Social psychological correlates of mental illness and mental health.

If there is ever to be a single comprehensive theory and/or research program concerned with the etiology of mental illness, the widely diversified empirical and theoretical findings will have to be meaningfully integrated. The present paper critically reviews theories and research from the environmental-demographic level and the interpersonal level. The large number of phenotypical relationships reported have led only to vaguely formulated and speculative interpretations suggesting the need for a reformulation which will suggest genotypes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Understanding the mental health needs of children and adolescents in residential treatment.

With the penetration of managed care approaches in child welfare, residential treatment services have come under increased scrutiny. In these circumstances it is critical to understand the clinically indicated use of these expensive interventions. As part of a community-reinvestment strategy of reform within a state child welfare agency, a needs-based assessment of children and adolescents was undertaken. A review of cases revealed that although the level of mental health need for many was significant, a substantial proportion of children in residential placement were not at high levels of risk. On the basis of these data, a process of placement review was designed and implemented for more effective use of residential treatment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The aging woman: Developmental issues and mental health needs.

Reviews findings that support the conclusion that adult women across all age categories are more distressed than their male counterparts although the source of this distress may differ for middle-aged and older women cohorts. Underlying the disturbance for the middle-aged woman are role loss, lack of marketable skills, and general inability to "break into" the larger social arena. For elderly women, the key issue underlying mood and behavioral dysfunction is identified as social isolation. Literature on widowhood and retirement is briefly examined, a short review of the relevant psychotherapy literature is undertaken, and forms of support for middle-aged and elderly women in the community are presented. The possibility of linking women in both age categories into community networks and the development of adult counseling centers are discussed. (41 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An airport director's perspective on disaster planning and mental health needs.

The Director of the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport describes the responsibilities of major airports in disaster planning and response, including mental health needs. He discusses the impact of changes in the industry on airports' disaster plans, relevant Federal Aviation Administration regulations, and typical features of airport disaster plans. The need for psychological services is underscored by experiences in several recent crashes. Psychologists and other mental health professionals are urged to respond to airport directors' requests for assistance in planning, as well as to be more proactive in communities where these issues have yet to be addressed by airport management. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comparison of university mental health needs priorities identified by professionals and students.

A random and representative sample of 457 undergraduate and graduate students completed the Needs Assessment Questionnaire that required each respondent to rate on a 5-point scale the seriousness of 24 mental health problems among university students and their families. A similar questionnaire was completed by 30 university-employed mental health professionals. A comparison of the ratings given to specific mental health problems by student and professional groups revealed extensive between-groups differences. The students rated problems of substance abuse as most serious, whereas the professionals rated problems of an academic and neurotic nature as most serious. The results have important implications for the validity and utility of needs assessment strategies. (3 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Social history, mental health, and community control.

Develops 4 themes in discussing community control of mental health services: (a) the community mental health movement is considered from the viewpoint of social history; (b) the movement is discussed in terms of its underlying professional ideology; (c) some of the shifts which have taken place in the field that go beyond the traditional framework of mental health are considered; and (d) community control, one of the newer developments in the field, is discussed, and some of its unforeseen problems examined. (21 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Services for the aged in community mental health centers

The author studied the services provided for the elderly at eight community mental health centers. He describes discrimination against the elderly, the reasons why relatively few elderly persons seek care, and innovations in treatment. He discovered that high-quality care depends more on staff awareness of the unique problems of the elderly than on specialized services. The author recommends a more public-health-oriented approach that would set priorities on the basis of community needs.     

Addressing the needs of homeless women with mental health problems

Vertical transmission of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus is the major cause of pediatric AIDS cases. It is known that zidovudine therapy will substantially reduce the incidence of perinatal vertical transmission. Some authorities have made recommendations for universal HIV screening based on these findings. However, in an area of low prevalence of HIV, such as South Dakota, the benefits of such testing are questionable. We undertook a survey of one thousand consecutive deliveries in which a sample of cord blood was tested for HIV in an anonymous fashion. In all cases, the ELISA test was negative. Based on this extremely low incidence of HIV in our population, it is reasonable at the present time to undertake a selective screening protocol for testing for HIV during the antepartum period, based on the presence of risk factors, rather than applying universal screening to our population.     

The mental health needs of physically disabled persons: Their perspective.

Evaluated disabled persons' perceptions of the types of problems experienced by the disabled population and the extent of this population's need for psychological services. 145 severely physically disabled former clients of a state rehabilitation commission responded to a questionnaire. Data show that 55% of Ss were aged 16–29 yrs, while 88% were 55 yrs old or less. 61.3% of Ss were males; 41% of Ss were married, 13% were divorced, 8% were separated, and 36% were single. 75% reported substantial need; 8% felt there was minimal or no need. Perceived problem areas included personal/emotional, organic/biological, marital/family, and vocational/career planning. Results suggest that this group of consumers perceives that there is a significant need for mental health services among individuals who are physically disabled. (21 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Meeting the mental health needs of Asian Americans: Mainstream or segregated services.

Examines (a) current barriers to the use of mental health services by Asian Americans (including racism, language barriers, and cultural attitudes); (b) advantages and disadvantages of 3 prototypical forms of culturally sensitive service delivery systems; and (c) conditions under which the 3 prototypes may be useful. The policy options include providing services (1) in mainstream facilities in which all of the personnel are trained to provide culturally sensitive services, (2) in mainstream facilities in which there are teams of culturally sensitive service providers, and (3) in physically segregated facilities in which all of the personnel are trained to provide culturally sensitive services. (35 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Federal involvement in mental health care for the aged: Past and future directions.

Reviews federal legislative trends in mental health services for the elderly under the Reagan administration. The consolidation of 21 health programs into 4 block grants is considered for its impact on elderly mental health care, and Congress's support of important programs such as clinical training, social research, and research on Alzheimer's disease is discussed. Severe limitations for reimbursement of mental health care under Medicare are considered. It is concluded that Community Mental Health Centers under the Reagan administration will further limit non-revenue-producing services such as prevention, consultation, and education as they exhaust their 8-yr federal funding support, and it is unlikely that Medicaid will increase its coverage of services for the mentally ill. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Social scientists and decision makers look at the usefulness of mental health research.

Interviewed 100 social scientists and 155 decision makers in mental health about what makes social research useful for public policy. Contrary to the expectations of the social scientists, the 2 groups evaluated research and the research-to-policy connection in much the same ways. Where there were disagreements, social scientists overestimated the role of political considerations and underestimated the role of scientific merit in decision makers' judgments of what is useful. The pattern of results suggests that the most important difference between groups lies in their notions of what it means to use research. (17 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Primary healthcare workers: training needs in mental health

Particular attention is currently being given to the role of primary healthcare workers in supporting people with mental health problems in primary care (McFadyen et al, 1996). The aim of this study was to survey the views of primary healthcare workers regarding their previous mental health training and to identify their current perceived mental health training needs. A sample of 200 primary healthcare workers within Trent Health Region were interviewed using a short semi-structured interview schedule. Forty-six completed questionnaires were also received. An additional 22 respondents participated in exploratory in-depth interviews. Respondents included GPs, health visitors, practice nurses, district nurses, midwives and community psychiatric nurses. The need for further training in communication skills, particularly basic counselling skills, was highlighted. Respondents also perceived a need for additional training in coping with their own personal stress, the assessment and treatment of depression and stress/anxiety management in clients. Several themes which developed from the research were explored, including communication skills training, problems with collaborative working, coping with personal stress, the prevention of burnout and depression training. The reason why some respondents had no mental health training needs whatsoever was also addressed.     

Training in rural mental health delivery: A response to prioritized needs.

Describes the development of a rural mental health specialty within a clinical psychology training program. The structure and content of the specialty was in response to the National Institute of Mental Health's prioritized needs of the nation's mental health system. The University of Nebraska—Lincoln's clinical training program and the needs of the rural environment were assessed to determine if an adequate relationship could be developed. Once this was determined, the program was founded. (13 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

HIV service provision and training needs in outpatient mental health settings

The erythropoietin receptor (EpoR) has been previously shown to contain a cytoplasmic C-terminal negative regulatory domain, experimental deletion or mutation of which leads to increased sensitivity of expressing cells to the effects erythropoietin (Epo). We have studied a naturally occurring C-terminal truncation mutant of the human EpoR by stably transfecting the growth factor-dependent hematopoietic tissue culture cell line 32D with expression plasmids containing either the wildtype or mutant human EpoR cDNA, thus rendering the cells dependent on Epo for viability and proliferation. In Epo dose-response assays, cells expressing the mutant EpoR displayed hyperresponsiveness to Epo compared with cells expressing comparable numbers of the wild-type EpoR cultured in the presence of fetal bovine serum. We investigated whether enhanced Epo sensitivity of cells expressing the truncated EpoR is associated with alteration in Epo receptor-mediated activation of Stat5, which could have a role in Epo-induced proliferation. Although maximal Stat5 activation in response to a given concentration of Epo was comparable in 32D cells expressing the wild-type or truncated EpoRs, the time course of Epo-induced Stat5 activation was very different. Gel-mobility shift studies revealed the presence of Stat5 DNA-binding activity in nuclear and cytoplasmic extracts of cells expressing the truncated EpoR for a significantly longer time than that observed in similar extracts of cells expressing the wild-type EpoR consistent with decreased rate of inactivation of Stat5 in cells expressing the mutant EpoR. Epo-dependent tyrosine phosphorylation of both Stat5 and Jak2 was also substantially prolonged in cells expressing the truncated EpoR. These results suggest a role for Stat5 in regulation of Epo-mediated cell growth and implicate altered kinetics of Epo-induced Jak2 and Stat5 activation in the pathogenesis of familial erythrocytosis associated with this naturally occurring EpoR gene mutation.     

A study on menopausal symptoms and health needs among middle aged women

During the middle age of a woman's life cycle, several health changes and problems occur. Therefore, middle aged women must manage their health and maintain quality life by coping with bodily changes. However, today there is not enough research and health programs for middle aged women. Data from the study will be used for health promotion program development of middle aged women. Data was collected from January 21 to 24, 1995 by telephone interview. Four hundred middle aged women between 40 and 59 years old and living in Chon Ju City were interviewed. The results of this study were as follow: 1. Frequency rate of menopausal symptoms was 38.4%. The most serious menopausal symptom was psychosomatic symptom. Mean score orders of experienced symptoms were back pain, joint pain (1.80), nervousness (1.80), general weakness (1.67). 2. The most important problems as perceived by the clients were children (45.8%), health (24.0%) and economics (7.8%). The most serious health problems were concerning the muscle-skeletal system (45%) such as arthritis, spinal disk problems and osteoporosis. Adult diseases (14.5%) such as hypertension and diabetes were also health concerns. Health management activities reported were exercise (22.5%), social activity (12%) and inactivity (53%). 33% of clients were interested in health groups and they wanted a program of health education, exercise and social activity to be provided. 3. General characteristic variables were significantly related to the level of menopausal symptoms as follows: age (t = -2.06, p = 0.040), status of marriage (t = -3.56, p = 0.000), educational level (F = 4.35, p = 0.05) and menopausal status (t = 4.37, p = 0.000).     

Reliability of proxy response on mental health indices for aged, community-dwelling women.

The correspondence between respondent and proxy response was evaluated on 4 mental health measures (Affect Balance Scale, Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, Mental Status Questionnaire, and Mini-Mental State Examination) with a sample of 538 respondent–proxy pairs. Results indicated that respondent and proxy responses were strongly associated, particularly for the cognitive measures. This association was found even for respondents classified as depressed or cognitively impaired. Although there was evidence of proxy bias, with proxies underrating affective status and overrating cognitive status, the magnitude of the bias proved small for all scales but the Mental Status Questionnaire. Examination of response comparability by proxy characteristics showed that choice of proxy affected agreement and bias. Implications of these findings for survey research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Innovative service redesign and resource reallocation: responding to political realities, mental health reform and community mental health needs

General hospital mental health programs in large inner city communities face challenges in developing responsive services for populations facing high rates of serious mental illness, substance abuse, homelessness, and poverty. In addition provincial political pressures such as Mental Health Reform and hospital restructuring have caused general hospital mental health programs to reevaluate how services are delivered and resources are allocated. This paper describes how one inner city mental health service in a university teaching setting developed successful strategies to respond to these pressures. Strategies included: (a) merging two general hospital mental health services to pool resources; (b) allocating resources to innovative care delivery models consistent with provincial reforms and community needs; (c) fostering staff role changes, job transitions, and the development of new professional competencies to complement the innovative care delivery models; and (d) developing processes to evaluate the effects of these changes on client.