BJPsych OpenPub Date : 2025-06-27DOI: 10.1192/bjo.2025.57
Megan Hunt, Jack F G Underwood, Leon Hubbard, Jeremy Hall
{"title":"Risk of physical health comorbidities in autistic adults: clinical nested cross-sectional study - CORRIGENDUM.","authors":"Megan Hunt, Jack F G Underwood, Leon Hubbard, Jeremy Hall","doi":"10.1192/bjo.2025.57","DOIUrl":"10.1192/bjo.2025.57","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":9038,"journal":{"name":"BJPsych Open","volume":"11 4","pages":"e134"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12247077/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144504838","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BJPsych OpenPub Date : 2025-06-27DOI: 10.1192/bjo.2025.65
Xiaoxiao Hu, Xinyu Hu, Hailong Li, Lianqing Zhang, Lu Lu, Xuan Bu, Shi Tang, Qiyong Gong, Xiaoqi Huang
{"title":"Alterations of cerebral intrinsic activity in first-episode, drug-naive patients with major depressive disorder.","authors":"Xiaoxiao Hu, Xinyu Hu, Hailong Li, Lianqing Zhang, Lu Lu, Xuan Bu, Shi Tang, Qiyong Gong, Xiaoqi Huang","doi":"10.1192/bjo.2025.65","DOIUrl":"10.1192/bjo.2025.65","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a leading cause of disability worldwide. Investigating early-stage alterations in cerebral intrinsic activity among drug-naive patients may enhance our understanding of MDD's neurobiological mechanisms and contribute to early diagnosis and intervention.</p><p><strong>Aims: </strong>To examine alterations in the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) in first-episode, drug-naive MDD individuals and explore associations between ALFF changes and clinical parameters, including depression severity and illness duration.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>A total of 30 first-episode, drug-naive MDD individuals (mean illness duration 14 weeks) and 52 healthy controls were included in this study. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to obtain whole-brain ALFF measurements. Voxel-based ALFF maps were compared between MDD and healthy control groups using a two-sample <i>t</i>-test. Simple regression analysis was performed to assess associations between ALFF and clinical measures, including Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD) scores and illness duration.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>MDD individuals exhibited significantly increased ALFF in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and vermal subregion V3 of the cerebellum. Additionally, ALFF in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex was negatively correlated with HAMD scores (<i>r</i> = -0.591, <i>P</i> < 0.001). However, no significant association was found between ALFF and illness duration.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study demonstrates early-stage ALFF alterations in drug-naive MDD patients, particularly in brain regions implicated in cognitive and emotional regulation. These findings suggest potential neuroimaging biomarkers for the early diagnosis and intervention of MDD.</p>","PeriodicalId":9038,"journal":{"name":"BJPsych Open","volume":"11 4","pages":"e136"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12247075/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144504826","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BJPsych OpenPub Date : 2025-06-27DOI: 10.1192/bjo.2025.63
Rong Tan, Tao Huang, Yiru Li, Yuhe Zhang, Xijin Li, Xuanxuan Lin, Zhenjiang Liao, Qiuping Huang
{"title":"How negative life events affect emotional eating in Chinese adolescents: moderated mediation model.","authors":"Rong Tan, Tao Huang, Yiru Li, Yuhe Zhang, Xijin Li, Xuanxuan Lin, Zhenjiang Liao, Qiuping Huang","doi":"10.1192/bjo.2025.63","DOIUrl":"10.1192/bjo.2025.63","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Emotional eating, the tendency to eat in response to negative emotions, is rising among adolescents and linked to obesity and mental health issues. While negative life events contribute to emotional eating, the roles of self-control and social support remain unclear.</p><p><strong>Aims: </strong>This study examined the relationship between negative life events and emotional eating in adolescents, testing self-control as a mediator and perceived social support as a moderator.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>A sample of 740 Chinese high school students (aged 14-18) completed validated measures of negative life events, self-control, perceived social support, and emotional eating. Data were analyzed using SPSS 25.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, USA)and PROCESS macro for mediation/moderation effects.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Negative life events predicted higher emotional eating (<i>β</i> = 0.11, <i>p</i> < 0.01), while lower self-control mediated this relationship (<i>β</i> = -0.15, <i>p</i> < 0.001). Perceived social support moderated the association (<i>β</i> = -0.09, <i>p</i> < 0.05), weakening it among adolescents with stronger support.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Negative life events increase emotional eating, but self-control and social support play key roles. Interventions targeting these factors may reduce emotional eating and improve adolescent well-being.</p>","PeriodicalId":9038,"journal":{"name":"BJPsych Open","volume":"11 4","pages":"e131"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12247071/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144504836","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BJPsych OpenPub Date : 2025-06-27DOI: 10.1192/bjo.2025.10046
Or Cohen Ben Simon, Yari Gvion, Shimrit Daches
{"title":"Dealing with the directive to restrict access to lethal means: parents' perspectives.","authors":"Or Cohen Ben Simon, Yari Gvion, Shimrit Daches","doi":"10.1192/bjo.2025.10046","DOIUrl":"10.1192/bjo.2025.10046","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Youth suicidal ideation and behaviour are major significant concerns, with suicide being the third leading cause of death among youth. In recent years, the trend toward deinstitutionalisation has caused parents of high-risk youth to face increasing emotional and practical challenges, including managing lethal means restriction (LMR) to reduce suicide risk.</p><p><strong>Aims: </strong>This qualitative study explores the experiences of parents instructed by mental health professionals to restrict their child's access to lethal means in managing suicidal behaviours.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Twelve Israeli parents of youth aged 12-21 years participated in in-depth interviews. Using interpretative phenomenological analysis, the study investigated the emotional, psychological and relational challenges parents face when implementing LMR.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Findings indicate that parents struggle to understand and implement LMR guidance, experience emotional strain from their role as protectors, and face pervasive anxiety about their child's safety. The study also highlights feelings of helplessness and the erosion of trust between parents and children. Many parents criticise LMR, viewing it as potentially harmful to their relationship with their child or ineffective at keeping their child safe.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study underscores the emotional and practical challenges parents face when implementing LMR. To improve its effectiveness, guidance should be re-evaluated and communicated more flexibly, emphasising shared responsibility between the parent and child, and address the emotional toll on parents during this critical period.</p>","PeriodicalId":9038,"journal":{"name":"BJPsych Open","volume":"11 4","pages":"e130"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12247063/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144504835","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BJPsych OpenPub Date : 2025-06-27DOI: 10.1192/bjo.2025.10062
Tianyin Liu, Hotinpo Sky Kanagawa, Jessica Kang Qi Lee, Dara Kiu Yi Leung, Stephanie Ming Yin Wong, Wai-Wai Kwok, Gloria Hoi Yan Wong, Terry Yat Sang Lum
{"title":"Power of creative arts for older people with chronic pain and depressive symptoms: co-development of the Rewire with Arts protocol and findings from a pilot study.","authors":"Tianyin Liu, Hotinpo Sky Kanagawa, Jessica Kang Qi Lee, Dara Kiu Yi Leung, Stephanie Ming Yin Wong, Wai-Wai Kwok, Gloria Hoi Yan Wong, Terry Yat Sang Lum","doi":"10.1192/bjo.2025.10062","DOIUrl":"10.1192/bjo.2025.10062","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Chronic pain and depression are common in older people, and creative activities may lower the perceived impact and distress related to the symptoms.</p><p><strong>Aims: </strong>This study describes the co-development of a creative arts and crafts protocol for older people with chronic pain and depressive symptoms, and investigates its feasibility and potential effects.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>This study had two phases. In phase 1, a multidisciplinary expert panel (<i>n</i> = 10), consisting of professionals, patients and researchers, underwent iterative rounds to co-develop the protocol. In phase 2, a pilot study was conducted among 12 older adults (mean age 71.4 years). Mixed methods were used, including questionnaires at baseline, post-intervention and 3-month follow-up, assessing pain intensity and interference, depressive symptoms and quality of life; observational notes and focus groups. Descriptive and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were applied to analyse quantitative data, and thematic analysis was used for qualitative data.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Qualitative findings supported the programme's feasibility. Participants reflected that the process was engaging and empowering and brought them a sense of achievement and recognition. The quantitative findings evidenced the programme's potential effects in reducing depressive symptoms (<i>Z</i> = -2.60, <i>P</i> < 0.01) and improving mental health-related quality of life (<i>Z</i> = -2.67, <i>P</i> < 0.01) at 3-month follow-up.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our results support the feasibility of a creative arts and crafts programme and provide preliminary evidence of its impact on reducing depressive symptoms and improving mental health-related quality of life. Given the promising results, a definitive trial is needed to reveal the effectiveness of creative activities in pain management.</p>","PeriodicalId":9038,"journal":{"name":"BJPsych Open","volume":"11 4","pages":"e132"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12247064/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144504837","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BJPsych OpenPub Date : 2025-06-26DOI: 10.1192/bjo.2025.782
Qian Zhao, David John Torgerson, Kerry Jane Bell, Joy Ann Adamson, Caroline Marie Fairhurst, Sarah Cockayne, Jennie Lister, Kalpita Baird, David Ekers
{"title":"Cost-effectiveness analysis of depression case finding followed by alerting patients and their GPs among older adults in northern England: results from a regression discontinuity study.","authors":"Qian Zhao, David John Torgerson, Kerry Jane Bell, Joy Ann Adamson, Caroline Marie Fairhurst, Sarah Cockayne, Jennie Lister, Kalpita Baird, David Ekers","doi":"10.1192/bjo.2025.782","DOIUrl":"10.1192/bjo.2025.782","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>In the UK, around 1 in 4 adults over 65 years suffers from depression. Depression case finding followed by alerting patients and their general practioners (GPs) (screening + GP) is a promising strategy to facilitate depression management, but its cost-effectiveness remains unclear.</p><p><strong>Aims: </strong>To investigate the cost-effectiveness of screening + GP compared with standard of care (SoC) in northern England.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Conducted alongside the CASCADE study, 1020 adults aged 65+ years were recruited. Participants with baseline Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) ≥5 were allocated to the intervention arm and those >5 to SoC. Resource use and EQ-5D-5L data were collected at baseline and 6 months. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was calculated. Non-parametric bootstrapping was performed to capture sampling uncertainty. The results are presented using cost-effectiveness acceptability curves. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess the robustness of primary findings. Subgroup analyses were undertaken to examine the cost-effectiveness among participants with more comparable baseline characteristics across treatment groups.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Screening + GP incurred £37 more costs and 0.006 fewer quality-adjusted life years than SoC; the probability of the former being cost-effective was <5% at a £30 000 cost-effectiveness threshold. Sensitivity analyses confirmed the base-case findings. Subgroup analyses indicated that screening + GP was cost-effective when patients with baseline GDS 2-7, 3-6 and 4-5, respectively, were analysed.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Screening + GP was dominated by SoC in northern England. However, subgroup analyses suggested it could be cost-effective if patients with more balanced baseline characteristics were analysed. Economic evaluations alongside randomised controlled trials are warranted to validate these findings.</p>","PeriodicalId":9038,"journal":{"name":"BJPsych Open","volume":"11 4","pages":"e125"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12247059/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144494540","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BJPsych OpenPub Date : 2025-06-26DOI: 10.1192/bjo.2025.70
Marco Mula, Andres M Kanner, Allan H Young, Annabella Di Giorgio, Andreas Schulze-Bonhage, Eugen Trinka
{"title":"Epilepsy and psychosis: navigating through a complex intersection.","authors":"Marco Mula, Andres M Kanner, Allan H Young, Annabella Di Giorgio, Andreas Schulze-Bonhage, Eugen Trinka","doi":"10.1192/bjo.2025.70","DOIUrl":"10.1192/bjo.2025.70","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The prevalence of psychiatric disorders in people with epilepsy is as high as 43% and, among them, psychoses represent a severe comorbidity.</p><p><strong>Aims: </strong>This is a narrative review discussing the interplay between epilepsy and psychosis and identifying challenges in diagnosing and managing psychotic symptoms in epilepsy, focusing on the past 10 years.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Articles published between June 2014 and December 2024 were identified through searches in PubMed using the search terms 'psychosis', 'seizure, epilepsy and convulsion', 'epile*', 'seizure*' and 'convuls*'.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The association between epilepsy and psychosis was shown to be bidirectional, with people with psychosis being at increased risk of epilepsy. In epilepsy, psychotic symptoms may occur in three clinical scenarios, with clinical presentation and management varying in relationship to these: seizure-related (peri-ictal), treatment-related or independent of the former.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>There are no guidelines for the management of psychotic symptoms in epilepsy, but it is possible to apply policies for the treatment of psychoses, taking into account the peculiarities and needs of people with epilepsy.</p>","PeriodicalId":9038,"journal":{"name":"BJPsych Open","volume":"11 4","pages":"e127"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12247078/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144494541","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BJPsych OpenPub Date : 2025-06-26DOI: 10.1192/bjo.2025.59
Melike Karaçam Doğan, Yağmur Karakuş Aydos, Şükrü Keleş, Halime Tuna Çak Esen, Mevhibe İrem Yildiz
{"title":"The transfer process from child and adolescent mental health services to adult mental health services for patients with childhood-onset neurodevelopmental disorders: first case-control study from Türkiye.","authors":"Melike Karaçam Doğan, Yağmur Karakuş Aydos, Şükrü Keleş, Halime Tuna Çak Esen, Mevhibe İrem Yildiz","doi":"10.1192/bjo.2025.59","DOIUrl":"10.1192/bjo.2025.59","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The transfer from child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) to adult mental health services (AMHS) can be challenging, particularly for adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) requiring long-term follow-up.</p><p><strong>Aims: </strong>To examine the transfer process from CAMHS to AMHS in a university hospital in Türkiye, focusing on challenges, service gaps and barriers to transfer for individuals with NDDs.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Hospital records of children with NDDs followed in CAMHS for at least 5 years were reviewed. Children with at least one annual admission until 2017-2018 were included. A total of 211 patients were categorised into two groups: those who transferred to AMHS by 2018-2019 (transferred group, 81 patients) and those who did not transfer (non-transferred group, 130 patients). Clinical features, such as primary diagnosis and treatments, were compared, and parental views on the transfer process were collected via telephone interviews.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The transferred group included 81 patients (38.4%), whereas the non-transferred group had 130 patients (61.6%). Of the total sample, 55 (26.1%) were female, and 156 (73.9%) were male. Primary diagnoses were similar between groups; however, the transferred group had more comorbidities (<i>P</i> < 0.001) and more frequent antipsychotic prescriptions (<i>P</i> = 0.006). Proactive information from CAMHS doctors (<i>B</i> = 2.46, s.e. = 0.68, <i>P</i> < 0.001) and psychiatric comorbidities predicted transfer. In addition, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder diagnoses changed during transfer in the transferred group (<i>P</i> = 0.002).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>These findings emphasise the need for tailored transition support to enhance mental healthcare for NDD patients and indicate areas where further research is required to address healthcare barriers.</p>","PeriodicalId":9038,"journal":{"name":"BJPsych Open","volume":"11 4","pages":"e128"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12247079/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144494542","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Differences in electrode placements between consensual and nonconsensual electroconvulsive therapy: retrospective chart review study.","authors":"Hye-Sang Shin, Naveen Thomas, Yiting Amanda Gong, Rajeev Krishnadas, Alby Elias","doi":"10.1192/bjo.2025.10053","DOIUrl":"10.1192/bjo.2025.10053","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is often used to treat severe mental disorders in individuals with impaired capacity to consent to the treatment. Little is known about how different types of electrode placement are used in consensual and nonconsensual ECT.</p><p><strong>Aims: </strong>To investigate whether there was an association between ECT consent status and electrode placement, given that ECT electrode placement affects efficacy and cognitive outcomes.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Using a statewide database across 3 years in Victoria, Australia, we performed chi-squared tests to determine whether consent status (consensual versus nonconsensual) was associated with particular electrode placements. A three-way log-linear analysis was then conducted to examine whether age, gender, level of education and psychiatric diagnosis influenced the relationship between consent status and electrode placement. Given the comparable cognitive outcomes of right unilateral and bifrontal ECT, these electrode placements were combined in the analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In total, 3882 participants received ECT in the Victorian public health service during the study period. In the nonconsensual ECT group, 722 of 1576 individuals (45.81%) received bitemporal ECT, compared with 555 of 2306 (24.06%) in the consensual group (<i>χ</i><sup>2</sup> = 200.53; <i>P</i> < 0.0001; odds ratio: 2.6673, 95% CI: 2.3244-3.0608). This association remained significant after adjustment for gender, age, level of education and diagnosis.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Significantly more participants in the nonconsensual ECT group received bitemporal ECT rather than right unilateral or bifrontal ECT compared with those in the consensual group. As bitemporal ECT is associated with more cognitive impairment, this choice of electrode placement in vulnerable patients who lack capacity to consent raises ethical considerations in the practice of ECT.</p>","PeriodicalId":9038,"journal":{"name":"BJPsych Open","volume":"11 4","pages":"e126"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12247061/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144483113","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BJPsych OpenPub Date : 2025-06-23DOI: 10.1192/bjo.2025.71
Alison Baird, Lana Bojanić, Saied Ibrahim, Jessica Kenworthy, Pauline Turnbull, Navneet Kapur, Louis Appleby, Jenny Shaw, Daniel Pratt
{"title":"An examination of former prisoners' mental health problems before death by suicide over a 21-year period (2001-2021).","authors":"Alison Baird, Lana Bojanić, Saied Ibrahim, Jessica Kenworthy, Pauline Turnbull, Navneet Kapur, Louis Appleby, Jenny Shaw, Daniel Pratt","doi":"10.1192/bjo.2025.71","DOIUrl":"10.1192/bjo.2025.71","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Former prisoners are a vulnerable population, and suicide rates among this group are high, particularly following release from prison.</p><p><strong>Aims: </strong>To explore former prisoners' engagement with mental health services before death by suicide, and to examine the demographics, clinical history and clinical care of this patient group and compare them with patients who died by suicide who had not been to prison.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>The clinical, sociodemographic and care characteristics of patients in contact with mental health services who died by suicide in the UK were examined in a national clinical survey between 1 January 2001 and 31 December 2021, and comparisons were made between former prisoners and patients with no history of being in prison.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of the 33 381 (median age 46 years, range 10-100; 65.6% male) patients who died by suicide in the UK and had been in contact with mental health services in the 12 months before death, 3335 (11%) were ex-prisoners (male <i>n</i> = 2988, 90%; female <i>n</i> = 347, 10%). Compared with other patients, ex-prisoner patients had higher frequencies of personality disorder, schizophrenia and delusional disorders, as well as childhood abuse. Ex-prisoner patients were more likely to be male, to be aged between 45 and 65 years (median age 39, range 17-89), to live in deprived areas and to have a history of substance misuse. We found no differences in ethnicity.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Mental health services need to focus particularly on patients with a history of being in prison who are experiencing economic adversity and offer substance-use-related interventions to ensure continued patient engagement. The link with deprivation is striking at a time at which rising costs of living are resulting in more health inequalities.</p>","PeriodicalId":9038,"journal":{"name":"BJPsych Open","volume":"11 4","pages":"e124"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12188233/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144367867","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}