{"title":"Perceptions of illness in self and in others among patients with bipolar disorder.","authors":"Anandit J Mathew, Beulah Samuel, K S Jacob","doi":"10.1177/0020764009106621","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0020764009106621","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Aim: </strong>The study aimed to examine the perceptions of illness in self and among others in patients with bipolar disorder in remission. The effect of a structured educational programme on the perceptions of illness was also tested.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>We examined the perceptions of illness in self and in others (using a vignette) among patients with bipolar disorder in remission attending the Department of Psychiatry, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India. We also examined the effect of a structured educational programme on explanatory models in a randomized controlled trial. Explanatory models were assessed using the Tamil version of the Short Explanatory Model Interview.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Eighty two subjects were recruited for the trial; half of them received structured education while the other half received treatment as usual. There was agreement between perceptions related to the individual's own illness and their opinion of illness in others as assessed using a vignette at baseline and at follow-up. There were no significant differences in explanatory models between patients who received education and those who did not.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The results of this study show that during periods of remission, patients can clearly see the relationship between their own illness and that described in others, suggesting that insight is state dependent and may be related to psychopathology with good recovery of insight during periods of remission. These findings also argue for the fact that the current multi-dimensional models of insight which focus on biomedical explanations and treatments are not culturally sensitive. The assessment of insight demands universal conventions with comparison to the local cultural standards rather than universal definitions and yardsticks which employ Western and biomedical perspectives.</p>","PeriodicalId":257862,"journal":{"name":"The International journal of social psychiatry","volume":" ","pages":"462-70"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2010-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/0020764009106621","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40008308","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Bogusław Antoszewski, Aneta Sitek, Marta Fijałkowska, Anna Kasielska, Julia Kruk-Jeromin
{"title":"Tattooing and body piercing--what motivates you to do it?","authors":"Bogusław Antoszewski, Aneta Sitek, Marta Fijałkowska, Anna Kasielska, Julia Kruk-Jeromin","doi":"10.1177/0020764009106253","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0020764009106253","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Body ornamentation is becoming more and more popular, especially among young people.</p><p><strong>Aims: </strong>To establish the sociodemographic characteristics of people with tattoos or body piercing and to analyze the motivations for body ornamentation.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The questionnaire studies were undertaken in Lodz--one of the largest cities in Poland. The data was collected from a group of 968 people, 476 of whom had a piercing and 492 a permanent tattoo.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Statistical analysis revealed that in the group of people with a tattoo, 36.8% were female and 63.2% were male. Contrary proportions were noted among people with a piercing: 78.8% female and 21.2% male.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Body piercing is significantly more popular among women while tattooing is more popular in men. Among adolescents, body piercing is performed considerably earlier than tattooing. The main reasons for body ornamenting in the Polish population are the desire to enhance one's individuality and the need to increase sexual attractiveness.</p>","PeriodicalId":257862,"journal":{"name":"The International journal of social psychiatry","volume":" ","pages":"471-9"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2010-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/0020764009106253","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40008310","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Public knowledge and beliefs about depression among urban and rural Malays in Malaysia.","authors":"Viren Swami, Phik-Wern Loo, Adrian Furnham","doi":"10.1177/0020764008101639","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0020764008101639","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>This study examined knowledge and beliefs about depression among Malaysian Malays varying in socioeconomic status.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A total of 153 urban and 189 rural participants completed a questionnaire in which they had to identify two cases of depression and rate a series of items about the causes and best treatments for depression.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Results showed that urban participants were more likely to use psychiatric labels ('depression') for the two vignettes, whereas rural participants tended to use more generic terms ('emotional stress').</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Principal components analysis (PCA) showed that beliefs about the causes of depression factored into five components, of which stressful life events was most strongly endorsed by both groups. PCA of treatment items revealed four stable components, of which religious factors were most strongly endorsed. There were also a number of significant between-group differences in the endorsement of these factors (eta(p) (2) = .03-.11), with rural participants generally rating supernatural and religious factors more strongly than urban Malays. These results are discussed in relation to mental health literacy programmes in Malaysia.</p>","PeriodicalId":257862,"journal":{"name":"The International journal of social psychiatry","volume":" ","pages":"480-96"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2010-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/0020764008101639","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40008306","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Matthew Large, Olav Nielssen, Saeed Farooq, Nick Glozier
{"title":"Increasing rates of psychiatric publication from low- and middle-income countries.","authors":"Matthew Large, Olav Nielssen, Saeed Farooq, Nick Glozier","doi":"10.1177/0020764009102412","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0020764009102412","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>The low level of psychiatric research in low- and middle-income (LAMI) countries has been identified as a cause for concern, particularly because the extent of the unmet need for psychiatric treatment in many LAMI countries is not known. The aim of this study was to establish if the worldwide increase in research publication during the last decade included an increase in publication about mental disorders from LAMI countries.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>We searched PubMed for articles about mental disorder, depression and schizophrenia using the names of LAMI and high-income (HI) countries in the institutional affi liation address (AD) field published during two five-year periods: 1998-2002 and 2003-2007. We then examined the relationship between per capita publications about mental disorder and the independent variables of per capita gross domestic product purchasing power parity (GDP ppp), per capita psychiatric beds, per capita psychiatrists, total population and whether the country had a designated mental health budget.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The number of medical research publications per capita, and the number of publications about mental disorder from LAMI countries is low when compared to the rate from HI countries. However, the absolute number of publications from LAMI regions and the proportion of research publications about mental disorder, schizophrenia and depression increased significantly during the decade of the study. There were independent associations between GDP ppp and population size and the rate of publications about mental disorder in LAMI countries.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The overall increase in the number of publications about mental disorder in the last decade probably reflects an increase in psychiatric research in LAMI countries. The increase in rates of publication was greatest in middle-income countries with the largest populations.</p>","PeriodicalId":257862,"journal":{"name":"The International journal of social psychiatry","volume":" ","pages":"497-506"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2010-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/0020764009102412","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40008343","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pablo Ronzoni, Nisha Dogra, Olayinka Omigbodun, Tolulope Bella, Olayinka Atitola
{"title":"Stigmatization of mental illness among Nigerian schoolchildren.","authors":"Pablo Ronzoni, Nisha Dogra, Olayinka Omigbodun, Tolulope Bella, Olayinka Atitola","doi":"10.1177/0020764009341230","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0020764009341230","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Despite the fact that about 10% of children experience mental health problems, they tend to hold negative views about mental illness. The objective of this study was to investigate the views of Nigerian schoolchildren towards individuals with mental illness or mental health problems.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cross-sectional design was used. Junior and senior secondary schoolchildren from rural and urban southwest Nigeria were asked: 'What sorts of words or phrases might you use to describe someone who experiences mental health problems?' The responses were tabulated, grouped and interpreted by qualitative thematic analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of 164 students, 132 (80.5%) responded to the question. Six major themes emerged from the answers. The most popular descriptions were 'derogatory terms' (33%). This was followed by 'abnormal appearance and behaviour' (29.6%); 'don't know' answers (13.6%); 'physical illness and disability' (13.6%); 'negative emotional states' (6.8%); and 'language and communication difficulties' (3.4%).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The results suggest that, similar to findings elsewhere, stigmatization of mental illness is highly prevalent among Nigerian children. This may be underpinned by lack of knowledge regarding mental health problems and/or fuelled by the media. Educational interventions and encouraging contact with mentally ill persons could play a role in reducing stigma among schoolchildren.</p>","PeriodicalId":257862,"journal":{"name":"The International journal of social psychiatry","volume":" ","pages":"507-14"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2010-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/0020764009341230","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40008307","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Changes in the sociocultural reality of chinese immigrants: challenges and opportunities in help-seeking behaviour.","authors":"Irene Chung","doi":"10.1177/0020764009105647","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0020764009105647","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>This paper uses findings from a larger study to present a nuanced depiction of the interplay of informal and formal help-seeking processes of a sample of Chinese immigrants in their mental healthcare in New York City.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Thirty one participants who were receiving mental health treatment were interviewed with regard to their experiences preceding their suicide attempt. Their narratives were coded for thematic analysis.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>Acculturation difficulties, inaccessibility to services and stigma associated with mental illness were major obstacles in the participants' help-seeking process, which was consistent with other studies of immigrants of ethnic minority groups in the USA. In addition, the findings showed how changes in this sample of Chinese immigrants' socio-cultural reality disrupted familiar help-seeking pathways, and perpetuated and amplified the aforementioned stressors. Issues of human connection, immigrants' resiliency and missed opportunities were also identified as potential resources to modify cultural stigmas and help-seeking behaviour.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>There are varied socio-cultural factors that need to be considered in mental health outreach services in immigrant communities.</p>","PeriodicalId":257862,"journal":{"name":"The International journal of social psychiatry","volume":" ","pages":"436-47"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2010-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/0020764009105647","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40008309","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The relationship between general population suicide rates and mental health funding, service provision and national policy: a cross-national study.","authors":"Ajit Shah, Ritesh Bhandarkar, Gurleen Bhatia","doi":"10.1177/0020764009342384","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0020764009342384","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>The main aims were to examine the relationship between general population suicide rates and the presence of national policies on mental health, funding for mental health, and measures of mental health service provision.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data on general population suicide rates for both genders were obtained from the World Health Organization (WHO) databank available on the WHO website. Data on the presence of national policies on mental health, funding for mental health and measures of mental health service provision were obtained from the Mental Health Atlas 2005, also available on the WHO website.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>The main findings were: (i) there was no relationship between suicide rates in both genders and different measures of mental health policy, except they were increased in countries with mental health legislation; (ii) there was a significant positive correlation between suicide rates in both genders and the percentage of the total health budget spent on mental health; and (iii) suicide rates in both genders were higher in countries with greater provision of mental health services, including the number of psychiatric beds, psychiatrists and psychiatric nurses, and the availability of training in mental health for primary care professionals.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Cross-national ecological studies using national-level aggregate data are not helpful in establishing a causal relationship (and the direction of this relationship) between suicide rates and mental health funding, service provision and national policies. The impact of introducing national policies on mental health, increasing funding for mental health services and increasing mental health service provision on suicide rates requires further examination in longitudinal within-country studies.</p>","PeriodicalId":257862,"journal":{"name":"The International journal of social psychiatry","volume":" ","pages":"448-53"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2010-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/0020764009342384","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40008344","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Coping with refugees. A Canadian experience: 1948-1981.","authors":"L Tyhurst","doi":"10.1177/002076408202800204","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/002076408202800204","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Clinical and field studies of five successive refugee groups to Canada over the past 32 years are summarised. A consistent pattern of behaviour among refugees of different cultural background is described. The concept of Social Displacement Syndrome is reviewed and discussed from the perspective of the refugee recipient society. The early stages of the natural history of resettlement are seen as a series of predictable behaviour patterns of Refugees and Helpers. Some general principles are assigned for the study of refugee situation, of relevance to the development of specific personal and social support systems and to practical social psychiatric research.</p>","PeriodicalId":257862,"journal":{"name":"The International journal of social psychiatry","volume":" ","pages":"105-9"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"1982-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/002076408202800204","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40717992","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Reintegration of chronic mental patients into the Malaysian community.","authors":"W Krahl","doi":"10.1177/002076408202800102","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/002076408202800102","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This paper describes a rehabilitation programme for male chronic mental patients, with the aim of reintegrating them into the community. Since in Malaysia about 50% of the work force are stilling earning their living in the agricultural sector, the programme concentrates on training in farming and animal rearing. Since the patients are very institutionalised, resocialisation training is also provided that involves learning to communicate, to mix with others, to know how to use money, to make one's own demands, and to cope with more personal freedom. When a patient is trained well enough to be employed outside, a job is found for him that provides food, lodging and payment. After discharge from the hospital, he is regularly followed up by the social worker.</p>","PeriodicalId":257862,"journal":{"name":"The International journal of social psychiatry","volume":" ","pages":"15-9"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"1982-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/002076408202800102","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40524072","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Surviving stress.","authors":"D Cudaback, B Green","doi":"10.1177/002076408202800215","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/002076408202800215","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":257862,"journal":{"name":"The International journal of social psychiatry","volume":" ","pages":"149-52"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"1982-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/002076408202800215","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40717997","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}