In Healthy People 2010, mental health is listed as a major public health concern as evidenced by an alarming increase in the number of individuals who suffer from mental disorders. Mental disorders are a treatable public health condition. However, health disparities in the treatment of mental disorders are evident. The purpose of this study was to examine factors that affected health outcomes of persons with mental disorders. Two specific aims were addressed: Aim 1: to examine the relationships of population characteristics (predisposing factors and enabling resources), health behaviors (health services use and health practice); and health outcomes (physical health status and mental health status); Aim 2: to determine the differences in the usual source of care and health outcomes between individuals with self-reported mental disorders and individuals without mental disorders. This study was a secondary analysis of existing data collected from 2006 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Household Component Consolidated file. A sample of U.S. civilian non-institutionalized adults (N=622) was grouped according to three self-reported health conditions: mental disorders (MD), physical illnesses (PI) and co-morbid mental disorders and physical illnesses (CM). This sample was predominantly male, White non-Hispanic and married; had a high school diploma, middle to high income, and private insurance; and preferred office-based clinics as the usual source of care, F(2,29)=5.94, p = .007. No statistically significant differences between groups in usual source of care (p=.069) and physical health status (p=.490) but there was a significant difference in mental health status (p=.001). Participants with CM had a poorer mental health status than those with PI and MD, F (2,619) =21.8, p= .000. The mental health status of individuals with PI was significantly better than that of participants with MD. Awareness of disparities in the usual source of care, health services use, and health outcomes among individuals with mental health conditions is imperative if barriers to care are to be eliminated. Innovative interventions pertinent to decreasing barriers to accessing health care and improving the health outcomes among individuals with MD must be tested. Advocating for mental health care policies that reduce health care services disparities among individuals with self-reported MD must be encouraged.

Section A is a review of the literature on Community Treatment Orders (CTOs) in the context of their recent introduction in England and Wales. A critical review of the literature in relation to CTOs’ effectiveness is presented, followed by available evidence on service users’ perceptions of CTOs. Consideration of ethical issues that surround compulsory community treatment is also offered. The review highlights gaps in the literature regarding CTOs’ impact on service users’ interpersonal relationships and on how service users who are based in the UK perceive CTOs. Further qualitative research is recommended. Section B describes a qualitative study investigating male service users’ perceptions of their CTOs and the impact of this intervention on their interpersonal relationships. Grounded Theory was used to analyse interview data from 15 participants. Five higher-order categories and 15 categories were identified which contributed to a preliminary model of how service users develop their CTO perceptions. The factors that appeared to influence participants’ perceptions of their CTOs were: i) past and present social living conditions, ii) view of self in relation to mental health, iii) view of the CTO service, i.e. view of medication and mental health professionals. Finally, the model showed that CTOs had a limited or no impact on participants’ views of their relationships with their families, friends, partners and local communities. Results are discussed with reference to potentially relevant psychological theories. Clinical implications, including raising professionals’ awareness about the impact of coercion on the therapeutic relationship, and directions for future research are also presented. Section C is a critical appraisal of the study presented in Section B. It provides reflective responses to four questions in relation to the following areas: research skills acquired through conducting the study; what improvements could be made if repeating the study; clinical implications; and directions for future research.

Section A provides an overview of the literature investigating the relationship between parental mental health and child physical health within populations of children with chronic childhood illness. Evidence for whether this relationship definitively exists, as well as the potential pathways through which this relationship could operate, is evaluated. Carers of children with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) can experience burden and psychological distress, which has been shown to impact on the child's physical health. Section B is an empirical study aiming to assess the validity and reliability of the Paediatric Renal Carer Burden Scale (PR-CBS) , a 51 item psychometric measure designed to assess carer burden in carers of children with CKD. Factor analysis indicated retention of 21 items representing 5 factors; Illness worries (8 items), Impact on self (5 items), Impact on child (3 items), Responsibility (3 items) and Institutional burden (2 items). Together they explain 53% of the total variance. Internal reliability for both the full scale and sub-scales were acceptable. Convergent validity was demonstrated using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and Caregiver Strain Questionnaire and the scale was reported by respondents as being acceptable to complete. The PR-CBS has been shown to be a valid and reliable scale and as such is a clinically relevant tool with which to identify burdened carers and provide additional psycho-social support so as to ensure best outcomes for both carer and child. Section C provides a critical evaluation of the research process and reflections from the researcher on learning throughout the process of the study as well as clinical implications and future research directions.

Šio darbo tikslas buvo įvertinti paauglių savižudišką elgesį ir jo ryšius su psichikos sutrikimais, asmenybės ypatumais bei psichosocialiniais veiksniais. Darbo uždaviniai: 1. Nustatyti paauglių savižudiško elgesio skirtumus tarp lyčių. 2. Nustatyti bandžiusių nusižudyti paauglių psichikos sutrikimų pasiskirstymą tarp lyčių. 3. Nustatyti asmenybės ypatumų įtaką paauglių savižudiškam elgesiui. 4. Nustatyti psichosocialinių veiksnių įtaką paauglių savižudiškam elgesiui. / The aim of this study was to evaluate adolescents suicidal behavior and its correlation to mental disorders, personality peculiarities and psychosocial factors. The objectives of the study: 1. To determine the differences of adolescents suicidal behavior between genders. 2. To establish distribution of mental disorders between genders of adolescents who attempted to commit suicide. 3. To determine the influence of personality’s peculiarities to adolescents suicidal behavior. 4. To establish the impact of psychosocial factors to adolescents suicidal behavior.

Effects of pharmacotherapies for Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) on cocaine abuse liability in ADHD are not understood. Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats (SHR), an ADHD model, exhibited greater cocaine self-administration than control Wistar-Kyoto and Wistar rats. Methylphenidate, but not atomoxetine during adolescence enhanced cocaine self-administration in adult SHRs compared to controls. The mesocortical dopaminergic system, including medial prefrontal (mPFC) and orbitofrontal (OFC) cortices, is important for ADHD and cocaine addiction. Dopamine and norepinephrine transporter (DAT and NET) are molecular targets for methylphenidate, atomoxetine and cocaine action. In the current studies, SHR, Wistar-Kyoto and Wistar were administered methylphenidate (1.5 mg/kg/day, p.o.), atomoxetine (0.3 mg/kg/day, i.p.) or vehicle during adolescence (postnatal day 28-55). During adulthood (>77 days), DAT and NET functions in mPFC and OFC were determined as neurochemical mechanisms and locomotor sensitization to cocaine, and impulsivity under differential reinforcement of low rates 30-second (DRL30) schedule were evaluated as behavioral mechanisms associated with greater cocaine self-administration in methylphenidate-treated SHRs. Maximal velocity of [3H]dopamine uptake (Vmax) by DAT and DAT cellular distribution in mPFC and OFC did not differ between vehicle-control, adult SHR, Wistar-Kyoto and Wistar. Methylphenidate increased DAT Vmax, but not cell-surface expression, in SHR mPFC. In contrast, atomoxetine decreased Vmax and cell-surface expression in SHR OFC. Compared to control strains, norepinephrine uptake by NET in the OFC was increased in vehicle-administered SHR; methylphenidate during adolescence normalized NET function in SHR OFC. Locomotor sensitization was greater in SHR compared to control, and was not altered by methylphenidate. Under DRL30, methylphenidate increased burst responses in adult SHR compared to vehicle control as well as methylphenidate-treated Wistar-Kyoto and Wistar, indicating increased impulsivity. Increased OFC NET function, increased impulsivity and cocaine sensitivity may be the neurobehavioral mechanisms associated with the increased cocaine self-administration in SHR. Increased mPFC DAT function may underlie the enhanced impulsivity and cocaine self-administration in SHR administered methylphenidate during adolescence. Decreased OFC DAT function from atomoxetine-treated SHR may explain the reduced cocaine self-administration relative to methylphenidate. Thus, methylphenidate during adolescence in ADHD may increase risk for cocaine abuse, while atomoxetine may represent a therapeutic alternative for at-risk adolescents with ADHD.

The present series of investigations examined the diagnostic accuracy of the Cognitive Examination (CAMCOG) from the Cambridge Mental Disorders of the Elderly Examination (CAMDEX) in the differential diagnosis of various dementing conditions. Specifically, this study examined: (a) the degree to which the CAMCOG would differentiate normal individuals from patients with Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and from those suffering from non-AD dementing conditions, (b) the extent to which the CAMCOG would distinguish between patients suffering from organic dementing conditions, those having functional psychiatric disorders, and normal persons, and (c) whether the CAMCOG would offer an improvement in diagnostic accuracy over a widely used screening instrument (i.e., the Mini-Mental Status Examination, MMSE) when attempting to differentially diagnose dementing patients and normal cohorts.A review of the literature was presented with an emphasis on the difficulties in establishing differential diagnosis, inaccuracies in diagnosis, the importance of improved diagnostic accuracy, and the use of neuropsychological measures in the assessment and diagnosis of patients suffering from dementing illnesses. Further, research relevant to ancillary diagnostic techniques, the various neuropsychologicalapproaches used in evaluating and diagnosing mental disorders in the elderly, and studies investigating the utility of specific cognitive/neuropsychological measures in the differential diagnosis of dementing diseases was presented.The results of these investigations revealed that the CAMCOG provides excellent diagnostic sensitivity and specificity when differentiating normal persons from clinically diagnosed AD patients and when distinguishing between individuals with an organic-dementing condition and normal adults. The CAMCOG was found to be less effective in differentiating AD and non-AD dementia patients and in distinguishing between patients suffering from organic dementia versus specified psychiatric disorders. Finally, the CAMCOG demonstrated a slight improvement in diagnostic accuracy over the Mini-Mental Status Examination. These results were discussed in terms of their support for the utility of the CAMCOG as an excellent screening measure when used to differentiate patients suffering from various dementia-producing disease states and normal persons. / Department of Educational Psychology

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol. inst., 2003. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol. inst., 2003. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Uppsala : Univ., 2002. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol. inst., 2005. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.