Comparing nurses attending a specialised mental health programme with and without substance use disorder: a retrospective, observational study in Spain.

OBJECTIVES: To analyse the differences between nurses with and without substance use disorders (SUDs) admitted to a specialised mental health programme. DESIGN: Retrospective, observational study. SETTING: Specialised mental health treatment programme for nurses in Catalonia, Spain. PARTICIPANTS: 1091 nurses admitted to the programme from 2000 to 2021. INTERVENTIONS: None. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOMES: Sociodemographic, occupational and clinical variables were analysed. Diagnoses followed Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition, Text Revision criteria. RESULTS: Most nurses admitted to the programme were women (88%, n=960) and came voluntarily (92.1%, n=1005). The mean age at admission was 45 (SD=10.4) years. The most common diagnoses were adjustment disorders (36.6%, n=399), unipolar mood disorders (25.8%, n=282), anxiety disorders (16.4%, n=179) and SUDs (13.8%, n=151). Only 19.2% (n=209) of the sample were hospitalised during their first treatment episode. After multivariate analysis, suffering from a SUD was significantly associated with being a man (OR=4.12; 95% CI 2.49 to 6.82), coming after a directed referral (OR=4.55; 95% CI 2.5 to 7.69), being on sick leave at admission (OR=2.21; 95% CI 1.42 to 3.45) and needing hospitalisation at the beginning of their treatment (OR=12.5; 95% CI 8.3 to 20). CONCLUSIONS: Nurses with SUDs have greater resistance to voluntarily asking for help from specialised mental health treatment programmes and have greater clinical severity compared with those without addictions. SUDs are also more frequent among men. More actions are needed to help prevent and promote earlier help-seeking behaviours among nurses with this type of mental disorder.

Abstinence duration and psychopathology among addiction outpatients during 18 months of COVID-19.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the mental health of patients with substance use disorder (SUD). However, few longitudinal studies have been done which examine associations between the pandemic, SUD patients' mental health and their drug use. Objectives: This study aimed to examine duration of abstinence according to psychiatric status among SUD outpatients followed-up for 18 months from the pandemic related lockdown. Methods: A follow-up study of 316 SUD outpatients was undertaken. Sociodemographic features, and clinical and consumption related variables were recorded. Pre, during and post lockdown information was evaluated. Abstinence/substance use was monitored at the patient's scheduled follow-up appointments, and psychiatric disorders and psychological variables were revaluated at 18 months. Results: Survival analyses were used to compare the duration of abstinence (in months) from the beginning of the lockdown. It was observed that 70% of patients consumed the main substance for which they were being treated at some point during the follow-up. Men, younger patients, those with more symptoms of anxiety and personality disorders, and patients who experienced increased craving during follow-up, showed shorter duration of abstinence. While patients who had previously maintained at least one year of abstinence, achieved better results. Conclusions: During the first year and a half of the pandemic, SUD outpatients presented alterations in mental health, such us anxiety, depression and maladaptive personality traits and a high rate of relapse. For this reason, despite the health and social crisis and their restrictive measures, a comprehensive treatment should be ensured.

Design and implementation of the Professional Wellbeing Programme of the Medical Council of Uruguay.

Multiple studies have reported a high prevalence of mental health problems among male and female physicians. Although doctors are reluctant to seek professional help when suffering from a mental disorder, specialised services developed specifically to treat their mental health problems have reported promising results. The purpose of this article is to describe the design and implementation of the Professional Wellbeing Programme (Programa de Bienestar Profesional) of the Uruguayan Medical Council (Colegio Médico del Uruguay). The context, inputs, activities and some of the outputs are described according to a case study design. The main milestones in the implementation of the programme are also outlined, as well as the enabling elements, obstacles and main achievements. Emphasis will be placed on the importance of international collaboration to share experiences and models, how to design the care process to promote doctors' access to psychiatric and psychological care, the need for them to be flexible and dynamic in adapting to new and changing circumstances, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and to work in parallel with the medical regulatory bodies. It is hoped that the experience described in this work may be of use to other Latin American institutions interested in developing mental health programmes for doctors.

Diseño e implementación del Programa de Bienestar Profesional del Colegio Médico del Uruguay

Son múltiples los estudios que informan de una alta prevalencia de problemas de salud mental en médicos y médicas. Aunque los médicos presentan resistencias a la hora de solicitar ayuda profesional cuando están aquejados de trastornos mentales, los servicios especializados desarrollados específicamente para tratar sus problemas de salud mental han reportado resultados prometedores. El propósito de este artículo es describir el diseno y la implementación del Programa de Bienestar Profesional del Colegio Médico del Uruguay. El contexto, los insumos, las actividades y algunos de los productos se describen de acuerdo con el diseno de un estudio de caso. También se sefñalan los principales hitos en la puesta en marcha del programa, así como los elementos facilitadores, los obstáculos y los principales logros. Se enfatizará la importancia de la colaboración internacional para compartir experiencias y modelos, cómo articular el proceso asistencial para fomentar el acceso de los médicos a la atención psiquiátrica y psicológica, la necesidad de que sean flexibles y dinámicos para adaptarse a circunstancias novedosas y cambiantes como la pandemia por COVID-19 y la necesidad de que vayan en paralelo con las exigencias de los organismos reguladores de la práctica médica. Se espera que la experiencia descrita en este trabajo pueda ser de utilidad a otros colectivos latinoamericanos interesados en desarrollar programas de salud mental para los médicos.

Multiple studies have reported a high prevalence of mental health problems among male and female physicians. Although doctors are reluctant to seek professional help when suffering from a mental disorder, specialized services developed specifically to treat their mental health problems have reported promising results. The purpose of this article is to describe the design and implementation of the Professional Wellbeing Programme (Programa de Bienestar Profesional) of the Uruguayan Medical Association (Colegio Médico del Uruguay). The context, inputs, activities and some of the outputs are described according to a case study design. The main milestones in the implementation of the programme are also outlined, as well as the enabling elements, obstacles and main achievements. Emphasis will be placed on the importance of international collaboration to share experiences and models, how to design the care process to promote doctors' access to psychiatric and psychological care, the need for them to be flexible and dynamic in adapting to new and changing circumstances, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and to work in parallel with the medical regulatory bodies. It is hoped that the experience described in this work may be of use to other Latin American institutions interested in developing mental health programmes for doctors.

Psychiatric Issues Among Health Professionals.

COVID-19 has increased the interest in the wellbeing of health professionals (HPs) as they have experienced stress, loss, and fatigue-related symptoms. Research evidence from previous epidemics points to an increase in the prevalence of affective, anxiety, and addictive disorders among them. HPs are trained to care for others and to recover from severe stressors. However, they tend to neglect self-care and have difficulties in seeking appropriate help when need it. This new scenario becomes an opportunity to promote a new culture of professionalism whereby caring for the caregivers becomes a priority both at a personal and institutional level.

The challenge of community mental health interventions with patients, relatives, and health professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic: a real-world 9-month follow-up study.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the need to implement protocols that respond to the mental health demands of the population has been demonstrated. The PASMICOR programme started in March 2020, involving a total of 210 requests for treatment. Out of those subjects, the intervention was performed in 53 patients with COVID-19 without history of past psychiatric illness, 57 relatives and 60 health professionals, all of them within the area of Salamanca (Spain). Interventions were carried out by professionals of the public mental health service mostly by telephone. Depending on clinical severity, patients received basic (level I) or complex psychotherapeutic care combined with psychiatric care (level II). The majority of attended subjects were women (76.5%). Anxious-depressive symptoms were predominant, although sadness was more frequent in patients, insomnia in relatives and anxiety and fear in health professionals. 80% of the sample, particularly most of the health professionals, required a high-intensity intervention (level II). Nearly 50% of the people treated were discharged after an average of 5 interventions. Providing early care to COVID-19 patients, relatives and professionals by using community mental health resources can help to reduce the negative impact of crises, such as the pandemic, on the most affected population groups.

Help Seeking of Highly Specialized Mental Health Treatment before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic among Health Professionals.

(1) Background: Ongoing specialized programs for health professionals (HPs) adapted their treatment services during the COVID-19 pandemic. (2) Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study of medical e-records of HPs with mental disorders working in Catalonia that were consecutively admitted to the Galatea Care Program Clinical Unit. The sample (N = 1461) was divided into two periods: 21.5 months before (n = 637) and after (n = 824) 14 March 2020. (3) Results: There was a significant increase (29.4%) in the number of referrals to the specialized Clinical Unit during the pandemic, especially with respect to physicians compared to nurses. The percentage of HP women at admission and the clinical severity of the first treatment episode remained without changes before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The most prevalent main diagnoses also remained similar: adjustment disorders (41.5%), mood disorders (24.9%), anxiety disorders (14.4%), and substance use disorders (11.8%). (4) Conclusions: HPs, particularly physicians, more frequently sought voluntary help from specialized mental health programs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Future studies are needed to analyze the reasons behind this finding and the evolution of referrals to these types of programs after the COVID-19 outbreak.

Characteristics of resident physicians accessing a specialised mental health service: a retrospective study.

OBJECTIVES: Little is known about resident physicians being treated at physician health programmes around the world despite the fact that it is a highly demanding training period. This study aims to describe the profiles of resident physicians accessing a specialised mental health service in Spain over a 20-year period and to compare them to consultant-grade physicians. DESIGN: Retrospective observational study. SETTING: Medical records of the Galatea Care Programme for Sick Physicians. PARTICIPANTS: 1846 physicians registered at the Barcelona Medical Council-Association and admitted to the programme from January 1998 to December 2018. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Number of admissions, sociodemographic and clinical variables, including medical specialty, main diagnosis and need of hospitalisation. RESULTS: Residents accounted for 18.1% (n=335) of the sample and admissions increased over the years. Most residents (n=311; 94.5%) and consultant-grade physicians (n=1391; 92.8%) were self-referred. The most common specialty among residents was family medicine (n=107; 31.9%), followed by internal medicine (n=18; 5.4%), paediatrics (n=14; 4.2%), psychiatry (n=13; 3.9%) and anaesthesiology (n=13; 3.9%). Residents, regardless of year of training, mainly asked for help because of adjustment (n=131; 39.1%), affective (n=77; 23%), anxiety disorders (n=40; 18.8%) and addictions (n=19; 5.7%). There were no significant differences between groups in the main diagnosis and in the variables related to need of hospitalisation. The percentage of residents accessing the programme was higher than in the reference population registered at the Barcelona Medical Council-Association (18.1% vs 7.6%; z=7.2, p<0.001) as was the percentage of family medicine residents (31.9% vs 19.6%; z=5.7, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Residents are more likely than consultant-grade physicians to seek help when suffering from mental disorders. Local primary prevention actions since the beginning of their training period and having access to a well-known highly reliable programme may partly explain these findings.

Medically Serious Suicide Attempts in Personality Disorders.

Medically serious suicide attempts (MSSA) represent a subgroup of clinically heterogeneous suicidal behaviors very close to suicides. Personality disorders (PD) are highly prevalent among them, together with affective and substance use disorders. However, few studies have specifically analyzed the role of PD in MSSA. These suicide attempts (SA) are usually followed by longer hospitalization periods and may result in severe physical and psychological consequences. The aim of this study is to compare the profile of MSSA patients with and without PD. MSSA were defined according to Beautrais 'criteria, but had to remain hospitalized ≥48 h. Overall, 168 patients from two public hospitals in Barcelona were evaluated during a three-year period. Mean hospital stay was 23.68 (standard deviation (SD) = 41.14) days. Patients with PD (n = 69) were more likely to be younger, female, make the first and the most serious SA at a younger age, reported recent stressful life-events and more frequently had previous suicide attempts compared to those without PD. However, no differences were found with regards to comorbid diagnoses, current clinical status, features of the attempt, or their impulsivity and hopelessness scores. Therefore, focusing on the subjective, qualitative experiences related to MSSA among PD patients may increase understanding of the reasons contributing to these attempts in order to improve prevention strategies in the future.

Design and implementation of the Professional Wellbeing Programme of the Medical Council Association of Uruguay. / Diseño e implementación del Programa de Bienestar Profesional del Colegio Médico del Uruguay.

Multiple studies have reported a high prevalence of mental health problems among male and female physicians. Although doctors are reluctant to seek professional help when suffering from a mental disorder, specialised services developed specifically to treat their mental health problems have reported promising results. The purpose of this article is to describe the design and implementation of the Professional Wellbeing Programme (Programa de Bienestar Profesional) of the Uruguayan Medical Association (Colegio Médico del Uruguay). The context, inputs, activities and some of the outputs are described according to a case study design. The main milestones in the implementation of the programme are also outlined, as well as the enabling elements, obstacles and main achievements. Emphasis will be placed on the importance of international collaboration to share experiences and models, how to design the care process to promote doctors' access to psychiatric and psychological care, the need for them to be flexible and dynamic in adapting to new and changing circumstances, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and to work in parallel with the medical regulatory bodies. It is hoped that the experience described in this work may be of use to other Latin American institutions interested in developing mental health programmes for doctors.

Assessing high risk of suicide amongst physicians and nurses in treatment.

Little is known about the suicidal behaviour of health professionals admitted to specialised programmes. This study aims to describe the factors associated with high risk of suicide (HRS) of physicians and nurses in treatment at the Galatea Care Programme. We conducted a retrospective naturalistic study with data from 1,214 electronic medical records of physicians and nurses working in Catalonia and in treatment at the Galatea Clinic during 2017 and 2018. HRS was registered in the medical record according to the screening criteria of the Catalonia Risk Suicide Code; 62.4% (n = 757) were physicians and 37.6% (n = 457) were nurses. HRS was identified in 5% physicians and 5.2% nurses. Patients who were in a relationship or were not on a sick leave were less likely to have HRS, whereas those with affective disorders were more likely to have HRS compared with those with anxiety disorders or substance use disorders. Patients with HRS were more likely to have concurrent mental disorders. Specialised treatment programmes for health professionals should regularly screen for suicide risk, especially amongst those having affective disorders, comorbid mental disorders or when their working and interpersonal life areas are impaired.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of healthcare professionals.

INTRODUCTION: Healthcare professionals (HPs) have been confronted by unprecedented traumatic experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in countries that had not experienced similar epidemic outbreaks in recent years. AIM: To analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of HPs. METHOD: We comprehensively reviewed the studies published in MEDLINE (PubMed), Web of Science and Google Scholar between December 2019 and May 2020. RESULTS: Most studies report a high prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms among HPs that can be associated with: a) COVID-19 exposure; b) epidemiological issues; c) material resources; d) human resources; and e) personal factors. The role of certain variables, before, during and after the pandemic, remains unexplored. Longitudinal studies will help elucidate which factors are associated with a higher risk of developing long-lasting negative effects. Qualitative studies may contribute to understanding the influence of individual and social narratives in HPs' distress. CONCLUSION: A deeper analysis on the individual, institutional, political and socio-cultural factors, meanings and values influencing HPs distress and resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic is needed.

Family physicians with mental disorders admitted to a physicians' health programme: what can be learned?

BACKGROUND: Family physicians (FPs) are said to be suffering from high rates of mental distress. Physicians' health programmes (PHPs) have been developed in several countries to provide specialized care for those suffering from mental disorders. OBJECTIVE: To describe the profile of FPs admitted to the Integral Care Programme for Sick Physicians (PAIMM) compared to other physicians and the evolution of their referrals during a 20-year period. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective observational study of 1702 medical records of physicians registered at the Medical Council-Association of Barcelona and admitted to the PAIMM from 1998 to 2017. FPs represented 20% (n = 283) of all consultant-grade physicians (n = 1413). RESULTS: FPs' admissions have increased over the years, mainly in the last decade. FPs were younger than other specialists (odds ratio [OR]: 0.97; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.96-0.99) and more likely to be women (OR: 1.42; 95% CI: 1.06-1.89). All PAIMM physicians had a high prevalence of both adjustment and affective disorders and the prevalence of addictions has decreased in the last decade. CONCLUSIONS: The increase in FPs accessing PHPs in recent years is notable; however, the reasons behind this trend require deeper analysis at the personal, professional and institutional levels.

Dual diagnosis among medical residents: a systematic review. / Diagnóstico dual en médicos residentes: una revisión sistemática.

The post-graduate period as a resident doctor (MIR, in Spanish) is usually associated with high emotional distress due to new professional demands and to other psychosocial factors. The objective of this study is to determine the characteristics of dual diagnosis among MIRs. A systematic review was carried out in MEDLINE (PubMed), Web of Science and Google Scholar databases, selecting articles published in English and Spanish between 1984 and 2017. A total of 2,415 articles were obtained: 2,276 were excluded by their title, 105 by the abstract and 17 after a complete review of the article; 17 papers were finally included. The prevalence of depressive symptoms among MIRs ranges from 10.2% to 70%, while the prevalence of anxious symptoms varies from 13.2% to 33.9%, from 6.7% to 25% reported suicidal ideation, 20% hazardous drinking, 2%-13.4% self-prescribed psychotropics, and 2.7%-14% used other drugs. Most studies present important methodological limitations, thus complicating adequate understanding of the phenomenon. High variations in prevalence data are related to differences in the psychometric scales and to disparity in diagnosis criteria, among other limitations. However, most studies report that alcohol and drug use is correlated with severe distress among MIRs. More research is needed to ascertain the nature of dual diagnosis in this professional group in order to effectively prevent and treat its serious consequences.

El período de preparación como médico residente (en español, MIR) suele asociarse a una elevada sobrecarga emocional tanto por las nuevas exigencias profesionales como por otros factores psicosociales. El objetivo de este estudio es conocer las características del diagnóstico dual en los MIRs. Se llevó a cabo una revisión sistemática de las bases de datos MEDLINE (PubMed), Web of Science y Google Scholar, seleccionando artículos publicados en inglés y español entre 1984 y 2017. Se obtuvieron 2.415 artículos: se excluyeron 2.276 por título, 105 por el contenido del resumen y 17 por el contenido del artículo. En la revisión final se incluyeron 17 artículos. La prevalencia de clínica depresiva varía del 10,2% al 70%, de ansiedad entre 13,2% y 33,9%, de ideación suicida entre 6,7% y 25% mientras que el consumo de riesgo de alcohol se encuentra aproximadamente en torno al 20%, entre 2% y 13,4% se auto-prescriben medicamentos psicótropos y del 2,7% al 14% consumen otras sustancias. La mayoría de los estudios analizados adolecen de limitaciones metodológicas importantes lo que dificulta una adecuada comprensión del fenómeno. Las variaciones en las cifras de prevalencia tienen que ver con la disparidad de escalas y de criterios diagnósticos empleados, entre otros factores. Aún así, los estudios muestran que el consumo de alcohol y/u otras sustancias se correlacionan positivamente con el malestar emocional en los MIRs. Se hace necesario mejorar el conocimiento del diagnóstico dual en este grupo profesional para que se puedan prevenir y tratar sus consecuencias de manera más eficaz.

Integral Treatment Programme for Addicted Physicians: Results from The Galatea Care Programme for Sick Physicians.

INTRODUCTION: Addictions among physicians are a matter of public health interest because of their negative impact on the physician's well-being and the potential risk of malpractice. Physicians' Health Programmes (PHP) have been developed in several countries to address this issue. Although they share some similarities, they differ in organisational and clinical aspects. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to describe the clinical outcomes of the Integral Treatment Programme for Addicted Physicians of The Galatea Care Programme for Sick Physicians (PAIMM). METHODS: A prospective naturalistic longitudinal study was conducted using data from electronic medical records of 126 physicians registered at the Barcelona Medical Association-Council and admitted to the PAIMM between 2008 and 2016. All patients received addiction treatment supervised by a specialised team with individual visits (psychiatrist and psychologist), had regular and random drug screening, attended a 3-step intervention with 2 intensive initial phases and 2-5 year weekly group psychotherapy, and were monitored when they returned to practice. RESULTS: All admitted physicians completed the intensive intervention, and 87.3% were subsequently monitored. The mean treatment length was 48 months. Overall, 72.2% of sick physicians remained abstinent at last contact. Good adherence to follow-up psychotherapy groups predicted both lower risk of lapse during the treatment process and higher rates of abstinence at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Initial intensive treatment, long-term follow-up and drug screening, group therapy attendance, and a case management approach are common factors that may explain the positive clinical outcomes for physicians with addictions in treatment at PHPs, regardless of the country.

Diagnóstico dual en médicos residentes: una revisión sistemática / Dual diagnosis among medical residents: a systematic review

El período de preparación como médico residente (en español, MIR) suele asociarse a una elevada sobrecarga emocional tanto por las nuevas exigencias profesionales como por otros factores psicosociales. El objetivo de este estudio es conocer las características del diagnóstico dual en los MIRs. Se llevó a cabo una revisión sistemática de las bases de datos MEDLINE (PubMed), Web of Science y Google Scholar, seleccionando artículos publicados en inglés y español entre 1984 y 2017. Se obtuvieron 2.415 artículos: se excluyeron 2.276 por título, 105 por el contenido del resumen y 17 por el contenido del artículo. En la revisión final se incluyeron 17 artículos. La prevalencia de clínica depresiva varía del 10,2% al 70%, de ansiedad entre 13,2% y 33,9%, de ideación suicida entre 6,7% y 25% mientras que el consumo de riesgo de alcohol se encuentra aproximadamente en torno al 20%, entre 2% y 13,4% se auto-prescriben medicamentos psicótropos y del 2,7% al 14% consumen otras sustancias. La mayoría de los estudios analizados adolecen de limitaciones metodológicas importantes lo que dificulta una adecuada comprensión del fenómeno. Las variaciones en las cifras de prevalencia tienen que ver con la disparidad de escalas y de criterios diagnósticos empleados, entre otros factores. Aún así, los estudios muestran que el consumo de alcohol y/u otras sustancias se correlacionan positivamente con el malestar emocional en los MIRs. Se hace necesario mejorar el conocimiento del diagnóstico dual en este grupo profesional para que se puedan prevenir y tratar sus consecuencias de manera más eficaz

The post-graduate period as a resident doctor (MIR, in Spanish) is usually associated with high emotional distress due to new professional demands and to other psychosocial factors. The objective of this study is to determine the characteristics of dual diagnosis among MIRs. A systematic review was carried out in MEDLINE (PubMed), Web of Science and Google Scholar databases, selecting articles published in English and Spanish between 1984 and 2017. A total of 2,415 articles were obtained: 2,276 were excluded by their title, 105 by the abstract and 17 after a complete review of the article; 17 papers were finally included. The prevalence of depressive symptoms among MIRs ranges from 10.2% to 70%, while the prevalence of anxious symptoms varies from 13.2% to 33.9%, from 6.7% to 25% reported suicidal ideation, 20% hazardous drinking, 2%-13.4% self-prescribed psychotropics, and 2.7%-14% used other drugs. Most studies present important methodological limitations, thus complicating adequate understanding of the phenomenon. High variations in prevalence data are related to differences in the psychometric scales and to disparity in diagnosis criteria, among other limitations. However, most studies report that alcohol and drug use is correlated with severe distress among MIRs. More research is needed to ascertain the nature of dual diagnosis in this professional group in order to effectively prevent and treat its serious consequences

Factors associated with lifetime suicidal ideation and suicide attempts in outpatients with substance use disorders.

Risks factors for suicide are multiple and highly prevalent in addicted patients (previous suicide attempts, substance abuse, impulsivity, history of sexual abuse and other factors). The aim of this study is to identify and to compare the clinical and socio-demographic profile of SUD outpatients with lifetime suicidal behavior (previous suicidal ideation and/or suicide attempts) and to analyze the factors related to it. A retrospective cohort study of 696 addicted patients, according to DSM-IV-TR criteria (APA, 2000) were collected from the Addiction Unit of Vall d'Hebron University Hospital. Lifetime suicidal ideation in addicted patients is associated with presence of: borderline personality disorder (BPD), depressive disorders, sexual abuse, polydrug abuse, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and motor impulsivity. The factors associated with suicide attempts were: borderline personality disorder, lifetime abuse (whether emotional, physical or sexual), co-occurrent psychotic disorders, polydrug abuse, anxiety disorders and depressive symptoms. We conclude that previous suicidal ideation and lifetime suicide attempts should be considered in the clinical care of addicted patients. Factors related to both suicidal behaviors share similarities and differences according to our findings and need to be deeply explored in the future.

Gender Differences in Demographic and Clinical Features of Physicians Admitted to a Program for Medical Professionals with Mental Disorders.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the demographic and clinical differences between men and women admitted to a Physicians' Health Programme (PHP). METHOD: Retrospective chart review of 778 medical records of physicians admitted to the Barcelona PHP from February 1, 1998 until December 31, 2015. RESULTS: Women admitted to the Barcelona PHP were younger than men, were more likely to be self-referred and to be admitted for a non-addictive mental disorder. Prevalence of unipolar affective disorders (60.1 vs. 37.6%), adjustment disorders (62.4 vs. 37.6%), and obsessive-compulsive disorder (61.1 vs. 38.9%) was significantly higher among women, whereas prevalence of alcohol use disorders was lower (32.7 vs. 67.3%). Nevertheless, both groups were similar with regard to medical specialty, working status, length of their first treatment episode, and presence of hospitalization during that episode. After multivariate analysis, age, type of referral, and main diagnosis (addictive disorders vs. other mental disorders) discriminated the differences between groups. CONCLUSION: Women physicians seem to be more prone to voluntarily ask for help from PHPs and are more likely to suffer from mood and anxiety disorders compared to men. However, mental disorders' severity may be similar in both groups. More studies are needed to clarify the gender factors related to this behavior.

Impulsivity and addiction severity in cocaine and opioid dependent patients.

BACKGROUND: Impulsivity as a personality trait is a risk factor for the development and maintenance of cocaine and opioid dependence. The objective of this study is to analyze the relationship between impulsivity and addiction severity in cocaine and opioid dependent patients. METHODS: A cross-sectional, observational study of 526 patients with lifetime cocaine dependence (CD, n=351), opiate dependence (OD, n=51) and comorbid cocaine and opiate dependence (COD, n=124) to throughout life, according to DSM-IV-TR, was conducted. The sample was recruited at the Addiction and Dual Diagnosis Unit of Vall d'Hebron University Hospital from January 2006 to April 2013. Patients were evaluated with the EuropASI, the SCID I and II interviews, and the Barratt Impulsivity Scale (BIS-11). Descriptive statistics of the main variables (including mean, standard deviation) was performed. Chi square test was used to compare categorical variables and Kruskal-Wallis test to compare continuous variables. Spearman correlation was used to analyze the relationship between EuropASI scores and BIS-11 scores. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 36.37years±8.08 (19-66). CD and COD were more impulsive and had higher addiction severity than OD. OD patients had worse medical status than CD and COD patients while COD patients had more severe drug use and legal problems than the other groups. However, impulsivity and addiction severity were only positively correlated in CD patients. CONCLUSIONS: Impulsivity should be appropriately screened and addressed in cocaine dependents as it may be related to addiction severity.

Differences in Physicians' and Nurses' Recent Suicide Attempts: An Exploratory Study.

The aim of this study was to examine the characteristics of physicians' and nurses' suicide attempts (SA). A retrospective review of 493 medical records of physicians and nurses admitted to an inpatient unit for health professionals; 36 patients had a recent SA. Depression, cluster B and C personality disorders, and a history of previous SA were more prevalent in patients with a recent SA compared to those without it. Both professional groups preferred drug overdose as a suicide method. Physicians made more lethal attempts and had a history of more previous stressors than nurses. Depression, cluster B and C personality disorders, and previous SA should be appropriately screened and treated in order to prevent SA amongst physicians and nurses.