Comorbid substance misuse in mental illness presents a significant challenge to mental health services. It may lead to higher rates of relapse, hospital admissions and poorer treatment outcomes. Up to 47% of inpatients in Irish mental health units may experience substance misuse. Despite the Irish government’s ‘Vision for Change’ policy (2006), access to specialised services remains variable.

Evaluate: -prevalence of substance misuse at an Irish mental health unit. -quality and detail of the recorded substance misuse history. -access to specialised services for patients experiencing substance misuse.

A retrospective chart review of inpatients in a mental health unit over 12 months, was completed. Information recorded included: demographic details, diagnosis, substance use history; access to substance misuse services. Microsoft Excel was utilised for data input and analysis.

267 patients were admitted over twelve months. Substance misuse was the primary diagnosis of 6% and the secondary diagnosis of 67%. 46% of patients reported current substance misuse, 52% reported historical substance misuse. Frequency and quantity of use was documented in 65% and 48% of cases respectively. 4% of patients with a substance misuse history were in current contact with addiction services.

Although 46% of patients reported substance misuse, only 4% were in contact with specialised addiction services. This highlights a significant unmet need. There was variability in the quality of the recorded substance misuse history. In order to fully understand comorbid substance misuse, this be addressed. The addition of a more formatted substance misuse section, to admission proformas, may help to alleviate this issue.

Of those with schizophrenia, one third develop treatment-resistant illness. Nearly 60% of these benefit from clozapine- the only antipsychotic medication licensed in this group.

As treatment-resistant illness developed in the follow-up of a first-episode psychosis (FEP) cohort, clozapine was prescribed. This study retrospectively compared the clozapine prescribing patterns, within this cohort, to National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines. In addition, impact on hospitalisation, physical health monitoring and augmentation strategies employed following clozapine initiation were examined. Factors delaying initiation of clozapine treatment or contributing to its discontinuation were also explored.

The study included 339 individuals resident within an Irish community mental health team catchment area, referred with FEP from 1 January 2005 to 31 August 2016. Data were extracted from electronic medical records.

Within the cohort, clozapine was prescribed to 32 individuals (9.4%). The mean number of adequate trials of antipsychotic prior to starting clozapine was 2.74 (SD 1.13; range 1–5). The mean time to clozapine trial was 2.1 years (SD 1.95; range 0.17–6.25). Following initiation of clozapine, mean hospital admissions per year fell from 2.3 to 0.3 (p=0.00). Mean inpatient days pre- and post-clozapine also decreased (147 vs. 53; p=0.00). In all, 18 patients ceased use of clozapine, 5 temporarily and 13 permanently.

Patients are being prescribed clozapine earlier than previously demonstrated. However, delayed treatment remains common, and many patients discontinue clozapine. Further research is necessary to describe and address factors which contribute to its discontinuation.

No significant relationships.

Poor maternal mental health during the perinatal period leads to serious complications, especially in humanitarian settings where both mothers and children have often been exposed to multiple stressful events. In those contexts, culturally relevant mental health and psychosocial interventions are required to support mother-infant dyads and ultimately to alleviate potential negative outcomes on child’s health and development.

This study aims at assessing the use of postnatal services by mothers and infants under 2 and its impact on maternal mental health.

A process evaluation of Baby Friendly Spaces (BFS) program was conducted in Nguynyel refugee camp (Ethiopia) and a prospective quantitative assessment was administered to lactating women at baseline and endline (2 months later) to measure maternal functional impairment (WHODAS 2.0), general psychological distress (Kessler scale-K6); depression symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire-PHQ9) and post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSD Checklist-PCL-6).

201 lactating women and their babies were enrolled between October 2018 and March 2019. Statistically significant reductions were observed in all mental health outcomes at follow-up. Total mean scores decrease by 19% (p<0.001) for general psychological distress and posttraumatic stress, by 23% (p<0.001) for the depression and by 15% (p<0.001) for the functional impairment. Examination of the compliance to the services revealed that mothers who dropped out early had statistically significantly lower depression scores (p=0.01), and functional impairment scores (p<0.001) than mothers who stayed in the program.

The integration of maternal mental health interventions within perinatal services is challenging but essential for identifying and treating maternal common mental disorders.

No significant relationships.

Secure forensic mental health services treat patient with high rates of treatment resistant psychoses, typically schizophrenia. These groups have high rates of obesity and medical co-morbidities. Population based studies have identified high risk groups in the event of SARS-CoV-2 infection, including those with long term medical conditions.

The aim of this study was to compare the vulnerability to serious adverse outcome in the event of COVID-19 infection in a forensic psychiatric patient population.

All patients of a complete National Forensic Mental Health Service (n=141) were rated for risk of adverse outcome in the event of SARS-CoV-2 infection, using two structured tools, the COVID-AGE tool and the COVID-Risk tool.

Eighty-two patients (58.2%) met criteria for obesity, 32 had type II diabetes and 28 were hypertensive. Mean chronological age was 45.5 years (SD 11.4, median 44.1), while mean COVID-AGE was 59.1 years (SD 19.4, median 58.0), mean difference 13.6 years (SD 15.6) paired t=10.9, df=140, p=0.000. Three patients (2.1%) were chronologically over 70 years compared to 40 (28.4%) with a COVID-AGE over 70 (X2=6.99, df=1, p=0.008, Fishers exact test p=0.027).

These risk assessments may identify the extent of increased risk among a uniquely medically vulnerable patient group. Patients in secure forensic psychiatric services represent a high-risk group for adverse outcomes in the event of SARS-COV-2 infection. Population based cocooning and self-isolating guidance based on chronological age may not be sufficient. There is an urgent need for better physical health research and treatment in this group.

We assessed long-term incidence and prevalence trends of dementia and parkinsonism across major ethnic and immigrant groups in Ontario.

Linking administrative databases, we established two cohorts (dementia 2001–2014 and parkinsonism 2001–2015) of all residents aged 20 to 100 years with incident diagnosis of dementia (N = 387,937) or parkinsonism (N = 59,617). We calculated age- and sex-standardized incidence and prevalence of dementia and parkinsonism by immigrant status and ethnic groups (Chinese, South Asian, and the General Population). We assessed incidence and prevalence trends using Poisson regression and Cochran–Armitage trend tests.

Across selected ethnic groups, dementia incidence and prevalence were higher in long-term residents than recent or longer-term immigrants from 2001 to 2014. During this period, age- and sex-standardized incidence of dementia in Chinese, South Asian, and the General Population increased, respectively, among longer-term immigrants (by 41%, 58%, and 42%) and long-term residents (28%, 7%, and 4%), and to a lesser degree among recent immigrants. The small number of cases precluded us from assessing parkinsonism incidence trends. For Chinese, South Asian, and the General Population, respectively, prevalence of dementia and parkinsonism modestly increased over time among recent immigrants but significantly increased among longer-term immigrants (dementia: 134%, 217%, and 117%; parkinsonism: 55%, 54%, and 43%) and long-term residents (dementia: 97%, 132%, and 71%; parkinsonism: 18%, 30%, and 29%). Adjustment for pre-existing conditions did not appear to explain incidence trends, except for stroke and coronary artery disease as potential drivers of dementia incidence.

Recent immigrants across major ethnic groups in Ontario had considerably lower rates of dementia and parkinsonism than long-term residents, but this difference diminished with longer-term immigrants.

There is limited research on community-based mental health interventions in former Soviet countries despite different contextual factors from where most research has been conducted. Ongoing military conflict has resulted in many displaced persons and veterans and their families with high burdens of mental health problems. Lack of community-based services and poor uptake of existing psychiatric services led to the current trial to determine the effectiveness of the common elements treatment approach (CETA) on anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTS) among conflict affected adults in Ukraine.

We conducted a three-armed randomized-controlled trial of CETA delivered in its standard form (8–12 sessions), a brief form (five-sessions), and a wait-control condition. Eligible participants were displaced adults, army veterans and their adult family members with elevated depression and/or PTS and impaired functioning. Treatment was delivered by community-based providers trained in both standard and brief CETA. Outcome data were collected monthly.

There were 302 trial participants (n = 117 brief CETA, n = 129 standard CETA, n = 56 wait-controls). Compared with wait-controls, participants in standard and brief CETA experienced clinically and statistically significant reductions in depression, anxiety, and PTS and dysfunction (effect sizes d = 0.46–1.0–6). Comparing those who received standard CETA with brief CETA, the former reported fewer symptoms and less dysfunction with small-to-medium effect sized (d = 0.20–0.55).

Standard CETA is more effective than brief CETA, but brief CETA also had significant effects compared with wait-controls. Given demonstrated effectiveness, CETA could be scaled up as an effective community-based approach.

There has been relatively limited work focused on understanding whether relatives of individuals with bipolar disorder (BD) have difficulties in the regulation of emotion, particularly in relation to perceptions about whether emotions can be effectively regulated, or trait behaviours that acknowledge emotions as self-regulators themselves. In this study, we assessed the presence and extent of difficulties in these dimensions of emotion regulation in individuals with BD compared to unaffected first-degree biological relatives (FDR) for the first time.

In total, 161 participants, including euthymic individuals with BD, unaffected FDRs, and healthy controls, were compared on the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) – a multi-dimensional measure of habitual emotion regulation. Clinical data were also collected and examined in relation to DERS scores in a secondary analysis.

In the BD group, difficulties were evident for most dimensions of emotion regulation as measured by the DERS; and correlated with an earlier onset of illness and more mood episodes. FDRs displayed generally normal emotion regulation, except in terms of their beliefs that emotions can be effectively regulated; on this dimension, their reported difficulty was intermediate to the BD group and controls.

Habitual emotion regulation difficulties in BD persist irrespective of mood state, are related to the course of illness, and should be targeted in psychological interventions. Further, the perception that emotions cannot be effectively regulated during times of distress seems to represent an endophenotype for BD.

To disrupt cycles of health inequity, traceable to dietary inequities in the earliest stages of life, public health interventions should target improving nutritional wellbeing in preconception/pregnancy environments. This requires a deep engagement with pregnant/postpartum people (PPP) and their communities (including their health and social care providers, HSCP). We sought to understand the factors that influence diet during pregnancy from the perspectives of PPP and HSCP, and to outline intervention priorities.

We carried out thematic network analyses of transcripts from ten focus group discussions (FGD) and one stakeholder engagement meeting with PPP and HSCP in a Canadian city. Identified themes were developed into conceptual maps, highlighting local priorities for pregnancy nutrition and intervention development.

FGD and the stakeholder meeting were run in predominantly lower socioeconomic position (SEP) neighbourhoods in the sociodemographically diverse city of Hamilton, Canada.

All local, comprising twenty-two lower SEP PPP and forty-three HSCP.

Salient themes were resilience, resources, relationships and the embodied experience of pregnancy. Both PPP and HSCP underscored that socioeconomic-political forces operating at multiple levels largely determined the availability of individual and relational resources constraining diet during pregnancy. Intervention proposals focused on cultivating individual and community resilience to improve early-life nutritional environments. Participants called for better-integrated services, greater income supports and strengthened support programmes.

Hamilton stakeholders foregrounded social determinants of inequity as main factors influencing pregnancy diet. They further indicated a need to develop interventions that build resilience and redistribute resources at multiple levels, from the household to the state.

It remains poorly understood how negative symptoms are experienced in the daily lives of individuals in the early stages of psychosis. We aimed to investigate whether altered affective experience, anhedonia, social anhedonia, and asociality were more pronounced in individuals with an at-risk mental state for psychosis (ARMS) and individuals with first-episode psychosis (FEP) than in controls.

We used the experience sampling methodology (ESM) to assess negative symptoms, as they occurred in the daily life of 51 individuals with FEP and 46 ARMS, compared with 53 controls.

Multilevel linear regression analyses showed no overall evidence for a blunting of affective experience. There was some evidence for anhedonia in FEP but not in ARMS, as shown by a smaller increase of positive affect (BΔat−risk v. FEP = 0.08, p = 0.006) as the pleasantness of activities increased. Against our expectations, no evidence was found for greater social anhedonia in any group. FEP were more often alone (57%) than ARMS (38%) and controls (35%) but appraisals of the social situation did not point to asociality.

Overall, altered affective experience, anhedonia, social anhedonia and asociality seem to play less of a role in the daily life of individuals in the early stages of psychosis than previously assumed. With the experience of affect and pleasure in daily life being largely intact, changing social situations and appraisals thereof should be further investigated to prevent development or deterioration of negative symptoms.

Recent studies have identified DAAO as a probable susceptibility gene for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. However, little is known about how this gene may affect brain function to increase vulnerability to these disorders.

The present investigation examined the impact of DAAO genotype on brain function in patients with schizophrenia, patients with bipolar I disorder and healthy volunteers.

We tested the hypotheses that the high-risk variant of DAAO would be associated with altered prefrontal function and functional connectivity in schizophrenic and bipolar patients.

We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to measure brain responses during a verbal fluency task in a total of 121 subjects comprising 40 patients with schizophrenia, 33 patients with bipolar I disorder and 48 healthy volunteers. We then used statistical parametric mapping (SPM) and psycho-physiological interaction (PPI) analyses to estimate the main effects of diagnostic group, the main effect of genotype and their interaction on brain activation and functional connectivity.

In schizophrenic patients relative to bipolar patients and controls, the high-risk variant of DAAO was associated with lower deactivation in the left precuneus and greater activation in the right calcarine and posterior cingulate gyrus during task performance. In addiction, these areas expressed altered functional connectivity with the rest of the brain in schizophrenic patients relative to bipolar patients and controls.

Our results suggest that genetic variation in DAAO has a significant impact on brain function and provide preliminary evidence for a disease-specific pattern of gene action in specific brain regions.