included 956 physicians, 168 of whom (17.6%) had a web presence. More physicians in city states had a web presence as compared to those in states with larger territories. However, there was no difference between eastern and western states. Male as compared to female physicians more often possessed an Internet presence. The average score was 19 (± 5.2) out of 42 items, with practices with more than one physician scoring higher than single physician practices. Websites often contained general information about the practice, medical services and diseases, and rarely online services, professional information about the physician, access for disabled, emergency services and holiday substitution. Legal requirements were not sufficiently considered by more than half of the physicians. CONCLUSION: Only a smaller number of psychiatrists and psychotherapists in private practice make use of their own web presence. The quality of information varies. The criteria catalogue used in this study may offer a guideline for development of a good quality Internet presence. A consensus Internet guideline with participation of physician chambers and medical societies would be of use to establish quality standards.

Influence of educational programs on attitudes of medical students towards psychiatry: Effects of psychiatric experience, gender, and personality dimensions.

BACKGROUND: Attitudes of medical students form the basis for medical actions. Because of the specific characteristics of psychiatric patients, positive attitudes of medical students towards psychiatry should be a higher goal in medical education. AIM: We hypothesize that medical students in different educational programs develop different attitudes towards psychiatry. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, students enrolled in different educational programs completed the 'attitudes towards psychiatry' questionnaire (ATP-30). Data concerning experiences in psychiatry, personality traits and socio-demographic variables including gender were also analyzed. RESULTS: The response rate of students in the PBL-curriculum (n = 61) was >90%, in the traditional curriculum (n = 280) >75%. Attitudes towards psychiatry of male students in the Problem-Based Learning program were equal to the female students' attitudes in both programs. Female students' attitudes in the traditional curriculum reached comparably good results while male students' displayed the worst attitudes. The personality factors 'openness to experience' and 'agreeableness' correlated significantly with positive attitudes towards psychiatry. PBL-students showed significantly more 'openness to experience'. CONCLUSION: Educational programs might play a role for the development of attitudes towards psychiatry, especially in male students. Factors influencing enrollment into special educational programs should also have been taken into account. An independent study with a larger number of participants will be required to support these findings.

[Psychological health, locus of control and personality of medical students of a traditional and an alternative study program]. / Psychische Befindlichkeit, Kontrollüberzeugungen und Persönlichkeit von Medizinstudierenden eines traditionellen und eines Reformstudienganges.

Traditional medical curricula are widely criticised. Medical students show a higher prevalence of psychological distress. New problem-based curricula are said to promote higher satisfaction with medical schools and lower psychological distress. This goes together with achievement comparable to traditional curricula. A study with preclinical medical students in a traditional (Göttingen, n = 126) and an alternative (Witten/Herdecke, n = 25) medical curriculum was carried through, concerning subjective wellbeing (depression/anxiety), locus of control and primary personality traits. Students in the problem-oriented curriculum show lower prevalence of psychological distress and less experience of powerlessness and fatalism (external locus of control). There is no striking difference in the primary personality traits. Results are discussed with respect to long-term evaluation of future alternative curricula in Germany.