International Journal of Mental Health Systems最新文献

{"title":"Navigating workforce challenges and strategies for sustainable mental health inpatient services-perspectives from Victoria's public mental health sector.","authors":"Christina Teo, Lisa Brophy, Fiona Smith","doi":"10.1186/s13033-026-00701-4","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13033-026-00701-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>BACKGROUND: This article explores the critical challenges faced by the mental health workforce in Victoria, Australia’s inpatient services, and outlines strategies for workforce planning and development essential to sustaining inpatient mental health care. By analysing submissions to the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System (RCVMHS), the article highlights the barriers and enablers identified by publicly funded mental health services. It underscores the urgent need for comprehensive reform in mental health services, emphasising that addressing workforce issues is fundamental to achieving these reforms. Without a well-supported and adequately resourced workforce, efforts to improve mental health care delivery will remain insufficient and unsustainable. METHODS: A comprehensive review and analysis of eighteen submissions from designated Area Mental Health and Wellbeing Services (AMHWS) to the Royal Commission on the current condition of their inpatient units (IPUs) was conducted. These submissions served as the primary sources of data, providing detailed information on the challenges and proposed enablers affecting the delivery of mental healthcare within these inpatient facilities. RESULTS: The findings identify major themes such as insufficient training, and challenges related to recruitment and retention are contributing to workforce shortages. These factors negatively impact occupational safety and contribute to staff burnout, which is further compounded by limited prospects for career advancement and an aging workforce.Potential solutions proposed by health services include designing attractive recruitment and retention strategies, the assurance of workforce safety, and the establishment of staff training and development initiatives to mitigate identified challenges. These measures necessitate a cohesive strategy, supported by comprehensive statewide workforce planning. Through the implementation of such strategies, mental health services can cultivate a resilient and enduring workforce capable of meeting the evolving needs of consumers. CONCLUSION: The challenges identified in this article are not unique to the state of Victoria, Australia. Rather, these issues are pervasive in IPUs across mental health systems worldwide. Recognising the nature of these pervasive challenges within acute inpatient settings is crucial for developing effective strategies and interventions to address them globally. </p>","PeriodicalId":47752,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Mental Health Systems","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13200299/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147647126","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Empowering mental health professionals in asynchronous online psychotherapy with GenAI.","authors":"Andreas Bucher, Inna Vashkite, Dario Staehelin, Mateusz Dolata, Gerhard Schwabe","doi":"10.1186/s13033-026-00700-5","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13033-026-00700-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Background Asynchronous online psychotherapy (AOP) offers a promising solution to improve access to mental healthcare, particularly in times of global crises. However, therapists practicing AOP face challenges such as emotional strain, isolation, and increased workloads. The integration of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) may provide support, yet little is known about its impact on the empowerment of mental health professionals, specifically regarding their perceived competence and autonomy, and how it can be integrated into blended care environments. Methods A mixed-method study was conducted with thirteen Ukrainian mental health professionals who engaged in both AI-supported and independent psychotherapy tasks using a digital agent, called APIA, powered by GPT-3.5/4. Participants completed standardized tasks such as forming diagnoses and treatment plans and responding to patient inquiries, followed by surveys and semi-structured interviews. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and paired-sample t-tests. Qualitative data from open-ended responses and interviews were analyzed thematically. Results Quantitative findings revealed that interaction with APIA led to a statistically significant increase in perceived competence (p < 0.01) and a marginal increase in perceived autonomy (p < 0.1). Qualitative data supported these findings, indicating that APIA enhanced task efficiency, supported validation of judgments, and improved independence. Three archetypes for integrating digital agents into AOP were identified: psychotherapist-centric, patient-centric, and therapy-centric. Despite the benefits, concerns were raised about data confidentiality, overreliance by inexperienced professionals, and potential depersonalization of care. Conclusions GenAI-based digital agents can positively influence mental health professionals’ sense of competence and, to a lesser extent, autonomy in asynchronous online psychotherapy settings. This empowerment may contribute to improved therapeutic quality and professional well-being. However, thoughtful integration, method-specific constraints, and ethical considerations must be addressed to realize the full potential of AI-supported mental healthcare.</p>","PeriodicalId":47752,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Mental Health Systems","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13200378/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147575914","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Patterns and predictors of the transition between minimally adequate treatment and effective treatment coverage for mental disorders: results from the World Mental Health Survey.","authors":"Alan E Kazdin, Julia R Pozuelo, Meredith G Harris, Dan J Stein, Maria Carmen Viana, Irving Hwang, Timothy L Kessler, Sophie M Manoukian, Nancy A Sampson, Sergio Aguilar-Gaxiola, Jordi Alonso, Laura Helena Andrade, Olatunde O Ayinde, Guilherme Borges, Ronny Bruffaerts, Brendan Bunting, Graça Cardoso, Stephanie Chardoul, Cristina Domenech, Oye Gureje, Elie G Karam, Viviane Kovess-Masfety, Fernando Navarro-Mateu, Daisuke Nishi, José Posada-Villa, Charlene Rapsey, Annelieke M Roest, Juan Carlos Stagnaro, Yolanda Torres, Cristian Vladescu, Jacek Wciórka, Bogdan Wojtyniak, Zahari Zarkov, Ronald C Kessler, Daniel V Vigo","doi":"10.1186/s13033-026-00698-w","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13033-026-00698-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The quality of mental disorder treatment varies widely, with many patients not receiving treatments based on evidence-based guidelines. We examine data from the World Mental Health (WMH) surveys to investigate prevalence and correlates of receiving effective treatment coverage (ETC) among patients receiving minimally adequate treatment (MAT) in the 12 months before interview.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data come from 25 WMH surveys carried out in 21 countries that included n = 1,119 participants who met the criteria for at least one of nine 12-month disorders considered here who received MAT for n = 2,313 disorders. MAT was defined as either (i) medication with 4 + healthcare visits or (ii) 8 + counseling sessions. ETC was defined as a subset of MAT that additionally required (i) medication appropriate for the disorder (e.g., mood stabilizers, anticonvulsant, or antipsychotic for bipolar disorder) taken with adequate control and adherence; and/or (ii) 8 + counseling sessions with a mental healthcare provider. Multivariable regression analysis with person-disorder treated as the case was used to examine associations of socio-demographic, disorder-related, and treatment-related factors with receiving ETC given MAT.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Fewer than half (47.1%) the cases with MAT received treatment qualifying as ETC. The strongest predictors of ETC given MAT were high patient education, mild/moderate disorder severity, treatment by a mental health specialist rather than primary care provider, and receipt of combined treatment with both medication and counseling rather than only one of these types of treatment. Importantly, combined treatment was associated with a significantly higher relative-risk of ETC if it was provided by a psychiatrist rather than a combination of a general medical provider and a non-psychiatrist mental health provider.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Noteworthy limitations include the data being cross-sectional, the predictor set being restricted, and the outcome being defined in terms of structural characteristics rather than fidelity of implementation. Within the context of these limitations, results suggest that fewer than half of cases with minimally adequate treatment receive treatment meeting published guidelines for effective treatment coverage. This finding underscores the importance of improving treatment. Future research should focus on targets to improve each stage of the help-seeking process beginning with entry into treatment through receipt of ETC.</p>","PeriodicalId":47752,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Mental Health Systems","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-02-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13037245/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147285640","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of housing price increases on depression and stress in urban Iran: a case study from district 18 of Tehran.","authors":"Saied Pirasteh, Esmail Isazade, Vahid Isazade, Fardin Mostafaei, Sediqe Azadi Bakhshayesh, Zahra Salimi","doi":"10.1186/s13033-026-00695-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13033-026-00695-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Unaffordable housing has become a critical public health concern in developing countries, where rapid urbanization and inequality increase mental health risk. While existing research has explored economic and infrastructural dimensions of housing, limited attention has been given to how rising housing prices impact psychological well-being in low-income urban neighborhood. This study investigates the relationship between housing price increases and two key mental health outcomes depression and perceived stress within District 18 of Tehran, Iran.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cross-sectional study was conducted among 180 households across seven neighborhoods in District 18, using standardized psychometric tools: the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-14) and Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II). Housing indicators, including apartment and villa prices, household density, and building density, were obtained from municipal datasets. Spatial clustering and regression analyses were applied to examine the spatial and statistical relationships between housing and mental health patterns.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Housing price increases showed a strong positive correlation with both depression and perceived stress. The regression model revealed that apartment and villa prices accounted for 64.9% of the variation in depression scores (p < 0.001). Building density (34.8%) and household density (20.5%) were also significant predictors of psychological distress. Spatial analysis identified clustered hot spots of high depression and stress levels, particularly in high-density, high-price neighborhoods. The Moran's I index confirmed significant spatial autocorrelation for building density (I = 0.348, p = 0.041).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study highlights the significant impact of housing market pressures on mental health in underprivileged urban districts. The results suggest that rising housing prices and overcrowding have significantly increased the psychological burden among residents, emphasizing the need for integrative urban planning and mental health interventions.</p>","PeriodicalId":47752,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Mental Health Systems","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12994247/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146203365","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring the lived experiences and coping strategies of mental health caregivers in Ethiopia: implications for supportive interventions.","authors":"Shegaye Shumet, Ejigu Gebeye Zeleke","doi":"10.1186/s13033-026-00696-y","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13033-026-00696-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Caring for individuals with mental illness is stressful, with challenges like stigma, unequal responsibilities, and patient behavior. These stressors impact caregivers' mental health and treatment outcomes, yet little is known about coping strategies in Ethiopia. Therefore, this mixed-methods study assessed the coping strategies, lived experiences, and determinants for coping among family caregivers of patients with mental illness in northwest Ethiopia.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A convergent parallel mixed-methods study was conducted between June and July 2024. A total of 592 caregivers were selected using systematic random sampling. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews. Coping strategies were assessed using the 28-item Brief-COPE tool, while qualitative data were collected via tape-recorded in-depth interviews. Quantitative data were analyzed with SPSS AMOS Version 23 software using structural equation modeling, and qualitative data were analyzed with inductive thematic analysis using NVivo-15.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The mean adaptive and maladaptive coping scores were 34.65 (SD = 7.70) and 21.10 (SD = 5.00), respectively. Lower adaptive coping was significantly associated with being a farmer (β = -0.21), female sex (β = -0.10), older age (β = -0.07), longer illness duration (β = -0.10), and a higher number of patient hospital admissions (β = -0.07). Experiences of physical abuse and repeated hospitalizations also indirectly reduced adaptive coping. In contrast, perceived stigma showed a small but positive association with adaptive coping. Higher maladaptive coping was strongly predicted by caregiving burden (β = 0.39) and psychological distress (β = 0.13), with additional indirect effects from comorbid illnesses and abuse experiences. Social support demonstrated a protective effect by indirectly reducing maladaptive coping. Overall, family caregivers experienced substantial emotional, financial, and social challenges, underscoring the need for interventions that reduce caregiver burden, enhance social support, and address psychological distress.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Family caregivers exhibited lower coping strategies compared with the general population, highlighting their vulnerability. The findings indicate that caregiving burden and psychological distress play a central role in maladaptive coping, while social support serves as a protective factor. These results emphasize the need for comprehensive caregiver-focused interventions and the integration of caregiver support into mental health policies to promote adaptive coping and sustainable caregiving.</p>","PeriodicalId":47752,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Mental Health Systems","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13036946/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146138008","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Following the youth patient journey in the mental health help-seeking process in Bogotá, Colombia.","authors":"Débora L Shambo-Rodríguez, María Isabel Riaño-Fonseca, Salvador Camacho, German Eduardo Rueda-Jaimes, Mónica Natalí Sánchez-Nítola, Alexandra Morales Chocontá, Carlos Gómez Restrepo, Adriane Martin Hilber, Álvaro A Navarro-Mancilla, Ian B Hickie, Jo-An Occhipinti, Laura Ospina-Pinillos","doi":"10.1186/s13033-025-00685-7","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13033-025-00685-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Understanding help-seeking behaviors of young people with mental health concerns is crucial for developing responsive mental health services and policies. This study aimed to explore the help-seeking journeys of Colombian youth, the formal and informal services they reached out to when faced with psychological distress and the order in which these services were consulted. Additionally, it examined the differences between pathways of actual service users and those modeled by fictional characters.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study employed a mixed-methods design to explore help-seeking behaviors among Colombian youth (ages 10-19) facing mental health concerns, with a focus on service usage, sequence of access, and differences between actual (Clinical Sample, CLS) and perceived pathways (Community Sample, COS). The methodology combined semi-structured interviews, visual journey mapping, and social network analysis (SNA) to capture both qualitative and quantitative dimensions.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>30 young people (53% female, median age = 16, IQR = 3) participated in interviews, of which 19 disclosed past service usage (CLS) and 11 narrated hypothetical scenarios (COS). The findings revealed the absence of a 'typical' care seeking pathway. A trend, however, was observed of prioritizing informal services, such as friends and family, as an initial step in help-seeking behavior. CLS participants reported longer and more complex service pathways, averaging 14.7 services, often involving specialists such as psychiatrists and other medical specializations, with third-party involvement (e.g., parents, educators) in initiating contact. Hypothetical journeys were shorter, with a median of 8 services, always initiated by the characters, and mostly resolved within community settings, with educators and psychologists as key sources of support. In both groups, the primary objective of help-seeking was symptom reduction; however, actual service users took two times longer (Mdn = 120, IQR = 700) to seek helpfrom the onset of symptoms than those projected on fictional characters (Mdn = 60 days, IQR = 90).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The study demonstrates the importance of informal support systems regardless of youth's past service usage and help-seeking experience. It also reveals discrepancies between how help-seeking is perceived and experienced showing an underestimation of the complexity involved in finding mental health support which could potentially explain delays in help initiation and difficulties in navigating support resources.</p>","PeriodicalId":47752,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Mental Health Systems","volume":" ","pages":"4"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12914910/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146044105","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessment of barriers to accessing mental health services in rural or remote areas using a socio-ecological resilience framework: a scoping review.","authors":"Yannan Jiang, Kelly Lin, Hazel Dalton, Nicholas Buys, Jing Sun","doi":"10.1186/s13033-026-00694-0","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13033-026-00694-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>People living in rural and remote areas face many barriers when trying to access mental health services. These barriers include a lack of resources, not enough services, difficulty finding and keeping staff, long distances, cultural differences, and low awareness of mental health issues. This scoping review followed the PRISMA-ScR framework and searched seven major databases: PubMed, EMBASE, The Cochrane Library, Scopus, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and CINAHL Complete. Studies were included if they used qualitative, cross-sectional, or cohort designs and followed JBI guidelines. A total of 30 studies from 11 countries were reviewed. Barriers were grouped into four levels: system/policy, social/community, family, and individual, which are based on the Socio-ecological Resilience Framework. At the system and policy level, common problems were insufficient resources, complex systems, technology challenges, privacy concerns, poor service quality, staff shortages, and high costs. The challenges at the social and community level included distance, cultural differences, stigma, low awareness, and environmental pressures. Family-level barriers were weak family or peer support, stigma within families, and poor education. Individual barriers included low quality of life, poor understanding of mental illness, and negative attitudes toward mental health services. Although the review only covered studies from 2007 to 2024 and did not include all populations, it offers important information. A socio-ecological resilience approach may help improve mental health services in rural and remote areas.</p>","PeriodicalId":47752,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Mental Health Systems","volume":" ","pages":"3"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12895767/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146004345","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Predictors and barriers to minimally adequate treatment among treated individuals with mental disorders: results from the World Mental Health Surveys.","authors":"Julia R Pozuelo, Daniel V Vigo, Alan E Kazdin, Meredith G Harris, Dan J Stein, Maria Carmen Viana, Irving Hwang, Timothy L Kessler, Sophie M Manoukian, Nancy A Sampson, Sergio Aguilar-Gaxiola, Jordi Alonso, Laura Helena Andrade, Olatunde O Ayinde, Ronny Bruffaerts, Brendan Bunting, José Miguel Caldas-de-Almeida, Stephanie Chardoul, Giovanni de Girolamo, Cristina Domenech, Oye Gureje, Elie G Karam, Andrzej Kiejna, Viviane Kovess-Masfety, Maria Elena Medina-Mora, Jacek Moskalewicz, Fernando Navarro-Mateu, Daisuke Nishi, Marina Piazza, José Posada-Villa, Kate M Scott, Margreet Ten Have, Yolanda Torres, Cristian Vladescu, Ronald C Kessler","doi":"10.1186/s13033-025-00686-6","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13033-025-00686-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Treatments for mental disorders vary widely in type and quality, with many patients failing to receive treatments that meet even minimally adequate standards. We use data from the World Mental Health (WMH) surveys to investigate this variation by examining the prevalence and correlates of minimally adequate treatment (MAT) among patients receiving treatment for common mental disorders.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data comes from 25 WMH cross-sectional surveys implemented in 21 countries (n = 1,838 respondents with n = 3,538 12-month treated disorders). MAT was defined according to widely used criteria: pharmacotherapy (≥ 1 month of medication with ≥ four visits to a healthcare provider) or counseling (≥ eight sessions with any provider). Multivariable regression analyses were used to examine associations of socio-demographic, disorder-related, and treatment-related factors with MAT.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Approximately two-thirds (66.2%) of treated cases met MAT criteria. There was limited variation in MAT prevalence across disorder types, number of disorders, or years since disorder onset, but MAT prevalence was positively associated with increased disorder severity. Socio-demographic differences were nonsignificant. Relatively substantial differences in MAT prevalence were found by treatment sector (highest MAT prevalence among patients treated by mental health specialists and those treated by multiple provider types). Further analysis showed that these associations were explained by differences in premature discontinuation, completion of a full course of treatment that did not qualify as MAT, and still being in treatment at the time of interview that did not yet qualify as MAT. Low perceived disorder severity unrelated to more objective measures of severity was a central factor in accounting for premature discontinuation.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>While approximately two-thirds of treated cases meet MAT criteria, significant gaps remain involving both premature discontinuation and cases where respondents reported completing a 'full recommended course of treatment' that did not involve enough visits or medication duration to meet the MAT standards. Expanding access to mental health specialty providers and increasing patient education about disorder severity would be useful in increasing the proportion of treated cases that receive MAT. Future research should focus on validating MAT definitions against clinical outcomes, standardizing assessment frameworks, and exploring provider- and system-level determinants of treatment adequacy.</p>","PeriodicalId":47752,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Mental Health Systems","volume":" ","pages":"34"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-12-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12720457/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145783439","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Economic data on interventions for reducing aggression and restrictive interventions in inpatient mental health: a systematic review.","authors":"Mimosa Luigi, Arianne Imbeault, Anne G Crocker, Eric Latimer","doi":"10.1186/s13033-025-00692-8","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13033-025-00692-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Given the importance of economic considerations for the uptake of interventions into psychiatric policy and practice, this systematic review appraises existing economic evaluations of interventions that aim to reduce aggression and restrictive interventions in inpatient mental health settings.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Eight economic and scientific databases, along with targeted Google Scholar searches, were surveyed for gray and peer-reviewed literature from 01/2000 to 08/2025. Selection criteria included: (1) quantitative studies in peer-reviewed journals or grey literature, (2) a broad range of economic evaluation methods (costs, cost analysis, cost-effectiveness, and cost-benefit), (3) non-geriatric adults and emerging adults (≥ 15 years old) in (4) psychiatric inpatient settings, and (5) non-pharmacological interventions targeting aggression, violence and/or restrictive interventions (e.g., seclusion, restraints, forced medication). Narrative synthesis is presented with a quality appraisal using the CHEERS reporting checklist 2022.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Twenty studies were selected, with the majority conducted in acute wards. Eleven studies reported only the cost of interventions, prominently featuring the cost of restrictive interventions, sensory modulation, and staff training. Moreover, twelve studies reported savings, eight of which allowed cost-analyses. Two interventions yielded clinical benefits and net savings. Assessment of reporting quality revealed few sensitivity analyses to model uncertainty, heterogeneity or distributional effects.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>While this review intended to guide organizations in selecting interventions, the current state of evidence can provide some evidence on the cost-benefit of a handful of interventions and re-affirms the costliness of restrictive interventions. Future pre-post studies may benefit from methods featured in this review to estimate the cost of professional time and partner with organizations to access internal financial data. There remains a need for purposeful cost-effectiveness analyses and for demonstrated long-term clinical benefits to inform interventions for aggression management.</p>","PeriodicalId":47752,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Mental Health Systems","volume":" ","pages":"2"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-12-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12817870/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145752339","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Experiences and perspectives on traditional and faith healers' involvement in the care of people with severe mental health conditions in ethiopia: a scoping review.","authors":"Mekonnen Tsehay, Teshome Shibre Kelkile, Wubalem Fekadu, Alex Cohen, Desalegn Kiros, Charlotte Hanlon","doi":"10.1186/s13033-025-00691-9","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13033-025-00691-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Traditional and faith healers (TFHs) play a prominent role in the care of people with severe mental health conditions (MHCs) in many countries. Consequently, there have been calls for closer collaboration between TFHs and mental health care practitioners. This scoping review aimed to map the literature on the experiences of, and perspectives on, traditional and faith healing for people with severe MHCs in Ethiopia.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The review was conducted in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology for scoping reviews. Pubmed, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science, and PsycINFO databases were searched from the earliest available records to May 2024. Online student MSc/PhD theses and catalogued Ethiopian publications up to 2015 were also searched. Studies were included if they were in English and of any study design using primary data collection. Narrative synthesis was chosen for data synthesis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of the 3,824 records identified, 31 were included. There were 17 qualitative, 12 quantitative, and two mixed methods studies, conducted in most regions in Ethiopia but with more focus on urban than rural settings. Findings were synthesised under the following themes: perceived causes of MHCs; pathways to care and help-seeking preferences; identification and intervention methods used by TFHs; experience of treatment, satisfaction with care, gaps, and barriers; and collaboration between TFHs and mental health practitioners. People with severe MHCs commonly accessed TFHs first and alongside biomedical care. A substantial range of healers was identified but they were not accessible or acceptable to all communities equally. TFH interventions were diverse and some of their practices were reported to be harmful. However, there were few in-depth studies of TFH care processes. Furthermore, there was little evidence about the experience of care from the perspective of people with severe MHCs. Efforts toward collaboration emphasised the need to develop relationships within which differences could be negotiated.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Although much is known about the place of TFHs within care pathways for people with MHCs in Ethiopia, there are evidence gaps in relation to the perspectives of people with MHCs and rich contextual understanding of healing processes, both of which are needed for meaningful collaboration to occur.</p>","PeriodicalId":47752,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Mental Health Systems","volume":" ","pages":"1"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2025-12-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12797701/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145709172","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}