There has been increasing support for the engagement of people who use mental services in the process of policy improvement. It would seem to make sense that those most directly affected by policy responses should have their views represented. This brings in to question the alternate forms of ‘evidence’ that can be used as part of evidence-based practice.

A recent study, conducted in Australia, has analysed interviews with individuals involved in drug policy discussions.

The aim of the study was to see how the idea of “consumer” is considered in relation to the discussion around the...

This webinar will present an update on research into co-occurring mental and substance use disorders among young people in Australia.

It will ask:

• how many young people experience co-occurring mental and substance use disorders?
• What is the impact?
• And what are the implications for research, prevention and treatment?

It will include a discussion of some recent trends in drug and alcohol use among young Australians, changing gender patterns across the world, and will raise some questions for future directions in research and prevention of mental and substance use disorders.

This...

Abstract

Background

General practitioners (GPs) play an important role in the physical care of patients with severe mental illness, so our aim was to analyse the relationships between GPs’ sociodemographic status and worked-related variables and their perceptions about mental illness.

Methods

A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted in the Clinical Management Unit of Mental Health (CMU-MH) of the Regional Hospital of Malaga (Spain). The eligible population comprised all GPs working in the 13 primary care centres (PCCs) in the hospital’s catchment area during the study period. GPs...

Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a common co-ocuring disorder among patients with substance use disorders. Treatment of PTSD improves SUD treatment outcome. Many studies show that a large number of patients with co-morbid PTSD do not get diagnosed, talk less of getting treatment for PTSD. We administered the PTSD check list (civilian version) to patients on admission in June 2017 after obtaining informed consent. Twenty-one percent (21%) of them met the DSM IV criteria for PTSD, but none of the patients had a diagnosis of PTSD in their case files prior to the study.  PTSD is frequently...

Psychoactive substance use was regarded as a male affair in the past. However, recent findings show an increasing number of females are getting involved. We conducted a three year retrospective review of patients admitted to the Centre for Addiction treatment in Vom, plateau state, Nigeria. We compared the proportion of female clients seeking treatment over a three year period from 2014 to 2016.  There was a steady increase in the female population seeking treatment for substance use disorder within the period of the study.  An overwhelming number of them had multiple drug use disorder and the...