scholarly journals Paramedics’ perceptions, knowledge and skills regarding emergency psychiatric patients in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdullah AlAbdali ◽  
Nawfal Aljerian ◽  
Tamara Alrumayyan ◽  
Joud Alwasel ◽  
Noura Alsayari ◽  
...  

Introduction Mental healthcare experts worldwide have been calling for increased contributions from medical professionals and organisations to improve the skills of healthcare practitioners and their coordination with mentally ill patients. However, the contributions and roles of paramedics in treating the mentally ill are still considered limited, and few studies have been conducted on paramedics’ judgement and decision-making when caring for patients with mental illness. This study aimed to assess paramedics’ perceptions, knowledge and skills in dealing with psychiatric emergencies. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among participants from the Saudi Red Crescent Authority; different hospitals in Riyadh were invited from September to October 2019 to complete a validated structured questionnaire. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 22 (SPSS 22) software was used for data analysis. Results A total of 124 participants were included in this study; their mean age was 29.93 years, 95.2% were male, 78.9% had a bachelor degree and 12.1% had higher education. The majority of participants agreed that it is important for paramedics to know about mental illness (91.1%) and stated that they were comfortable managing a person with mental illness (63.7%). Almost half (49.6%) disagreed with the statement that psychiatric disorders are caused by religious or supernatural factors, whereas 24% were unsure, and 26.4% agreed. On assessing paramedics’ knowledge and skills, 31.4% scored above average, 42% scored average (average defined as answering six to seven out of 10 questions correctly), and 26.6% scored below average. However, when asked if they carry out the mental status examination on mentally ill patients, 66.1% stated ‘no’. Conclusion This study indicated that the majority of paramedics have positive perceptions regarding mental illness; moreover, it was shown that paramedics are knowledgeable and trained in dealing with emergency psychiatric patients. Further investigation regarding the practice and role of paramedics is necessary.

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 35-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamed S. Mahfouz ◽  
Abdulwahab Aqeeli ◽  
Anwar M. Makeen ◽  
Ramzi M. Hakami ◽  
Hatim H. Najmi ◽  
...  

The issue of mental health literacy has been widely studied in developed countries, with few studies conducted in Arab countries. In this study we aimed to investigate mental health literacy and attitudes towards psychiatric patients among students of Jazan University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study was conducted among undergraduate students using a validated Arabic-version questionnaire. A total of 557 students were recruited from different Jazan university colleges. The majority of students (90.3%) have intermediate mental health literacy. Regarding the etiology of mental illness, students agreed that genetic inheritance (45.8%), poor quality of life (65%) and social relationship weakness (73.1%) are the main causes of mental illness. The majority thought that mentally ill people are not capable of true friendships (52.5%) and that anyone can suffer from a mental illness (49.4%). Students' attitudes towards psychiatric patients were mixed, with 68.7% reporting that they could maintain a friendship with a mentally ill person and that people with mental illness should have the same rights as anyone else (82.5%). Mental health literacy among university students was intermediate. There is an urgent need for health educational programs to change the attitudes of students regarding this important health issue.


2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S577-S577 ◽  
Author(s):  
U. Ouali ◽  
R. Jomli ◽  
R. Nefzi ◽  
H. Ouertani ◽  
F. Nacef

IntroductionMental patients generally internalize some of the negative conceptions about how most people view them: they might be considered incompetent or untrustworthy or believe that people would not want to hire, or marry someone with mental illness. A lot of research on stigma has been conducted in western countries; however, little is still known on the situation in Arab-Muslim societies.ObjectivesTo evaluate social stigma as viewed by patients suffering from severe mental illness (SMI)MethodsThis is a cross-sectional study on clinically stabilized patients with schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder (BD) according to DSM IV, who were interviewed in our out-patients clinic with the help of a semi-structured questionnaire, containing 8 opinions on the social inclusion and stigmatization of psychiatric patients, with special reference to the local cultural context (e.g.: “It is better to hide mental illness in order to preserve the reputation of my family”)ResultsWe included 104 patients, 51% with schizophrenia and 49% with BD. Mean age was 38.4 years (18–74 years); 59.6% were males. Overall social stigma scores were high. Social stigma in patients was correlated with gender, age, place of residence and diagnosis. Patients with BD showed significantly less social stigma than patients with schizophrenia.ConclusionOur results show the need for a better understanding of this phenomenon in patients with SMI, but also within Tunisian society, in order to elaborate anti stigma strategies adapted to the local context.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.


Author(s):  
Donald W. Winnicott

In this talk delivered to social workers, Winnicott brings his understanding of professional psychiatry, with its attempts to treat severe mental illness using a more humane approach, together with his belief in dynamic psychology—the emotional development of the individual derived from the study of psychoanalysis—into a closer connection with one another. He charts a brief outline of psychoanalysis and interprets the psychoses through it. He sees the importance of early environmental factors in mental illness and the possible effects of this on maturation. He comments on depression both normal and psychotic in type, on his theories of personalization, of feeling real, and, through early dependence, the gradual growth of the functioning self. He also gives an empathic view of the role of the social worker in the difficult work of treating acute mental ill health.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 147-155
Author(s):  
Farah Saleem ◽  
Kehkashan Arouj ◽  
Sabir Zaman ◽  
Azmat Shaheen

The current study intended to find out the role of resilience on perceived public stigma and burden among primary caregivers of the psychiatric patients. The current study highlighted the psychological health of caregivers. A cross sectional study was conducted in region of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, Pakistan. A total of 250 caregivers participated in the study, whom 125 were male and 125 were female caregivers, age range was 25-60 years (M=31.61, SD=5.93). The data was collected from public and private hospitals.  Three scales were used for data collection. The resilience was measured through Urdu translated resilience scale, public stigma was assessed by using Urdu version of perceived public stigma, and Burden was measured through interview.  The result showed that resilience was negatively associated with burden and perceived public stigma (p< 0.01). Further, the multiple regression showed that resilience acted as moderator between public stigma and burden (? = -1.02, p< .001). The result supported a positive association between public stigma, burden and resilience among caregivers of psychiatric patients.


Author(s):  
Chidebe Christian Anikwe ◽  
Chiadikobi John Irechukwu ◽  
Christian Okechukwu Ogah ◽  
Cyril Chijioke Ikeoha ◽  
Bartholomew Chukwunonye Okorochukwu ◽  
...  

Introduction: Pelvic examination in the evaluation of patients can be a source of dissatisfaction and litigation from patients. A chaperone is beneficial in militating against unforeseen circumstances surrounding this clinical examination. Aim: To access the opinions and preferences of patients in pelvic examinations and factors associated with the use of chaperones in Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: The present study was a cross-sectional study. Women were recruited between October 2017 to April 2018 among patients attending the Gynaecological Clinic at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Nigeria. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data such as the socio-demographic characteristics, feelings towards pelvic examinations, and preferences about the gender of the examining doctor as well as the presence of a chaperone. Data analysis was done using International Business Machines Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (IBM SPSS) Statistics version 20.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). Results: Out of 423 questionnaires distributed, 395 respondents completed the survey giving a response rate of 93.4%. The mean age of the respondents were 29.2±6.2 years. Majority of the respondents would prefer to be seen by a female gynaecologist 342 (86.6%). About 50 (12.7%) respondents would decline pelvic examination. The commonest reason given for refusing gynaecologic examination was uncomfortable environment 25 (50%). More than two-third 264 (76.5%) would prefer to have a chaperone present at any pelvic examination. Avoidance of sexual molestation was the commonest reason given for wanting a chaperone to be present 207 (78.4%). Nulliparous women (OR=2.25 95% CI 1.13-4.50) and those with at least a secondary education (OR=7.91 95% CI 4.54-13.78) were also more likely to request a chaperone. Conclusion: Majority of the women in present study wanted the presence of a chaperone during a pelvic examination. It is therefore recommended that chaperones should routinely be offered during pelvic examination in Abakaliki, Ebonyi, Nigeria.


1996 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 233-241 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Fekete ◽  
A. Schmidtke

Increasing evidence suggests that imitative behavior may have a role in suicide. The social transmission of this problem-solving strategy might be explained by the influence of modeling. The authors investigated suicide attempters, psychiatric patients without suicidal history as well as control groups of normal persons without a psychiatric or suicidal history matched for sociodemographic variables in Germany and Hungary. Using a structured questionnaire the occurrence of real and fictive suicidal models was investigated. Statistical analyses were performed to compare the frequency of suicidal models, the characteristics of the suicidal act, and the role of imitation of the different groups in each country. The differences between the German and Hungarian groups were explained according to different cultural factors and different learning histories.


2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (11) ◽  
pp. 1376-1386 ◽  
Author(s):  
Franklin N Glozah ◽  
David J Pevalin

Little is known about the role of age and gender in the association between psychosomatic symptoms and common mental illness in Ghanaian adolescents. This cross-sectional study examined age and gender as moderators between psychosomatic symptoms and common mental illness using data from a school-based survey ( N = 770). Males reported higher psychosomatic symptoms and common mental illness, while younger adolescents reported higher common mental illness only. Psychosomatic symptoms were positively associated with common mental illness, but age and gender did not moderate this association. Interventions aimed at reducing the prevalence rate in psychosomatic symptoms are crucial in decreasing common mental illness in Ghanaian adolescents.


2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S739-S739 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Pascucci ◽  
M. La Montagna ◽  
D. Di Sabatino ◽  
E. Stella ◽  
R. Nicastro ◽  
...  

Introductionstigma in mental illness is characterized by discrimination towards people affected by mental disorder. Consequence of the paradigm “stigma-injury-discrimination” is the social exclusion of these patients and the denial of their rights. Medical students, those who should be important reference points for psychiatric patients, are instead one of the categories that contribute to their stigmatization.ObjectivesTo study the attitudes of medical students towards psychiatric patients.AimsThe present study analyzes gender differences in a sample of Italian medical students towards mental illness.MethodsA total of 339 Italian medical students completed a cross-sectional survey, in Rome and Foggia (Italy). We used the Italian version of Community Attitude towards the Mentally Ill test (CAMI) to analyze the students’ attitudes.ResultsThere is a substantial difference among the attitudes towards mental disorders in female and male students. Female students have obtained less stigmatizing results in 9 of the CAMI test items (P < 0.05), in Benevolence (P = 0.001) and Social Restrictiveness subscales (P = 0.043) and in the total score (P = 0.013).ConclusionsThese results are in line with those achieved in scientific literature, confirming that women tend to show more humanitarian attitude towards the mentally ill. Even in the original article of the validation of the CAMI test, the authors found better attitudes in women in all subscales, with the exception of Social Restrictiveness subscale (that in our analysis also correlates with the female gender).Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.


1995 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 282-289 ◽  
Author(s):  
W Rössler ◽  
HJ Salize ◽  
B Voges

SummaryIn this cross-sectional study we have investigated the attitudes and feelings toward the mentally ill among the residents of two Central European regions which are at considerably different stages of development in moving toward community-based care, to see if we could connect differing patterns of attitudes in the two regions to the varying levels of development of psychiatric care. By using the telephone survey method, representative samples of interviewees were presented with two complexes of questions, measuring the social distance of the interviewee to the mentally ill and his/her feelings toward the mentally ill. Social rejection and feelings of the people toward the mentally ill in both regions were similar in the direction they took, however not so much in the intensity. The population of the community care area showed a slightly stronger rejection. But factor analysis clearly suggests a more rational and sophisticated position toward the patients in this population. The people living in the custodially-oriented catchment area, on the other hand, showed a more vague pattern in their attitudes.


Author(s):  
Jayashree Janagam ◽  
K. C. Muraleedharan ◽  
Deepthi Gilla ◽  
N. D. Mohan

Background: Pandemics are known to cause poor mental well-being and an increased risk of mental disorders. The foremost concern emerging from different aspects of COVID-19 is its impact on mental health. There were many surveys conducted on the general population related to the effect of COVID-19 and few studies on its psychological impact but there is sparse literature on how the containment measures affected the psychiatric patients. Objective of the study was to investigate whether the COVID-19 related lockdown affected the subjective mood and behavior of psychiatric patients and their caregivers. The secondary purpose is to assess the difficulties encountered in procuring medicines and the effect of non-availability of homoeopathic medicines if any.Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted on mentally ill patients and their care-givers in the Outpatient Department of Psychiatry in National Homoeopathy Research Institute in Mental Health (NHRIMH), Kottayam. Respondents were evaluated with a specially framed questionnaire containing 22 questions to assess the effect of lockdown on psychiatric patients and their caregivers, who attended the OPD after the COVID-19 related lockdown. The data generated through the study are analysed and presented in this article.Results: Out of the total 548 participants (M-65.9%, F-34.1%) who responded to the survey, 290 (53%) cases expressed that they were distressed to be under lockdown. 26.5% of the clients reported worsening of mental health conditions during lockdown compared to pre-lockdown. 54.2% of the patients found difficulty in procuring homoeopathic medicines during Lockdown.Conclusions: Authorities should consider the ways of limiting the effects of confinement on mentally ill patients and their caregivers by developing strategies to mitigate the adverse consequence of the pandemic. 


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