<p>The Scandinavian countries have a long tradition of taking part in peacekeeping missions and also of research in this field. The aim of this thesis is to continue the tradition of research and try to shed some more light on the mental health aspects of peacekeeping operations. Two methods were used to accomplish this. One was to study a Swedish battalion serving for 6 months in NATO´s IFOR mission in Bosnia in 1996, using a longitudinal approach. Questionnaires covering predeployment factors, general mental health, traumatic experiences and effects of support were used. The other method was to perform a register study in which 39 768 individuals who had served in peacekeeping missions were compared to a matched group of the general population with regard to differences in suicide rates. The general level of mental health problems and post-traumatic reactions was low and did not change over time. Traumatic experiences during service only appeared to make a temporary difference in general mental health. There are indications that possible predictors for poor mental health in peacekeepers could be constituted by: lower mean scores on the SOC questionnaire and on the Emotional Stability scale of the FFPI; personality disorders in general; prior family problems or psychiatric problems expressed through suicidal thoughts before deployment and problems experienced post-deployment, such as "relationship problems", death of a close relative", or "financial problems". It was found that the combination of peer support and a defusing session led by platoon commanders had positive effects on the post deployment mental health. The rate of personality disorders appears to be at the same level as or at a slightly lower level than in the general population. Compared to the general population, the suicide rate was showed to be lower in the peacekeeper population.</p>

<p>The general aim of the present thesis is to investigate needs of support and service in clients with long-term mental disabilities living in the community. A further aim is to study changes in these client needs during a 3.5-year follow-up. </p><p>A questionnaire, The Need of Support and Service Questionnaire (NSSQ), was developed to provide staffs in psychiatric care and social services with a brief instrument to assess how their clients live in the community and to identify their needs. </p><p>The results are based on 1,759 clients. The prevalence of clients in urban and rural areas was 6.4/1,000 and 4.5/1,000 inhabitants, respectively. The clients living in the urban setting were more frequently male, older, with a diagnosis of schizophrenia and needed more support in activities of daily living than rural clients. </p><p>Clients identified by staff in psychiatric care only were more often living with a partner, with children living at home and more often had a rehabilitation allowance than clients identified by social services staff. In clients assessed by both organizations similar needs at a group level were identified. However, agreements were lower at the individual level. </p><p>Although clients reported fewer needs than staff in psychiatric care, the reported needs were in the same areas.</p><p>A majority of the clients with unmet needs of service at baseline had their needs met at the 3.5-year follow-up. New unmet needs were also identified at the follow-up, however. The results demonstrate less improvement in clients with schizophrenia as compared with non-schizophrenic clients.</p><p>In conclusion, needs of support and service present a dynamic process and both psychiatric care and social services should critically evaluate assessments of these needs.</p>

The Scandinavian countries have a long tradition of taking part in peacekeeping missions and also of research in this field. The aim of this thesis is to continue the tradition of research and try to shed some more light on the mental health aspects of peacekeeping operations. Two methods were used to accomplish this. One was to study a Swedish battalion serving for 6 months in NATO´s IFOR mission in Bosnia in 1996, using a longitudinal approach. Questionnaires covering predeployment factors, general mental health, traumatic experiences and effects of support were used. The other method was to perform a register study in which 39 768 individuals who had served in peacekeeping missions were compared to a matched group of the general population with regard to differences in suicide rates. The general level of mental health problems and post-traumatic reactions was low and did not change over time. Traumatic experiences during service only appeared to make a temporary difference in general mental health. There are indications that possible predictors for poor mental health in peacekeepers could be constituted by: lower mean scores on the SOC questionnaire and on the Emotional Stability scale of the FFPI; personality disorders in general; prior family problems or psychiatric problems expressed through suicidal thoughts before deployment and problems experienced post-deployment, such as "relationship problems", death of a close relative", or "financial problems". It was found that the combination of peer support and a defusing session led by platoon commanders had positive effects on the post deployment mental health. The rate of personality disorders appears to be at the same level as or at a slightly lower level than in the general population. Compared to the general population, the suicide rate was showed to be lower in the peacekeeper population.

Seasonal variations of mood, behavior and physiology have been of increasing interest. At least two different seasonal rhythms seem to exist: Descriptions of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) with increased weight, increased sleep and fatigue during winter have attracted attention in academic psychiatry and in the general public the last two decades. In addition to such a difference in mood, weight and sleep between summer and winter, many studies describe a spring and fall increase in frequency of suicides and of admissions to hospital for mood disorders. In searching for a possible etiology for these seasonal changes, the main focus has been on variations in length of day. The objective of this thesis was to study the existence and pattern of seasonal variation in some forms of behavior and of psychiatric illness among children and adults in Norway. Possible statistical connections between seasonal variations of behavior and changes in length of day and the influences of latitude, sex and age were also studied. The monthly numbers of incidents in different groups were studied: All suicides in Norway 1969-96 (N=14.503), admissions to hospital for depression and mania in some hospitals 1992-96 (N=4.341), all violent episodes recorded by the police in Norway 1991-97 (N=82.537), all patient-staff incidents in a psychiatric department 1990-97 (N=502), all telephone calls to the Red Cross help-line for children and adolescents in Norway 1996-98 (N=691.787calls, 220.602 conversations) and in Trondheim, Norway 1991-97 (N=80.983 calls, 22.698 conversations) were included in the thesis. The monthly frequencies of these incidents were compared to an expected equal daily frequency of incidents through the year. Changes with increasing age and increasing latitude were examined. Correlations between the monthly frequencies of incidents and the length of day, with maximum impact at midsummer, and correlations between the monthly frequencies of incidents and the speed of change in length of day, with maximum impact at the equinoxes, were also studied. In this thesis, an increased activity in April-June and in October-November is described for all the groups that were studied. In summer and winter there is less activity than in the rest of the year. Among children calling the help-line, a steady diminishing seasonal variation in number of calls with increasing age from 7 to 17 years of age and an increasing seasonal variation in number of calls with increasing latitude were found. Also the seasonal variation of violence increases with increasing latitude in Norway. Among men there is a correlation between the monthly number of suicides and the monthly number of admissions for mania and a correlation between the monthly number of suicides and the monthly number of admissions for depression. Among women there is a diminishing seasonal variation of admissions for depressions with increasing age. The monthly frequency of violence in Norway and the monthly frequency of calls to the Red Cross help-Line for children and adolescents correlated with a delay of 1-2 months with the monthly change in length of day with maximum impact at the equinoxes. The results in the thesis correspond with earlier studies describing an increase in the frequency of suicides and an increase in admissions for depressions in spring and fall. A corresponding rhythm for other forms of human behavior is described in the present thesis, indicating that the seasonal rhythm of psychiatric illness reflects a seasonal rhythm of behavior in greater parts of the population. The seasonal variation in behavior seems to increase with increasing latitude, to be more dramatic in the northern than in the southern parts of Norway. In this thesis results supporting a hypothesis of human behavior being influenced by changes in length of day are given. Changes in length of day may induce changes in sleep and other disturbances in the daily rhythm that could change mood and other emotional qualities in vulnerable individuals. The demands on our capability to adapt to changes in length of day are largest at the equinoxes. / <b>Årstidsvariasjon av sinnstemning og adferd.</b> Det er økende interesse for årstidsvariasjon av adferd og av forekomsten av psykiske lidelser. Det synes å foreligge minst to ulike årstidsrytmer i befolkningen; Størst oppmerksomhet har oppdagelsen av vinterdepresjon karakterisert ved tristhet, tretthet, økt vekt og forlenget søvn vakt. I tillegg til en slik forskjell i humør, vekt og søvn mellom sommer og vinter, er det en rekke beskrivelser av overhyppighet av selvmord og av innleggelser i sykehus for depresjoner vår og høst. Årsakene til disse to ulike årstidsrytmene er ikke kjent, men man har antatt at variasjon i dagslengde gjennom året spiller en rolle. Hensikten med denne avhandlingen har vært å undersøke om det er årstidsvariasjon i forekomsten av ulike former for adferd og av psykiske lidelser hos barn og voksne i Norge. Videre er eventuelle statistiske sammenhenger mellom adferd og dagslengde gjennom året undersøkt. Til sist er forskjeller i årstidsrytme knyttet til breddegrad, alder og kjønn undersøkt. Antallet hendelser pr måned i ulike grupper ble studert; Alle selvmord i Norge 1969-96 (N=14.503), innleggelser for depresjon og mani i en del sykehus 1992-96 (N=4.341), alle registrerte voldsepisoder i Norge 1991-97 (N= 82.537), personalskader i et psykiatrisk sykehus 1991-97 (N=502), alle telefoner til Røde Kors Kontakttelefon for barn og unge i Norge 1996–98 (N=691.787 oppringninger, 220.602 samtaler) og i Trondheim 1991-97 (N=80.983 oppringninger, 22.698 samtaler) ble inkludert i arbeidet. Hyppigheten av alle disse hendelsene i hver måned ble sammenlignet med en forventet lik fordeling av hendelsene året igjennom. Endringer med økende alder og med økende breddegrad ble undersøkt. Videre ble det gjort sammenligninger med dagslengde som er lengst ved sommersolverv og kortest ved vintersolverv, og sammenligninger med endringer av dagslengde som er hurtig ved vår og høstjamndøgn og sakte ved solvervene. I alle disse materialene er det en økt aktivitet april – juni og oktober – november, videre er det stille perioder om vinteren og om sommeren. Blant barn som ringer kontakttelefonen er det gradvis avtagende årstidsvariasjon av henvendelser med økende alder fra 7 til 17 år og økende årstidsvariasjon i antallet henvendelser jo lenger nord man kommer i Norge. Også årstidsvariasjonen av vold i Norge endrer seg jo lengre nord man kommer i landet. Blant menn er der en korrelasjon mellom det månedlige antallet av selvmord og av innleggelser for mani og mellom antallet selvmord og innleggelser for depresjon. Blant kvinner er det en avtagende årstidsvariasjon av innleggelser for depresjon med økende alder. Den månedlige endring av dagslengde som er raskest ved jamndøgnene korrelerer med en viss forsinkelse med forekomsten av vold i Norge og med antallet oppringninger til Barn og Unges kontakttelefon. Funnene i avhandlingen er i samsvar med tidligere beskrivelser av en markert økning av suicid og av innleggelser for depresjoner om våren og til dels om høsten. I avhandlingen er en tilsvarende rytme funnet for annen adferd. Dette tyder på at årstidsrytmen av psykiatrisk sykelighet avspeiler en årstidsrytme av adferd i store deler av befolkningen. Videre ser det ut til at forskjellene i adferd gjennom året blir mer markerte jo lengre nord man kommer i landet. I avhandlingen er det funn som støtter en hypotese om at endringer i dagslengde påvirker mennesket, det er mulig at dette skjer gjennom endret søvn og andre forstyrrelser i døgnrytmen. Vår døgnrytme er utsatt for størst krav til å tilpasse seg hurtige endringer i lysforhold rundt jamndøgnene.

It has been suggested that persons with intellectual disabilities (ID) manifest the full range of mental health problems. The main purpose of this thesis is to adapt and evaluate two clinical assessment instruments and to investigate the occurrence of mental health problems as well as psychiatric care utilisation in persons with ID. The psychometric properties of a Swedish version of the two instruments [Reiss Screen for Maladaptive Behaviour (RSMB) and the Psychopathology Inventory for Mentally Retarded Adults (PIMRA)] were investigated in a random, institutional and clinical sample of administratively defined (ADDEF) adults with ID (n = 199). The analyses suggest that the RSMB could be used as intended by staff as a primary screening device for the identification of mental health problems in persons with ID, and that the PIMRA had a potential to identify individuals with a specific mental disorder. The psychometric evaluation reveals that the Swedish versions of the RSMB and PIMRA measure a construct related to the diagnostic categories in the DSM-III-R and DSM-IV. This construct could be conceptualised as mental health problems. The RSMB and PIMRA results show that the overall occurrence of mental health problems in ADDEF samples of persons with ID (175 men and 148 women) ranged from 34 to 64%. The preliminary level of ID was mild (23%), moderate (39%) and severe (38%). The most common mental health problems were aggressive and self-injurious behaviours, depression, anxiety and adjustment disorders. In registered patients receiving out- or in-patient psychiatric care the occurrence of adults with an ICD-10 diagnosis of ID was approximately 1% (70 to 90% had a mild level of ID). In contrast to the high frequency of mental health problems reported, psychiatric care was used infrequently. This tendency is particularly evident in persons with moderate and severe ID.

The general aim of the present thesis is to investigate needs of support and service in clients with long-term mental disabilities living in the community. A further aim is to study changes in these client needs during a 3.5-year follow-up. A questionnaire, The Need of Support and Service Questionnaire (NSSQ), was developed to provide staffs in psychiatric care and social services with a brief instrument to assess how their clients live in the community and to identify their needs. The results are based on 1,759 clients. The prevalence of clients in urban and rural areas was 6.4/1,000 and 4.5/1,000 inhabitants, respectively. The clients living in the urban setting were more frequently male, older, with a diagnosis of schizophrenia and needed more support in activities of daily living than rural clients. Clients identified by staff in psychiatric care only were more often living with a partner, with children living at home and more often had a rehabilitation allowance than clients identified by social services staff. In clients assessed by both organizations similar needs at a group level were identified. However, agreements were lower at the individual level. Although clients reported fewer needs than staff in psychiatric care, the reported needs were in the same areas. A majority of the clients with unmet needs of service at baseline had their needs met at the 3.5-year follow-up. New unmet needs were also identified at the follow-up, however. The results demonstrate less improvement in clients with schizophrenia as compared with non-schizophrenic clients. In conclusion, needs of support and service present a dynamic process and both psychiatric care and social services should critically evaluate assessments of these needs.

Det råder brist på forskning som berör psykiatrisk slutenvård utifrån ett patientperspektiv och studier efterfrågas som på djupet kartlägger patienters upplevelser. Syftet med undersökningen var att öppet och förutsättningslöst beskriva upplevelsen av att vara patient i psykiatrisk slutenvård. Tretton patienter inskrivna vid fyra avdelningar intervjuades och materialet analyserades tematiskt. Resultatet visar att deltagarnas upplevelse av den psykiatriska slutenvården är starkt förknippad med de människor de möter på avdelningen.Patientgruppen blir påverkad av stämningen i personalgruppen vilket får konsekvenser för deras upplevelse av vården. Deltagarna uppskattar engagerad personal som är lyhörd för patientens behov och som ger stöd när de behövs som bäst. Patienterna stöttar varandra och delar erfarenheter. Deltagarna upplever att de på olika sätt förlorarkontrollen över sina liv under vistelsen på avdelningen. Avdelningen beskrivs som en plats för välbehövlig vila men upplevs också som långtråkig där tiden går långsamt. Deltagarna tvivlar ibland på vad vården ska ge dem och efterfrågar mer information och delaktighet i behandling samt fler behandlingsmetoder. Resultatet finner stöd i liknande studier på området.

Schizophrenia is one of the most severe mental disorders. Heredity is accepted as a major causative factor. To find molecular mechanisms behind schizophrenia, patient materials with reliable and valid diagnoses must be identified. In order to compare schizophrenia diagnostic procedures for reliability, validity and suitability for genetic studies by evaluation of record information, interview and register diagnostic data and to examine patient materials for linkage or association with molecular genetic markers three patient materials were recruited: sporadic cases, a large pedigree and sib-pairs. Schizophrenia diagnoses based on patient records only, showed good to excellent agreement with diagnoses based on both records and interviews. Register diagnoses generally displayed poor agreement with research diagnoses, but in 94% of patients sometimes registered as schizophrenic psychoses a research diagnosis of these disorders was certified. In the pedigree, analysis suggested linkage to chr 6p23 in a single branch of the pedigree, and a genome scan indicated linkage to the 6q25 region. A genome scan analysis of the sib-pair material was suggestive of linkage to chr 10q25.3-q26.3. In the case-control sample and a meta-analysis there was an association between a dopamine D2 receptor polymorphism (Ser311Cys), on chr 11q22-23, and the disorder. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor gene variants (chr 11p13) were also analysed without any robust significant findings. For patients in long-term treatment for schizophrenia in Sweden, psychiatric record reviews should be valid, reliable and sufficient for assessment of lifetime research diagnosis. Swedish register diagnosis of schizophrenic psychoses has a high positive predictive power in relation to corresponding research diagnoses. For future Swedish studies focusing on a broad definition of schizophrenia, it is sufficient to rely on the register diagnoses of schizophrenic psychosis. There is no major vulnerability gene or locus that is common to the majority of patients with schizophrenia, indicating genetic heterogeneity.

The focus of the thesis is on violent offenders with schizophrenia and their relatives. The aims were to explore incidence of violent crimes, the extent to which family members were victims, to investigate individual background factors among violent offenders, and to identify psychotic symptoms and triggering factors associated with fatal violence. In addition, parents were interviewed to build an understanding of their experiences and emotional reactions. One study examined all 369 male individuals who had committed a violent crime (assault, homicide or attempt to any of these crimes), who in a pre-trial forensic psychiatric evaluation (FPE) during 1992-2000 were diagnosed with schizophrenia, and who were referred to forensic psychiatric treatment. Although the majority of the 615 victims was unacquainted to the offenders, family members or male acquainted were most at risk of being severely injured or killed as victims. Background factors were studied for the 207 Swedish offenders who for their first time were subjects of a FPE during the study period. There were indications that those offenders who targeted family members had an earlier onset and more severe course of their mental illness. During the study period, 48 offenders committed homicides. Of the 52 victims, 83% were family members or acquainted to the offender. Those who killed a family member had more often delusions and/or hallucinations, were less often intoxicated, had to a lesser extent committed a previous violent crime and they were younger at the time of the homicide. Parents, who were interviewed, were very emotionally involved in their adult sons, although they were not living together. Ignorance regarding the diagnosis of their son and his criminality negatively influenced the contacts, both between parent and son and between parent and professionals in psychiatry. However, the referral to forensic psychiatric treatment gave the parents hope for a positive development.

Bakgrund: Allt fler nyanlända och asylsökande söker vård i Sverige. Många bär på traumatiska upplevelser av att fly sitt hemland och lämna sin trygghet. Psykisk ohälsa är vanligt förekommande och flertalet kommer vara i behov av att söka sjukvård i Sverige som i sin tur har skyldighet att ge var och en den vård de behöver, på lika villkor. Syfte: Syftet med denna studie är att beskriva sjuksköterskans upplevelser av att vårda patienter med posttraumatiskt stressyndrom (PTSD) relaterat till flyktingtrauma. Metod: Studien utfördes som en intervjustudie på livsvärldsteoretisk grund och intervjuerna analyserades med hjälp av kvalitativ innehållsanalys. Resultat: Temat “Svåra möten som berikar” framträdde med fyra subteman där sjuksköterskorna beskriver upplevelser av att känna sig begränsad och inte räcka till i sin vårdande roll, behovet av att bygga relationer till patienter, tyngden av att bära någon annans lidande, men också den hedrande känslan av att få ta del av någons lidande. Sjuksköterskorna beskriver vidare en känsla av att dessa patienter inte får vård på lika villkor och att det finns ett behov av mer kunskap om transkulturell psykiatri och dess roll i vårdandet av denna patientgrupp. Diskussion/Slutsats: Trots sjuksköterskans välvilja om att vårda och göra gott krävs ytterligare kunskap kring området transkulturell psykiatri för att kunna anta de utmaningar dagens hälso-sjukvård står inför. Verksamheter bör därför prioritera tillgång till reflektion och stöd på arbetsplatsen, ombesörja att rätt profession befinner sig på rätt plats samt lägga vikt vid kompetensutveckling.