Research-based preventive mental health care strategies in the military.

In order to explore standardised approaches for preventive mental health care rather than treatment of diseases manifested, an action research was carried out on What are the unfulfilled needs of leprosy affected that are creating crisis situations and leading to mental health issues and a practicably affective process of counselling and the essential stages to be involved in carrying out in individual counselling of leprosy affected. The study was conducted in the counselling center of referral hospital of Gandhi Memorial Leprosy Foundation on 146 leprosy affected and counselling provided by trained counsellors in every monthly visit for MDT till declared RFT. Findings show the process of counselling practiced towards prevention of mental health problems may be illustrated as the following five essential stages viz. Rapport establishment, Identification of crisis situation, Diagnosis of Psycho-social problems and reasons thereof, Ascertaining of counselling needs, and Fulfilment of needs through counselling. Analysis shows the psychological problems are basically develop from cognition viz. lack of knowledge, lack of conviction, Lack of knowledge about Cure, Lack of conviction about known facts of cure, Fear of society/ family/ reactions/ deformities, loneliness- Lack of social support to the patient, possession of misconceptions of the patient or the family members or the community members who creates socio-behavioural problems which in turn cause psychological problems. Maintenance of mental health starts from identification of needs and fulfilment which otherwise need to mental problems. The study concludes that a systematic counselling along with leprosy treatment can be a successful method to prevent the mental health problems prior to reaching the stage of needing treatment.

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Tertiary Prevention in Mental Health Care: Effects of Group Meetings for Family Caregivers

Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.3109/00048679509075903 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 29 (1) ◽

pp. 139-145 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Helen R. Winefield ◽

Eileen J. Harvey

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Care ◽

Mental Health Care ◽

Family Caregivers ◽

Statistical Power ◽

Peer Group ◽

Chronic Schizophrenia ◽

The Family ◽

Preventive Mental Health

Several series of discussion groups were conducted for people caring for relatives who suffer from chronic schizophrenia. Groups aimed to provide information from both experts and fellow caregivers about the illness and about coping techniques, and to foster emotional support within the peer group. Owing to the small number of subjects, statistical power was inadequate to test effects quantitatively; however the responses of the family caregivers to structured follow-up questions indicated many gains from group attendance. Attendance and participation rates were high once subjects were engaged; positive outcomes were reported by the carers, and they actively sought feedback of their dissatisfactions with mental health services to the relevant decision-makers. The results are relevant both in the area of preventive mental health care for carers, and in promoting collaboration between carers and professionals.

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Enhancing Pediatric Mental Health Care: Strategies for Preparing a Community

PEDIATRICS ◽

10.1542/peds.2010-0788d ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 125 (Supplement 3) ◽

pp. S75-S86 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Jane Meschan Foy ◽

James Perrin ◽

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Care ◽

Mental Health Care ◽

Health Care Strategies ◽

Pediatric Mental Health

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Mental Health Care Strategies for Tomorrow's Technological Realities

PsycEXTRA Dataset ◽

10.1037/e662652011-001 ◽

2011 ◽

Author(s):

Myron Pulier

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Care ◽

Mental Health Care ◽

Health Care Strategies

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Enhancing Pediatric Mental Health Care: Strategies for Preparing a Primary Care Practice

PEDIATRICS ◽

10.1542/peds.2010-0788e ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 125 (Supplement 3) ◽

pp. S87-S108 ◽

Cited By ~ 69

Author(s):

Jane Meschan Foy ◽

Kelly J. Kelleher ◽

Danielle Laraque ◽

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Primary Care ◽

Health Care ◽

Mental Health Care ◽

Primary Care Practice ◽

Care Practice ◽

Health Care Strategies ◽

Pediatric Mental Health

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The Impact of Parental Injury on Children’s Mental Health Diagnoses and Classes of Psychotropic Medication by Child Age

Military Medicine ◽

10.1093/milmed/usaa466 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 186 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 222-229

Author(s):

Elizabeth Hisle-Gorman ◽

Apryl Susi

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Care ◽

Mental Health Care ◽

Medication Use ◽

Parental Illness ◽

Psychiatric Medication ◽

Military Health ◽

The Military ◽

The Impact ◽

Child Age

ABSTRACT Background Civilian and military research has linked parental illness and injury with increased overall mental health care and psychiatric medication use in children. Care for specific mental health conditions and medications by child age have not been reported. Objective We sought to quantify the effect of parental illness and injury on child mental health care and psychiatric medication use in children overall and stratified by age. Methods A self-controlled case series analyzed the impact of parental illness/injury on mental health and psychiatric medication use of military dependent children. Children were aged 2–16 years (51% male) when their parents were injured and received care in the Military Health System for 2 years before and 2 years after their parent’s illness/injury. We used International Classification of Diseases 9th edition codes to identify outpatient mental healthcare visits. Outpatient care for 14 specific mental health diagnoses was classified using the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality clinical classification system. Outpatient pharmacy records identified psychiatric medication prescriptions by therapeutic class. Parental illness/injury was identified by inclusion in the Military Health System Ill, Injured, and Wounded Warrior database. Adjusted negative binomial regression analysis compared rates of outpatient visits and medication days in the 2 years following parental illness/injury to the 2 years before the parent’s illness/injury overall. Secondary analyses were stratified by age groups of 2–5 years (n = 158,620), 6–12 years (n = 239,614), and 13–16 years n = 86,768) and adjusted for parental pre-injury/illness deployment and child sex. Additional secondary analysis compared post-parental injury/illness care of children whose parents had post-traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injury to children of parents with physical/mental health injury/illness. Results There were 485,002 children of 272,211 parents injured during the study period. After adjustment for child sex, years of pre-injury/illness parental deployment, and child age, parental illness/injury was associated with increased mental visits across all categories of care except developmental diagnoses. Post-parental injury visits for suicidal ideation, alcohol abuse, mood, and anxiety disorders were all doubled. For children aged 2–5 years at parental illness/injury, the largest increases in care were in psychotic, anxiety, attention deficit, and mood disorders. In children aged 6–12 years, the largest increases were in psychotic conditions, suicidal ideation, and personality disorders. In adolescents aged 13–16 years, the largest increases were for alcohol and substance abuse disorders, with visits increasing by 4–5 times. For children of all ages, parental injury was associated with increased use of all therapeutic classes of psychiatric medications; use of stimulant medications was increased in younger children and decreased in older children following parental injury (P < .001). Conclusion Parental illness/injury is associated with increased mental health care and days of psychiatric medication use in dependent children. Practitioners who care for families impacted by parental illness/injury should be cognizant of children’s mental health risk. Early identification and treatment of child-related mental health issues can improve family functioning and increase military family readiness.

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