The South African journal of psychiatry : SAJP : the journal of the Society of Psychiatrists of South Africa最新文献

{"title":"Impulsivity and psychiatric comorbidity as risk factors for suicide attempts in borderline personality disorder.","authors":"Eman Shorub,&nbsp;Abdel Nasser Omar,&nbsp;Heba Elshahawi,&nbsp;Dina Naoum,&nbsp;Tarek Elsahrawy,&nbsp;Yomna Elhawary","doi":"10.4102/sajpsychiatry.v28i0.1544","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajpsychiatry.v28i0.1544","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Addressing the risk of suicidality in borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a crucial issue. The notion that impulsive individuals are more likely to plan for suicide attempts is important for many reasons in both theoretical and clinical decision-making.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>The aim of this study was to investigate potential risks of suicidality in BPD and to correlate it to impulsivity.</p><p><strong>Setting: </strong>The study was conducted at the Institute of Psychiatry, Ain Shams University and Al Mashfa Private Hospital.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Ninety-one participants were included in the study: 30 patients were diagnosed as BPD without axis I comorbidities, 31 BPD patients had psychiatric comorbidities and 30 healthy subjects were assessed by using Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders (SCID-I), Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis II Disorders (SCID-II), Suicide Behavior Questionnaire-Revised (SBQ-R), the Arabic version of Barratt's Impulsiveness Scale-11 (BIS-11) and Global Assessment of Functioning scale.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>There was a significant difference in suicidality using the SBQ-R between the healthy controls and BPDs without and with comorbidities. Healthy controls showed low suicidality in only 3.3%, while it was higher in both groups of BPD. The total score of BIS was as follows: 62.5 (±10.1 SD) in group A, 79.4 (±12 SD) in group B and 80.3 (±12.5 SD) in group C, which denote mild, moderate and moderate-to-severe degree of impulsivity in group A, B and C, respectively. Suicidality was positively correlated with (AI item: lack of span Attention in Attentional Facet) (<i>r</i> = 0.489, <i>p</i> = 0.006), (PI item: lack of self-control in planning facet) (<i>r</i> = 0.401, <i>p</i> = 0.028), as well as (MII item: lack perseverance in holding off impulsive acts in motor facet) (<i>r</i> = 0.471, <i>p</i> = 0.009).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Proper assessment of associated psychiatric comorbidities and impulsivity among BPD patients will help preventing of future suicidal attempts.</p>","PeriodicalId":520815,"journal":{"name":"The South African journal of psychiatry : SAJP : the journal of the Society of Psychiatrists of South Africa","volume":" ","pages":"1544"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2022-05-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9210139/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40391017","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Experience of violence, coping and support for nurses working in acute psychiatric wards.","authors":"Ntombiyakhe Bekelepi,&nbsp;Penelope Martin","doi":"10.4102/sajpsychiatry.v28i0.1700","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajpsychiatry.v28i0.1700","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Acute psychiatric wards are stressful working environments because of the nature of the mental illness of patients admitted. These patients present with a variety of complex psychiatric problems and social control that require skilled and competent nurses to manage them. The shortage of nurses, especially with advanced psychiatric qualifications or necessary experience, may create challenges for nurses as they navigate this stressful working environment.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>The aim of this study was to explore and describe nurses' experience of patient violence, coping strategies and received support whilst working in acute wards in psychiatric hospitals.</p><p><strong>Setting: </strong>This study was conducted in six acute wards of the three psychiatric hospitals in Cape Town, South Africa.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A qualitative, explorative, descriptive design was conducted using semi-structured interviews to obtain data from 14 nurses working in acute wards in three psychiatric hospitals in the Western Cape.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Five themes were generated using thematic analysis: violence perceived to be 'part of the job', contributing factors to patient violence, physical and psychological effects on nurses, adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies and perceived support from stakeholders.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Participants normalised patient violent behaviour as being part of the job to minimise the physical and psychological effects of the traumatic experience. Adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies were used to cope with the traumatic experiences of being assaulted by patients. Recommendations allude to practising self-care and attendance of training in the management of aggressive patients for nurses, to enhance a variety of adaptive coping strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":520815,"journal":{"name":"The South African journal of psychiatry : SAJP : the journal of the Society of Psychiatrists of South Africa","volume":" ","pages":"1700"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2022-05-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9210159/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40391011","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An online mindfulness intervention for medical students in South Africa: A randomised controlled trial.","authors":"Nicola Boyd,&nbsp;Debra G Alexander","doi":"10.4102/sajpsychiatry.v28i0.1840","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajpsychiatry.v28i0.1840","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, an association was observed between medical students' stress, possibly because of an intensive academic workload and clinical responsibilities, and mental ill health. The literature has shown the benefit of online mindfulness interventions for different mental health challenges. Unfortunately, there is a paucity of information on their benefit to medical students in South Africa.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>The aim of this study was to explore whether medical students attending an online mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) would show improved resilience and stress management compared with attendance at an online supportive counselling (SC) programme. Secondary to this was the viability of the intervention, for which an in-depth understanding of participants' experiences was sought.</p><p><strong>Setting: </strong>The study setting was online through https://zoom.us/.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Forty-five participants were randomly allocated between two 6-week, teacher-facilitated groups. A repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) of outcome, well-being, perceived stress and self-compassion scores conducted at three time points, as well as thematic analysis of participant feedback, contributed to quantitative and qualitative data.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Participants in both the groups showed significant improvement over time in measures of well-being, perceived stress and subjective stress management. Participants in the mindfulness group showed a statistically significant treatment effect in mindfulness at programme completion. A decrease in self-compassion over time was observed in both the groups.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The results of this study indicate that in this South African medical student cohort, an online MBI and a SC programme are both feasible and show potential for reducing stress, increasing stress management and increasing resilience. Further study in this area is recommended.</p>","PeriodicalId":520815,"journal":{"name":"The South African journal of psychiatry : SAJP : the journal of the Society of Psychiatrists of South Africa","volume":" ","pages":"1840"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2022-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9210716/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40391012","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Descriptive outcomes for a cohort of high-frequency psychiatric service users in the Western Cape, South Africa after 10 years.","authors":"Danell Coetzee,&nbsp;Liezl Koen,&nbsp;Dana Niehaus,&nbsp;Ulla Botha","doi":"10.4102/sajpsychiatry.v28i0.1821","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajpsychiatry.v28i0.1821","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Assertive community treatment (ACT) is an intervention implemented to manage the effects of deinstitutionalisation. South African studies have reported decreased admissions at 12 and 36 months when a modified ACT intervention is compared with standard care. However, costs associated with the intervention have raised the question of its feasibility in developing countries.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>This study aimed to describe the long-term demographic and clinical outcomes of a group of psychiatric high-frequency users (HFUs) included in the first South African ACT study.</p><p><strong>Setting: </strong>Stikland Psychiatric Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data from 55 HFUs participating in the first South African ACT trial, including both the intervention and control groups, were retrospectively reviewed 10 years after the patients' inclusion.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of the 55 HFUs initially included, nine remained in the formal ACT programme whilst 16 received standard care over the full 10 years. Five patients died and two were admitted to long-term wards. The mean number of admissions was 3.73 and the mean number of admission days was 261.11 over the 10 years. Twelve patients were never re-admitted; of these, nine came from the original study intervention group.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This was the first study looking at the long-term outcomes of a group of psychiatric HFUs in an under-resourced setting receiving either a modified ACT intervention or standard outpatient care. Reflecting broadly on the group, there were a larger number of patients in the original ACT group who had no re-admissions and a comparatively higher utilisation of available services during the 10-year follow-up period.</p>","PeriodicalId":520815,"journal":{"name":"The South African journal of psychiatry : SAJP : the journal of the Society of Psychiatrists of South Africa","volume":" ","pages":"1821"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2022-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9210150/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40391015","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Are female bipolar patients of reproductive age aware of the teratogenic risk of sodium valproate? A qualitative study.","authors":"Amanda U Sibanyoni,&nbsp;Marinda Joubert,&nbsp;Kalaivani Naidu","doi":"10.4102/sajpsychiatry.v28i0.1719","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajpsychiatry.v28i0.1719","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Sodium valproate is considered the most teratogenic of all anticonvulsant drugs. Internationally, new regulations require women to sign risk assessment forms if initiated on it.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>This study aimed to explore patients' awareness of the teratogenic risk of sodium valproate.</p><p><strong>Setting: </strong>Weskoppies Psychiatric Hospital, Tshwane, Gauteng.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a qualitative study comprising 23 semi-structured interviews with female bipolar patients of reproductive age at a tertiary psychiatric hospital in South Africa.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Patient psychoeducation and self-education is improving as many patients were aware of the risk of teratogenicity of sodium valproate either by being educated or by searching online after developing an interest. Our study identified the need for female patients to be educated about contraceptive use when starting on sodium valproate to avoid pregnancy.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our study shows that patients are becoming more aware of the teratogenic risk of sodium valproate. This suggests that consultations focusing on the issues of conception and the use of sodium valproate in women of childbearing potential has improved.</p>","PeriodicalId":520815,"journal":{"name":"The South African journal of psychiatry : SAJP : the journal of the Society of Psychiatrists of South Africa","volume":" ","pages":"1719"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2022-01-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8831931/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39624124","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Working memory and set-shifting in school-aged children classified as having attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.","authors":"Ramatladi M Mphahlele,&nbsp;Anneke Meyer,&nbsp;Basil J Pillay","doi":"10.4102/sajpsychiatry.v28i0.1729","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajpsychiatry.v28i0.1729","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common psychiatric disorder reported in both children and adults; it is often associated with a variety of executive functioning deficits.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>This study investigated the extent to which working memory and set-shifting are impaired in school children with and without ADHD.</p><p><strong>Setting: </strong>This included primary schools in Lepelle-Nkumpi Municipality in Limpopo province, South Africa.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A total of 216 children (108 screened positive for ADHD and 108 matched controls without ADHD symptoms), aged between 6 and 15 years, participated in the study. The performance of the two groups was compared on tests of working memory (Forward and Backward Digit Span subtests of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children - Fourth Edition) and set-shifting (Trail Making Test Part B). The scores were analysed as a function of gender and age.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The group with possible ADHD performed worse than the neurotypical control group on tasks of working memory and set-shifting. The results did not indicate that gender affected performance. However, the younger age group performed worse than the older children.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Children classified as ADHD showed significantly more impairments in working memory and set-shifting than neurotypical controls. Neither test showed any significant difference between male and female performance, whilst age was shown to affect performance on both tests. Early identification and treatment of children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder are crucial to their well-being.</p>","PeriodicalId":520815,"journal":{"name":"The South African journal of psychiatry : SAJP : the journal of the Society of Psychiatrists of South Africa","volume":" ","pages":"1729"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2022-01-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8831923/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39624125","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Characteristics of inpatients in dialectical behaviour therapy modified for a resource-limited setting.","authors":"Petrus J Steyn,&nbsp;Liezl Koen,&nbsp;Lucy Jarvis","doi":"10.4102/sajpsychiatry.v28i0.1701","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajpsychiatry.v28i0.1701","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Emotional dysregulation in psychiatric disorders contributes to morbidity, mortality and healthcare costs. Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) is effective in addressing this, but is complex and costly to implement. Recent literature indicates that DBT can be modified for use in resource-limited settings, but little is known about its implementation in African settings.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>To describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of participants in a modified DBT-ST (skills training) programme at a South African psychiatric hospital.</p><p><strong>Setting: </strong>The study was conducted at Stikland Hospital, a public psychiatric hospital in the Western Cape province, South Africa.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A retrospective, cross-sectional chart review of patients included in a modified inpatient DBT-ST programme between 30 June 2014 and 30 June 2019 was conducted. Descriptive analyses were performed on the data both as a complete set and after division into several subgroups.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We included 349 records. Two-thirds of the patients completed the programme. Major depressive disorder, borderline personality disorder and substance use disorder were the most prevalent diagnoses. Most patients had psychiatric comorbidities. A total of 90.61% (<i>n</i> = 309) of the patients were exposed to at least one traumatic event and three-quarters (<i>n</i> = 261) had attempted suicide at least once before.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The demographics of our sample did not differ markedly from the international literature. Rather, what stood out was that modified DBT-ST could be a choice in resource-limited settings for a diagnostically heterogeneous group that displayed significant clinical complexity and high levels of emotional dysregulation. Our findings might suggest that the intervention was well tolerated and possibly most appropriately delivered at the first admission, although further research is required.</p>","PeriodicalId":520815,"journal":{"name":"The South African journal of psychiatry : SAJP : the journal of the Society of Psychiatrists of South Africa","volume":" ","pages":"1701"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2022-01-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8832019/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39624121","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Profile of suicide within the northern part of Ghana: A decade under review.","authors":"Paul P S Ossei,&nbsp;Nicholas Niako,&nbsp;William G Ayibor,&nbsp;Emmanuel Asante,&nbsp;Foster K Safo,&nbsp;Adwoa Safowaa","doi":"10.4102/sajpsychiatry.v28i0.1620","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajpsychiatry.v28i0.1620","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Several reports show that suicide is the second and third leading cause of untimely death in young people below the age of 30. Little, however, is known about the profile and trend of suicide in this country due to lack of systematic studies and a lack of national statistics on suicide. This study seeks to examine the profile and pattern of suicide cases recorded within northern Ghana for the past decade.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>This study aimed to report the prevalence of suicide as an independent cause of death; the choice of suicide method and the alleged reasons for suicide within the northern part of Ghana.</p><p><strong>Setting: </strong>Retrospective review of coroners' reports within the northern part of Ghana.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>In this descriptive study, 309 completed suicides as archived by the office of the coroner were examined. The coroners' reports of 309 individuals, whose deaths received a suicide verdict or an open verdict in which the cause of death was likely to be suicide from 2008 to 2017, were examined. Student's t-test was used to ascertain significant age differences between the genders involved.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Amongst the 309 decedents examined, approximately, 61% were male, with ages ranging from 5 to 81 years. Hanging and poisoning were the most commonly used methods to complete suicide accounting for 124 (40.1%) and 102 (33.0%) deaths, respectively. Regarding the reasons for completed suicide, 78 (25.2%) were because of unknown reasons and 66 (21.4%) were because of social stigma. There was a notable decline in the prevalence of suicide from 2014 to 2017 compared with the years from 2010 to 2013.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Suicide was highest in the 30-39 year age group with hanging and poisoning being the most common method employed. Stigmatisation and psychosocial problems arising from chronic illness and economic hardship were significant triggers of suicide amongst the suicide decedents in the northern part of Ghana.</p>","PeriodicalId":520815,"journal":{"name":"The South African journal of psychiatry : SAJP : the journal of the Society of Psychiatrists of South Africa","volume":" ","pages":"1620"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2022-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8831920/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39927846","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"From ideation to attempt: A study of suicidality and its correlates amongst patients with schizophrenia in a resource-poor country.","authors":"Oluseun P Ogunnubi,&nbsp;Francis O Aina,&nbsp;Cecilia O Busari,&nbsp;Olamijulo Fatiregun,&nbsp;Babatunde Fadipe,&nbsp;Abosede A Adegbohun,&nbsp;Osunwale D Oni","doi":"10.4102/sajpsychiatry.v28i0.1547","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajpsychiatry.v28i0.1547","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>There is increasing evidence that patients with schizophrenia have high tendency to commit suicide. However, such an act is usually preceded by suicidal behaviours (or suicidality) such as suicidal ideations, suicidal intent, suicidal plans and suicidal attempt. If any of this suicidal behaviour spectrum is missed, then suicide results. In spite of the relevance of such behaviours in the management and prognosis of schizophrenia, there is a paucity of research on the patterns and correlates of suicidal behaviours amongst this population group in sub-Saharan Africa.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>This study assessed the prevalence and pattern of suicidality and its relationship with certain sociodemographic and clinical variables.</p><p><strong>Setting: </strong>The study was conducted at the outpatient psychiatric clinic of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, Lagos State.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Suicidal behaviours were assessed amongst 160 randomly selected patients with schizophrenia over a six-month period. The prevalence, pattern and correlates of suicidal behaviour amongst them were also assessed. Data were collated and processed with the eighteenth version of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS 18).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>About 43.1% of the participants exhibited suicidal behaviour. Of these, 5.8% exhibited suicidal plans whilst 75.4% attempted suicide. In terms of severity, one tenth (10%) of those who expressed suicidal behaviour exhibited severe suicidal tendencies. Participants who earned lesser income were more likely to exhibit suicidal behaviour. The same pattern was observed for medication adherence viz a viz suicidal behaviour.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The study brings to the fore the tendency of patients with schizophrenia to commit suicide, hence the need to screen for suicidal behaviour before suicide eventually occurs.</p>","PeriodicalId":520815,"journal":{"name":"The South African journal of psychiatry : SAJP : the journal of the Society of Psychiatrists of South Africa","volume":" ","pages":"1547"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2022-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8831998/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39927844","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mental health distress during the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria: Need for psychological intervention.","authors":"Frances Adiukwu,&nbsp;Margaret Ojeahere,&nbsp;Olufisayo Adesokun,&nbsp;Gbonjubola Babalola","doi":"10.4102/sajpsychiatry.v28i0.1550","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajpsychiatry.v28i0.1550","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The world began to realise the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in January 2020, and since then the number of people infected has exceeded 1 million globally. In less than 1 month following the first reported case in Nigeria, over 180 people had tested positive to the disease. Studies have shown that such rapidly spreading infectious diseases have the potential to create widespread fear, apprehension, panic and anxiety amongst the general public.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>This study aimed at evaluating the impact of information dissemination and public mental healthcare needs during the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria. It also hopes to determine if there is an unmet need for telepsychiatry in Nigeria.</p><p><strong>Setting: </strong>Community-based study covering the North, South and West of Nigeria.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This was a descriptive cross-sectional study using an on-line survey form via the snowballing sampling method.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Social media was identified as the main source of information concerning COVID-19, and half of the respondents opined that information dissemination was inadequate. Psychological distress was present in 90.5% of the participants and 61.8% admitted that this distress was worsened by fake news and myths concerning COVID-19. However, 53.8% of the participants were willing to access mental healthcare services, with telepsychiatry being the preferred choice.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>There is a need to implement a national public mental health service during this emergency. Telepsychiatry has numerous advantages in this context and maybe an opportunity to roll out a novel means of delivering mental healthcare.</p>","PeriodicalId":520815,"journal":{"name":"The South African journal of psychiatry : SAJP : the journal of the Society of Psychiatrists of South Africa","volume":" ","pages":"1550"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2022-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8832007/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39927845","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}