New Mental Health Blog

A brief group cognitive behaviour therapy intervention (CBT-G) therapy manual was produced and the Cognitive Therapy Rating Scale (CTS-R) modified to assess therapy delivery. Forty-five adults aged 60 and over who had met ICD-10 criteria for major depression in the previous year and were still taking antidepressant medication were randomly allocated to CBT-G/antidepressant combination or antidepressant alone. Depression severity was measured at baseline, randomisation and 6 and 12 months after start of CBT-G using the Montgomery Åsberg Rating Scale for Depression (MADRS). One-year recurrence rates on the MADRS were encouragingly lower in participants receiving CBT-G  compared with controls although this did not achieve statistical significance. In contrast, overall scores on the secondary outcome measure, the Beck Depression Inventory, increased in participants receiving CBT-G. The CBT-G manual was successfully implemented and therapy delivery achieved an overall satisfactory level of competence.
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This study aimed to identify predictors of change in Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) among community dwelling Chinese older people with depression.  A community based prospective, longitudinal study was conducted in a regional psychiatric outpatient department. A convenience sample of 31 older people who were newly diagnosed with depression was recruited. Assessments were conducted at the first session of psychiatric consultation and again after 12 months. Measures included subjective perception of HRQoL, level of depression, number of medical conditions, activities of daily living, functional abilities, and social support. The majority of participants had significant improvement in their HRQoL, level of depression, and general health conditions at 12-month follow-up. The ability of instrumental activity of daily living skills was a predictor of baseline HRQoL and changes in 12-month follow-up. Level of depression was also a predictor of changes in HRQoL over the 12-months period. Treatment and interventions of depression were effective in improvement participants’ mental condition and their perceived HRQoL. Interventions to promote older people’s level of depression and their instrumental activity of daily living abilities could help to improve their perceived HRQoL. This study provides insight for healthcare professionals in planning innovative services to meet their health needs.
if people only knew

Little is known about the first psychiatric hospitalization episode of older adults with depression. The purpose of this American study is to describe the proportion and characteristics of first-time inpatients admitted for late-life depression. Guided by the Network Episode Model and the Andersen model, this study identifies and compares the characteristics of depressed older adults with (n = 108) and those without (n = 77) prior psychiatric hospitalization, upon admission into the geropsychiatric unit, using logistic regression. Data on a lifetime history of inpatient psychiatric treatment, clinical characteristics, demographics, social resources, and psychosocial/medical service use were obtained from patients’ medical records and self-reports. Compared with patients who had prior psychiatric admission, first-time inpatients were associated with having: (1) late-onset depression; (2) no lifetime psychotic symptoms; (3) lower scores on the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) at admission; (4) higher numbers of doctors seen; and (5) lower use of senior centers 6 months prior to the admission.  Depressed older adults’ prior psychiatric inpatient service utilization is closely related to their past and current psychiatric needs. Also, the two groups show significant differences in health and social service use prior to the psychiatric hospitalization. However, severity of depression at admission was not different.
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This study aimed to assess neuropsychiatric symptoms and quality of life in a group of patients in the final phase of dementia. All patients with dementia (n = 216) residing on dementia special care units of two Dutch nursing homes were included in the study provided they met the criteria for the final phase of dementia. Neuropsychiatric symptoms were assessed with the Neuropsychiatric Inventory Nursing Home version (NPI-NH) and the Cohen Mansfield Agitation Inventory (CMAI). Quality of life was assessed with the QUALIDEM. Of the 216 dementia patients 39 met the criteria for the final phase of dementia. The patients showed a specific pattern of behaviours with a high prevalence of apathy, agitation and behaviours that were mainly observed during morning care such as making strange noises, grabbing, performing repetitious mannerism, spitting, hitting, screaming and pushing. Overall quality of life of these patients in the final phase of dementia was moderate. In this small sample, patients in the final phase of dementia show specific behavioural problems, that mainly should be addressed with psychosocial interventions.
does anyone know the real story

Given its complexity, there is growing consensus on the need to measure patient-rated broad outcomes like health-related quality of life (HRQL) as well as discrete functions like cognition and behaviour in dementia. This review brings together current data on the distribution, determinants and course of HRQL in dementia to investigate the predictive and explanatory value of measures of HRQL in people with dementia. A systematic review was conducted of papers in English published up to October 2007 to identify data on the use of disease-specific measures of HRQL in dementia. Results found there were no clear or consistent associations between socio-demographic variables and HRQL. There is no convincing evidence that lower cognition or greater activity limitation is associated with lower HRQL. There is a strong suggestion that depression is consistently associated with decreased HRQL in dementia. However, the magnitude of the associations observed is moderate only and the proportion of variance explained is low suggesting that depression and HRQL are different constructs. We currently know almost nothing about the natural history of HRQL in dementia or what attributes or interventions promote or inhibit HRQL life for people with dementia. While in other illnesses there may be simple association between HRQL and an easily measurable clinical variable, in dementia this is not so. There are now instruments available with which to measure disease-specific HRQL directly in clinical trials and other studies that can yield informative data.
thats funny

Consideration is given to the extent to which the DSM and ICD approach to psychiatric case definition and treatment supports clinical activity. Their validity as a way of defining ‘mental illness’ is found wanting and they do not, in themselves, usefully guide treatment. These conclusions are set in a critical realist approach to ‘mental illness’, which draws attention to the legitimacy of several differing perspectives, each reflecting their own sets of interests and allegiances. DSM-V and ICD-11 are due to be published in 2012 and 2014 respectively, and their architects are called upon to be clear about which of these constituencies they are representing.
never miss a day, thanks for the blog

Student progress reports and report cards are coming out this month, and that means some parents will face difficult decisions or conversations with teachers and with their teen regarding failing academic performance. If you, as a parent, are seeing a significant drop in your teen's performance at school, something is happening in your child's life and it is important that you investigate. (PRWeb Jan 29, 2010)
Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2010/01/prweb3536934.htm

how doe this impact my state

Non-Profit Providing Support to Family & Friends of those with Mental Health Problems Looks to Interactive Agency for Website Support (PRWeb Jan 29, 2010)
Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2010/01/prweb3536584.htm

how doe this impact my state

More than 200 parents from across Connecticut met in Fairfield to show support for drug addiction treatment and prevention and to listen to author and addiction treatment spokesman Joseph Califano. (PRWeb Jan 29, 2010)
Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2010/01/prweb3536494.htm

does anyone know the real story

New book is a constructive and complete guide for budding singers and singing teachers (PRWeb Jan 29, 2010)
Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2010/01/prweb3533904.htm

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