Focus (American Psychiatric Publishing)最新文献

The stigma of mental illness, among a larger set of barriers to help seeking, has been understudied among teens. These barriers and the sources of support were examined through an online survey with 1,428 U.S. 13- to 17-year-olds. Data were analyzed using Q, with indexing and Z tests calculated for significant group differences. Parents were cited as the top support source for depression compared with mental health professionals. Nonstigma barriers were the top barriers for teens, including discomfort with difficult emotions and being misunderstood when reaching out for support. Stigma barriers were significantly higher for Hispanic and LGBTQ+ teens, and stigma-adjacent barriers were significantly higher among Black/African American teens. Results are discussed in terms of the differential support that teens need to navigate emotional challenges and for further understanding barriers to help seeking that are not weighed heavily by stigma, as in past studies.

Racial microaggressions and cultural ruptures have a significant impact on mental health care for Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) communities. This article reviews the application of the multicultural counseling orientation framework in psychiatry to address these challenges and improve therapeutic outcomes. The authors outline strategies to integrate cultural humility into psychiatric practice, with an emphasis on self-reflection, feedback, and the recognition of microaggressions. By fostering cultural humility, providers can create therapeutic spaces where patients feel safe and validated. The article also discusses cultural opportunities for exploring patients' identities and advocates for open dialogue that addresses these aspects early in treatment. Structural recommendations include enhancing training programs to incorporate equity-focused coursework, promoting recruitment and retention of BIPOC clinicians, and developing institutional policies to address systemic inequities. Adopting these approaches can reduce the adverse effects of microaggressions, build trust, and improve mental health outcomes for BIPOC patients. The authors suggest that future efforts should emphasize systemic changes in training, recruitment, and community engagement to create a more inclusive mental health care system.

The United States is in the midst of an evolving overdose crisis, driven by the proliferation of potent synthetic opioids (e.g., illicitly made fentanyl), the resurgence of stimulants (e.g., methamphetamine), and the introduction of adulterants (e.g., xylazine) into the illicit drug supply. These substance use challenges are happening against the backdrop of rising mental health challenges that are closely linked to substance use and overdose. As overdose deaths have increased, the demographic profile of those dying has shifted and now disproportionately affects certain racial and ethnic minority populations. Social determinants of health (SDOH) are an underexplored component of the prevention response but are particularly salient in addressing substance use and overdose. Many SDOH have been linked to an increased risk for substance use and overdose, either directly or indirectly. The author examines the connection between SDOH and substance use and overdose, with a particular focus on young adults.

Prevention of substance misuse and substance use disorders is a national public health priority. The home environment can represent risk or protective factors for development of substance misuse. Children in homes with caregiver substance use are biologically, developmentally, interpersonally, and environmentally vulnerable to substance misuse and associated consequences, making it necessary for substance use prevention to focus on families early. Children and families who are minoritized, marginalized, and disenfranchised experience disproportionate consequences of substance use, through experiences of poverty, racism, trauma, and the built environment. Strengthening protective factors in early childhood by improving the health of caregivers and supporting the caregiver-child relationship can have enduring benefits over the life course. Pediatric primary care practices are an important setting for adopting a family-focused approach to prevention and early intervention of substance use. By engaging families early, identifying substance use in the family and household, recognizing the intersection of social needs and substance use, providing culturally tailored, trauma-informed, evidence-based care, and advising and supporting families on ways to minimize substance-related harm, pediatric care providers can play an important role in preventing substance use and substance-related consequences to children and families. Pediatric care providers are ideally suited to deliver prevention messages in a nonstigmatizing manner and serve as a conduit to evidence-based, family-focused intervention programs.

Renal impairment is defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60 ml/min/1.73 m² with or without kidney damage. Creatinine, which is found in serum and urine, is a common biomarker to estimate renal function and is used in most eGFR equations. Renal impairment can decrease or increase drug effects, necessitating therapeutic adjustments. Increased effect is related to drug accumulation that leads to increased elimination time and potential toxicity. eGFR plays a crucial role in drug dosing, particularly for renally excreted medications. However, the lack of recognition of pre-existing renal impairment and the incorrect interpretation of eGFR equations remain challenges. This case report explores the significance of eGFR in patients with psychiatric conditions, especially in the context of long-acting antipsychotic drug dosing.

The recently released National Drug Control Strategy (2022) from the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) lays out a comprehensive plan to, not only enhance access to treatment and increase harm reduction strategies, but also increase implementation of evidence-based prevention programming at the community level. Furthermore, the Strategy provides a framework for enhancing our national data systems to inform policy and to evaluate all components of the plan. However, not only are there several missing components to the Strategy that would assure its success, but there is a lack of structure to support a national comprehensive service delivery system that is informed by epidemiological data, and trains and credentials those delivering evidence-based prevention, treatment, and harm reduction/public health interventions within community settings. This paper provides recommendations for the establishment of such a structure with an emphasis on prevention. Systematically addressing conditions known to increase liability for behavioral problems among vulnerable populations and building supportive environments are strategies consistently found to avert trajectories away from substance use in general and substance use disorders (SUD) in particular. Investments in this approach are expected to result in significantly lower rates of SUD in current and subsequent generations of youth and, therefore, will reduce the burden on our communities in terms of lowered social and health systems involvement, treatment needs, and productivity. A national strategy, based on strong scientific evidence, is presented to implement public health policies and prevention services. These strategies work by improving child development, supporting families, enhancing school experiences, and cultivating positive environmental conditions. Appeared originally in Clin Child Fam Psychol Rev 2023; 26:1-16.