Asian journal of psychiatry最新文献

Aims: This study aimed to assess treatment patterns and the effectiveness of long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAIs) in patients with bipolar disorder (BD) across various Asian countries. The study focused on comparing the choices of LAIs, other psychotropic medications, and their psychotropic drug load to explore real-world usage and evaluate the potential benefits of LAIs in BD treatment across different countries.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted with BD patients diagnosed according to ICD-10-CM codes F31.0 to F31.9 across 13 Asian countries or regions. Data were collected through an online system covering prescriptions for all psychotropic medications including LAIs. The Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) Classification System was used to compare medication dosage patterns.

Results: The study analyzed 2029 prescription records for BD, including 103 cases involving LAIs. The highest LAI prescription rates were found in Sri Lanka and Malaysia, with no reported use in Myanmar, India, and Japan. Patients receiving LAIs were younger, more often male, and had higher BMI and drug loads compared to those on oral medications. South Korea and Indonesia showed the highest LAIs drug load. South Korea, Pakistan, and China exhibited the highest total psychotropic drug loads, while Malaysia had the lowest.

Conclusions: This study is the first to examine LAIs use for BD across Asia. Cross-national differences in LAIs prescriptions and psychotropic drug load highlight variations in treatment practices and healthcare systems. These findings underscore the need for further research and the development of region-specific guidelines to improve BD treatment outcomes.

South Korea has historically relied on inpatient psychiatric care. Although the 1995 Mental Health Act aimed to promote community mental health services, progress in developing community-based interventions has been limited. This review aims to provide a concise analysis of the current state of research on evaluating community mental health care in Korea, employing a comparative perspective with the United Kingdom (UK), where community-based mental health approaches have been more extensively studied and implemented. On November 19, 2024, a literature search was conducted using PubMed. The search strategy combined keywords related to mental illness and community intervention with the terms "Korea" or "United Kingdom." The review focused on randomized controlled trials from both countries that assessed patient-level outcomes of community-based mental health interventions. The findings reveal a striking contrast: in Korea, only one randomized pilot trial focused on depression in older adults was found. In contrast, 69 studies were identified in the UK, including 13 pilot/feasibility studies and 56 main studies, with 38 of these addressing severe mental illness. This clear difference underscores the limited research and evaluation of community-based mental health interventions in Korea. The results indicate a pressing need for research to assess these interventions. Such research could guide policy reforms toward deinstitutionalization and help Korea strengthen its community-based mental health system in line with global trends.

There is growing interest in assessing affective temperaments in relation to major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder (BD). Needed is evaluation of the impact of temperament ratings on responses to treatment of depression in these disorders. We measured treatment response as %-improvement in HDRS₂₁ depression ratings and correlated this measure as well as response rate (≥50 % improvement) with TEMPS-A ratings of anxious, cyclothymic, dysthymic, hyperthymic, and irritable affective temperaments in 2264 mood-disorder patients (1165 BD, 1099 MDD; 62.3 % women, mean age 48.5 years). Higher dysthymic temperament score was associated with less improvement in depression ratings, greater hyperthymia scores with increased improvement. Both temperaments also were associated with increases (dysthymia) or decreases (hyperthymia) in initial HDRS₂₁ scores. However, higher initial HDRS₂₁ scores led to greater percent-improvement. Multivariable logistic regression sustained independent effects of temperament scores on treatment-response. Reported effects were similar with MDD and BD. Limitations include the observational design limiting causality and uncertain generalizability to other geographical locations or clinical settings. Ratings of dysthymic and hyperthymic temperaments, respectively, were associated with significantly lesser and greater improvement of depression ratings with both MDD and BD.

Child and adolescent mental health disorders in Qatar remain significantly underserved due to a critical shortage of specialists, stigma, and logistical barriers. This paper proposes implementing a Collaborative Care Model (CoCM) within Qatar's primary care settings, leveraging existing infrastructure, such as the CERNER electronic health record system, and innovations like telepsychiatry and AI-driven tools. The model integrates task-sharing among interdisciplinary teams to enhance accessibility and continuity of care. This commentary explores the model's feasibility, addressing challenges like workforce shortages and psychotropic prescribing processes. The proposed CoCM offers a sustainable solution to improve youth mental health outcomes and reduce systemic disparities.

Background: Inspite of high prevalence of mental illness in developing countries, access to health care for addressing mental health issues has several existing barriers at different levels leading to disproportionate adverse health outcomes, summarised as the three Ds of death, disability, and health-economic deficit. This study aims at examining the perspectives of patients with mental illness on barriers to access mental care.

Methods: In this study, we searched EMBASE, PubMed, Scopus and PsycNet databases. Database search examined qualitative articles on barriers to access mental health care published from January, 2013 to January, 2023. Papers appropriate for inclusion were selected in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) nations, employed qualitative methodologies, and focused on patients, caregiver, or healthcare practitioners' perspective on challenges to access care. The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) - Version 2018 was used to assess quality.

Results: Out of 351 papers, only 24 met the inclusion requirements. A multilevel conceptual framework guided the reporting of emergent themes. Patient with mental disorder experienced four levels of barriers while receiving mental health services: 1. sociocultural (family support, community support networks, and cultural attitudes), 2. organizational (organizational characteristics, service access, and inadequacy of resources), 3. structural (poor implementation of existing policy) and 4. individual levels (knowledge, attitudes, and individual characteristics).

Conclusions: Complex, interlinked, multilevel barriers existed while accessing MHS for patient in SAARC nations. To improve access to MHS, multilevel solutions ought to tackle individual, organizational, societal, and structural barriers at various phases of the care pathway is imperative.

Background: Several interventions have been investigated addressing perinatal depression; however, interventions have not been compared using both direct and indirect evidence. This study compared the relative effectiveness of all interventions that prevent depression (objective 1) or treat depression symptoms (objective 2) in perinatal women.

Methods: Eight databases searched from their inception to March 2024. Inclusion criteria were randomised controlled trials in perinatal women participants evaluating any interventions that addressed prevention or treatment of depression. Two random-effects Bayesian network meta-analyses were conducted using studies with perinatal women participants reporting frequency of depression or reporting depression severity. For objective 1 odds ratios (OR) and objective 2 standardised mean differences (SMD) were used.

Results: A total of 177 articles were included (n = 76 objective 1, n = 101 objective 2). For objective 1; mindfulness was the highest-ranking intervention (SCURA=88), with significant OR compared to treatment as usual (TAU) (OR=0.21; 0.06, 0.71 95 %CrI). Other interventions with significant OR, compared to TAU included: pharmacological treatments, CBT, physical activities, education, and collaborative care. For objective 2; interpersonal therapy plus massage was the highest-ranking intervention (SCURA=89) with significant SMD compared to TAU (SMD=-1.38; -2.54, -0.21). Other interventions with significant SMD compared to TAU: IPT, alternative therapies, physical activities, mindfulness, CBT, collaborative care, education, and enhanced TAU. Pharmacological treatments were effective compared to sham/placebo.

Conclusion: CBT, mindfulness, physical activity, collaborative care, education, and pharmacological interventions were effective in addressing prevention and treatment of perinatal depression symptoms compared to control arms. Healthcare providers may consider offering these interventions to perinatal women.