Preventable physical illness in people with mental illness
University of Western Australia School of Population Health - "This unique study has examined the health experience of 240,000 Western Australians who have used mental health services during 1980-98 (representing about 8% of the population at any one time). Using de-identified data, their hospital admission rates, cancer incidence rates and death rates have been examined. People with mental illness are among the most marginalized people in our community. The consequences of mental illness often extend beyond the direct symptoms of the illness to affect people’s social and economic well being and all aspects of their lives. The aim of this study was to examine the physical health of people with mental illness. The purpose was to provide data that can be used to improve health services and design health promotion activities that can be specifically targeted at people with mental illness." There are three documents that can be downloaded and may be slow depending on the speed of your connection. We suggest that you read the two summaries first. If you have any comments, you can contact one of the authors at D'Arcy Holman [darcy@dph.uwa.edu.au]
Wednesday, October 20, 2004
Medscape Medical News story - "Cognitive enhancement therapy is more beneficial than state-of-the-art enriched supportive therapy in reducing disability from schizophrenia, according to the results of a two-year randomized trial published in the September issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry." "emd"
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Aryicle in the September Canadian Journal of Psychiatry - "In recent years, patient needs and satisfaction with psychiatric care have been increasingly studied. This research has generated information that is useful for improving the quality of care and for implementing therapeutic programs based on evidence-based criteria and on patients’ subjective experiences. A relatively new research area is represented by studies exploring patient opinions on the benefits of treatment provided in both inpatient and outpatient services..."
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Article in the September issue of the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry - "Since the introduction of the atypical antipsychotics into the clinical practice of psychiatry, clinical trials have increased in number, size, and of course, cost. With limited private funding available to conduct independent studies, it is not surprising that the number of clinical trials sponsored by the pharmaceutical industry continues to grow. It follows that there should also be an increase in the number of partnerships developed between the pharmaceutical industry and clinicians or academics. Although skepticism in regard to this alliance has been and continues to be expressed, the many benefits of the new reality have also been acknowledged. This study investigates the prevalence and outcomes of pharmaceutical industry–sponsored clinical trials involving the atypical antipsychotics clozapine, risperidone, and olanzapine."
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Article in the New England Journal of Medicine - "Every year, without fail, spending for services covered by private health insurance increases. Sometimes health care spending grows slowly, as it did in the mid-1990s during the managed-care boom. But more often, it increases rapidly, as it is doing now — in part because of the managed-care bust. Presidential candidates do not want to venture beyond platitudes concerning costs because they risk being accused of taking things away from people. Both President George W. Bush and Senator John F. Kerry have served up proposals designed to ease voters' angst about the affordability of health care, but neither proposal, as it has been elaborated through September, gets at the core issues involved in controlling the growth of health care costs. .."
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Reuters Health story at Yahoo - "Some people with depression may refuse treatment because of the associated stigma, but the majority may go untreated simply because it is too expensive, according to the findings of an international study. ... Data from the United States and Western Europe suggest that improvements are needed in how depression is managed in the primary care setting, according to report published in the American Journal of Psychiatry. "
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Copyright 2003 © Bill Davis.
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