Experiences of substance-using suicidal males who present frequently to the emergency department.
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OBJECTIVE: This qualitative study investigated the repeated use of the emergency department (ED) by men with a history of suicidal behaviour and substance abuse to understand the needs and barriers to care for this high-risk group. Identification of common themes from interviews with patients and health care workers can serve as a basis for improved ED-based interventions. METHODS: Using semistructured interviews, patients, ED staff and family physicians were asked about needs of the aformentioned group. Twenty-five patients were interviewed and completed questionnaires regarding their substance use, aggression, parasuicidal behaviour, alexithymia and childhood trauma. In addition, 27 staff members were interviewed. Interviews were tape-recorded, transcribed and qualitatively analyzed using an iterative coding process. RESULTS: Of the 25 patients, 23 (96%) had a mood or anxiety disorder and 18 (75%) had borderline personality disorder. One-half of the patients scored high and another quarter scored moderate on alexithymia testing. The ED was viewed as a last resort despite seeking help. Frustration was felt by both patients and staff regarding difficult communication, especially during an acute crisis. CONCLUSION: The ED plays an important role in the provision of care for men with recurrent suicidal behaviour and substance abuse. Some of the diagnoses and problems faced by these patients are beyond the purview of the ED; however, staff can identify mutual goals for crisis interventions, allow for frequent communication and seek to de-escalate situations through the validation of the stress patients are experiencing. (+info)
Ayahuasca versus violence--a case report.
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We have limited resources available for the treatment and prevention of violent behavior. The usefulness of the most commonly used medications, namely the selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitor [SSRI] agents for the above purpose is a debated issue in the psychiatric literature. The aim of this case report is to add an ethnopharmacological perspective to the management of human aggression. Particularly, attention is called to the potential prosocial effect of the Amazonian beverage, ayahuasca--a decoctum, which has been used traditionally for multiple medico-religious purposes by numerous indigenous groups of the Upper Amazon--and has been found to be useful in crisis intervention, achieving redemption, as well as eliciting cathartic feelings with moral content. (+info)
Dissemination and implementation of suicide prevention training in one Scottish region.
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Enhancing community delivery of tissue plasminogen activator in stroke through community-academic collaborative clinical knowledge translation.
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Overview of findings from the World Trade Center Disaster Outcome Study: recommendations for future research after exposure to psychological trauma.
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In this article we review findings from the World Trade Center Disaster (WTCD) Outcomes Study, a prospective cohort study of 2,368 New York City (NYC) adults funded by the National Institutes of Health after the September 11 attacks. The findings reported were based on a baseline survey conducted one year after the disaster and a follow-up conducted two years post-disaster. One of the goals of this research was to assess the effectiveness of post-disaster treatments received by NYC residents following the attacks. Among the major findings of this study were the relatively small increase in mental health service utilization and the fact that only brief worksite interventions seemed to be an effective post-disaster treatment intervention. Specifically, those who received more conventional post-disaster interventions, such as formal psychotherapy sessions and/or psychotropic medicines, seemed to have poorer outcomes. Since this study was designed to assess treatment outcomes, use advanced measurement techniques, and incorporate propensity score matching to control for bias, these treatment findings were unexpected and raised clinical questions. Additional findings were also discussed related to minority group members, alcohol abuse, the onset and course of posttraumatic stress disorder post-disaster and other findings. Future research is recommended to resolve the issues raised by this important study, especially as this relates to treatment outcomes. (+info)