Psychiatry - Research Publications
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ItemHow can mental health practitioners collaborate with child welfare practitioners to improve mental health for young people in out of home care?(WILEY, 2021-12)BACKGROUND: Young people who grow up in out of home care have higher risk of poor mental health outcomes than peers who grow up with their family-of-origin. Interagency collaboration is an important service-level intervention to improve access to mental healthcare. However, few descriptions of collaboration provide guidance about collaboration between individual practitioners. AIM: This substudy aimed to contribute to a larger study-the Ripple project-through exploring the experiences of practitioners working across child welfare and mental health services regarding collaboration in the care of young people; and to identify practices that might enhance collaborative work and improve mental health outcomes. METHODS: Practitioners from across child welfare and mental health services were purposively sampled and participated in focus groups. Recordings and transcriptions of focus groups were analysed to identify themes within and between groups. A cross-sector expert advisory group was involved in this work. RESULTS: Focus groups were convened with 43 practitioners. We identified four themes during analysis, these were: shared understanding of the history and context of problems; specific skills and practices; self-awareness of workers and carers; and involving and supporting carers. CONCLUSIONS: A number of practices were identified that might lead to enhanced collaboration between agencies and across interdisciplinary care teams. Supporting mental health practitioners to adopt these might assist interagency and interdisciplinary working.
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ItemM99. INVESTIGATING THE BEST PREDICTIVE CLINICAL FEATURES OF ANTI-N-METHYL-D-ASPARTATE RECEPTOR (NMDAR) ENCEPHALITIS IN THE 2010 AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL SURVEY OF HIGH IMPACT PSYCHOSIS (SHIP) COHORT(Oxford University Press (OUP), 2020-05-18)Abstract Background Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis, a recently reported autoimmune disorder, can be mistakenly diagnosed as a psychotic disorder, especially schizophrenia, as patients can present with prominent psychotic symptoms, in particular persecutory ideation, hallucinations and disturbed speech. In this study we used machine learning of the clinical data in a large cohort of persons with a positive psychosis history to ascertain whether we could predict NMDAR-positive cases, and which variables most accurately distinguished between NMDAR-positive and -negative cases. Methods SHIP collected nationally representative data from 1825 individuals with a psychotic illness. Plasma samples were available for n=472. To investigate the prevalence of NMDAR autoantibodies a recombinant indirect immunofluorescence test was performed (EuroImmun AG, Lübeck, Germany), with NMDAR transfected human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells quantified using NIS Elements software. NMDAR-positive cases were estimated. Gradient boosting machine learning (the data were randomly split: 60% for initial ascertainment and 40% for validation) was subsequently performed using the clinical data available: 120 variables in total across various domains of sociodemographic, medical history, psychiatric diagnosis and current psychiatric symptoms. Only the variables found to have significant (or near significant) association with being NMDAR-positive were used to develop rules for identifying cases. Results There were 38 NMDAR-positive cases. They were more likely to be associated with a schizophrenia /schizoaffective and a depressive psychosis diagnosis, and less likely to be associated with a bipolar diagnosis, than antibody-negative cases. They were also more likely to be associated with a single episode with good recovery, and with anxiety symptoms and dizziness in the prior 12 months (which included light headedness, feeling faint and unsteady). For the present state symptoms, restricted affect was more likely to be present whereas poverty of speech was rare. Initial insomnia and a medical history that included epilepsy were not present for any of the NMDAR-positive cases. The machine learning algorithm was able to successfully classify 94% of cases to the correct antibody group. Discussion In this significant Australian epidemiological cohort, we have identified key clinical features associated with anti-NMDAR encephalitis, including diagnosis, and symptoms and clinical course. The novel and insightful analyses afforded by using machine learning should be replicated in other samples to confirm the important clinical findings reported in the current work.
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ItemNo Preview AvailableImproving Cognitive Skills for People with Mental Illness to Increase Vocational and Psychosocial Outcomes: The Employ Your Mind Program.(Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 2021)Cognitive impairments contribute to difficulty obtaining employment for people with severe mental illness (SMI). We describe an evaluation of a program, Employ Your Mind (EYM), which integrates cognitive remediation with vocational rehabilitation to improve cognitive skills and psychosocial outcomes relevant to employment. Participants with SMI were referred to WISE Employment and completed the six-month EYM program. Assessments of psychosocial functioning, cognition and vocational data were collected at baseline and completion, and additional vocational outcomes were collected at 12-month follow-up. Psychosocial functioning and cognition were compared pre- and post-EYM and vocational outcomes were compared for the year prior to EYM and for the 12-month follow-up for program completers. Thirty-two participants commenced the EYM program and 21 (65.6%) completed it. Completers reported significant improvements in mental wellbeing, quality of life and enhanced overall perceived working ability. Participants also demonstrated significantly enhanced speed of processing. Of the 15 participants who reported vocational outcomes, four (26.6%) were engaged in competitive paid employment in the year prior to EYM commencement and eight (53.3%) in the year following EYM commencement. The results indicate that EYM helps improve cognitive performance, psychosocial outcomes, and work readiness in people with SMI.
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ItemDesign features that reduce the use of seclusion and restraint in mental health facilities: a rapid systematic review(BMJ PUBLISHING GROUP, 2021)UNLABELLED: Increasing efforts are being made to prevent and/or eliminate the use of seclusion and restraint in mental health facilities. Recent literature recognises the importance of the physical environment in supporting better outcomes in mental health services. This rapid review scoped the existing literature studying what physical design features of mental health facilities can reduce the use of seclusion and physical restraint. DESIGN: A rapid review of peer-reviewed literature. METHODS: Peer-reviewed literature was searched for studies on architectural design and the use of restraint and seclusion in mental health facilities. The following academic databases were searched: Cochrane Library, Medline, PsycINFO, Scopus and Avery for English language literature published between January 2010 and August 2019. The Joanna Briggs Institute's critical appraisal tool was used to assess the quality of included studies. RESULTS: We identified 35 peer-reviewed studies. The findings revealed several overarching themes in design efforts to reduce the use of seclusion and restraint: a beneficial physical environment (eg, access to gardens or recreational facilities); sensory or comfort rooms; and private, uncrowded and calm spaces. The critical appraisal indicated that the overall quality of studies was low, as such the findings should be interpreted with caution. CONCLUSION: This study found preliminary evidence that the physical environment has a role in supporting the reduction in the use of seclusion and restraint. This is likely to be achieved through a multilayered approach, founded on good design features and building towards specific design features which may reduce occurrences of seclusion and restraint. Future designs should include consumers in a codesign process to maximise the potential for change and innovation that is genuinely guided by the insights of lived experience expertise.
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ItemSex differences in psychological distress, behavioural and emotional problems, and substance use in young people in out-of-home care(WILEY, 2020-05)Abstract The aim of the study was to examine sex differences in self‐reported psychological distress, behavioural and emotional problems, and substance use in young people living in out‐of‐home care (OoHC). One hundred seventy‐six young people aged 12–17 years (females 53.4%) in OoHC in metropolitan Melbourne, Australia, were interviewed. Participants completed self‐report measures: Kessler Psychological Distress Scale, Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, and the World Health Organization Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test—Youth Version. Girls had more OoHC placement instability over the past year compared with boys (p = .019). Compared with boys, the girls had significantly higher levels of distress (p < .001) (p = .007), were more likely to have self‐reported emotional symptoms (p < .001) and peer relationship problems (p = .043) and were more likely to use sedatives (p = .004). Girls had more psychological distress, behavioural disturbance, and sedative abuse; placement instability might contribute to these problems. Greater integration across OoHC, mental health, and substance use sectors is required. Girls in OoHC may benefit from interventions targeting problems with peer relationship and substance use and supporting prosocial behaviour; such targets may reduce distress and emotional symptoms and possibly prevent longer term problems.
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ItemEditorial: Design and Implementation of Rehabilitation Interventions for People With Complex Psychosis(FRONTIERS MEDIA SA, 2021-05-26)
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ItemHealth-Related Quality of Life, Functioning and Social Experiences in People with Psychotic Disorders(SPRINGER, 2021-08)To inform development of a model for health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in people with psychotic disorders, we aimed to assess correlations between utilities and dimension scores for the Assessment of Quality of Life (AQoL)-4D with functioning and social experiences; ascertain if patient housing and clinical status affected correlations; and determine aspects of functioning that jointly predict HRQoL. We analyzed data for 1642 people with an ICD-10 psychotic disorder from the 2010 Australian National Survey of Psychosis. Global functioning was measured with the Personal and Social Performance scale, independent functioning with the Multidimensional Scale of Independent Functioning and social functioning through level of social dysfunction. Social experiences comprised perceived loneliness and experienced stigma. We assessed Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients and undertook linear regression analyses. Moderate associations were found between AQoL-4D utilities and all variables, except experienced stigma. Perceived loneliness had the strongest association. The AQoL-4D social relationships dimension was most strongly associated with social variables; its independent living dimension with global and independent functioning. Correlations between utilities and all variables, except for social dysfunction, were modified by housing. Course of disorder impacted correlations with utilities and independent functioning. Global functioning and social dysfunction were found to jointly predict HRQoL. In conclusion, as the AQoL-4D can differentiate between functioning and social experiences individually and when categorized by housing and clinical status in people with psychosis, predictive models of HRQoL in this population are feasible, and only need include select aspects of functioning and social experiences, particularly perception of loneliness.
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ItemMental Health in Australia and the Challenge of Community Mental Health Reform(ECO-Vector LLC, 2021)Australia was one of the first countries to develop and implement a national mental health plan, 30 years ago. This national approach belied the countrys federal structure, in which the federal government takes responsibility for primary care while state and territory governments manage acute and hospital mental health care. This arrangement has led to significant variations across jurisdictions. It has also left secondary care, often provided in the community, outside of this governance arrangement. This article explores this dilemma and its implications for community mental health, and suggests key steps towards more effective reform of this vital element of mental health care.
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ItemProposing a casual pathway for health-related quality of life in people with psychotic disorders(Elsevier, 2021-06-01)This study aimed to establish independent predictors for health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in people with psychotic disorders, and the mediating role of global functioning in those relationships. Data for 1642 people collected as part of the second Australian National Survey of Psychosis were analyzed. The Assessment of Quality of Life (AQoL)-4D and the Personal and Social Performance scale were used for assessing HRQoL and global functioning respectively. The study commenced with a theoretical model comprised of 26 sociodemographic and clinical variables. A predictive model for HRQoL was built up using a purposeful selection strategy to arrive at a set of clinically meaningful, independent predictors. The mediating effect of global functioning was then assessed. Seven variables were found to have an independent effect on HRQoL: perception of loneliness, number of negative symptoms, use of psychotropic and anticholinergic medications, course of disorder, lifetime histories of chronic pain and cardiovascular disease and living arrangements at the time of the interview. All variables except perceived loneliness and chronic pain were partially mediated through global functioning. This final model explained 46% of the variance in HRQoL, with loneliness and number of negative symptoms the strongest predictors. Evidence in support of a credible causal pathway for HRQoL in people with psychotic disorders, mediated by global functioning was presented. The importance of the quality of social relationships was highlighted, and potential targets for improving the HRQoL of this population identified.
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ItemCompleting the RANZCP scholarly project in a rural/regional setting: a practical example(SAGE Publications, 2021-07-01)OBJECTIVE: The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) scholarly project (SP) is a major hurdle for trainees completing psychiatric training - intensified for those working in rural settings. Whilst strategies to overcome this challenge have been proposed, there are few examples of how these have been successfully implemented. This report will describe the completion of a RANZCP SP in a regional setting, with supervision and support provided by an academic psychiatrist working within a metropolitan research centre. CONCLUSION: Trainees in remote geographical locations can utilise expert supervision from academic psychiatrists to successfully complete the SP. Key components are support from both the trainee and supervisor's employers, utilisation of a range of supervision modalities and a clear pragmatic memorandum of understanding between the supervisor and trainee. This initiative had widespread benefits beyond completion of the SP for all parties involved.