Projet de conservation de la biodiversité dans la moyenne vallée du Zambèze après éradication de la mouche tsé-tsé (Zimbabwé). Etude de faisabilité d'un microprojet : le ranch communal de gibier de Gonono (Gonono communal game ranch)

Le "ranch communal de gibier de Gonono" s'inscrit dans le cadre des micro-projets proposés de manière consensuelle au Comité exécutif du "Projet de Conservation de la Biodiversité dans la Moyenne Vallée du Zambèze après l'Eradication. de la Mouche Tsé-tsé". Dans le but global d'améliorer durablement les conditions de vie de la population du Ward de Gonono, l'objectif spécifique de ce micro-projet est de mettre au point un mode local de production alternative de viande à bas prix à partir de la faune sauvage. Décidé et conçu avec les autorités du Ward, le ranch doit être progressivement géré par et pour la population du Ward. Il doit d'abord produire sur place une viande de gibier recherchée par les communautés locales qui n'y avaient accès jusqu'à présent que de manière illégale. Cette viande doit être produite à un coût modéré accessible à la population. Le ranch doit aussi permettre de conserver un espace étendu encore faiblement anthropisé en le valorisant par des productions à faible impact écologique. En phase de croisière, l'exploitation sur 3.000 hectares du peuplement multispécifique de gibier devrait permettre la fourniture annuelle de 3 0 tonnes carcasse de viande d'impala et 10. tonnes carcasse de viande d'autres espèces, soit une productivité de 13 kg carcasse de venaison par hectare. Quelques productions annexes sont aussi prévues. L'objectif économique est la couverture du prix de revient de la viande et non pas la recherche d'un profit financier. La création de ce ranch communal de gibier est une entreprise à caractère hautement innovant aux plans institutionnel et technique. Il doit donc être considéré comme une opération pilote à part entière et, à ce titre, doit pouvoir bénéficier d'un encadrement serré et d'un appui scientifique conséquent, tout au moins les premières années. (Résumé d'auteur

Applying the Cry of Pain model as a predictor of deliberate self-harm in an early-stage adult male prison population

Purpose: Deliberate self-harming behaviour is more prevalent within the prison environment than in community samples, with those in the first weeks of imprisonment at greatest risk. Research in this area has been largely atheoretical and a unifying model may improve the predictability of assessment and the development of intervention approaches. This study applied William and Pollock’s (2001) Cry of Pain model as the theoretical process of deliberate self-harm in the early stages of imprisonment. Method: A prospective study of new arrivals at an adult male prison. Participants (n =181) completed questionnaires and it was hypothesised that the factors derived from the model (perceived stress, defeat, entrapment and absence of rescue factors) would be predictive of future deliberate self-harm. Prisoners with active psychosis and non-English speakers were excluded. All participants were followed up for four months for instances of self-harm. Eighteen participants engaged in self-harm during this period. Results: The Cry of Pain Model was supported in the analysis. Hierarchical binary logistic regression confirmed that all features of the model were supported as predictive of future self-harm in prison, even after controlling for previous self-harm, depression and hopelessness. Conclusion: The Cry of Pain model is supported as a predictive model for deliberate self-harm in prison. Suggestions are offered as to the impact on assessment and intervention directions in prison

Improving risk management for violence in mental health services: a multimethods approach

contractual_start_date: 07-2008 editorial_review_begun: 07-2014 accepted_for_publication: 06-2015contractual_start_date: 07-2008 editorial_review_begun: 07-2014 accepted_for_publication: 06-2015contractual_start_date: 07-2008 editorial_review_begun: 07-2014 accepted_for_publication: 06-2015contractual_start_date: 07-2008 editorial_review_begun: 07-2014 accepted_for_publication: 06-201

The abilities of improved schizophrenia patients to work and live independently in the community: a 10-year long-term outcome study from Mumbai, India

Background: The outcome of schizophrenia has several determinants. Socioecological factors, particularly living conditions, migration, community and culture, not only affect the level of risk but also the outcome. Mega cities around the world show a unique socioecological condition that has several challenges for mental health. The present study reports on the long-term status of patients with schizophrenia in such a mega city: Mumbai, India. Aim This study aims to reveal the long-term outcome of patients suffering from schizophrenia with special reference to clinical symptoms and social functioning. Methods: The cohort for this study was drawn from a 10-year follow-up of first episode schizophrenia. Patients having completed 10 years of consistent treatment after first hospitalisation were assessed on psychopathological and recovery criteria. Clinical as well as social parameters of recovery were evaluated. Descriptive statistics with 95% confidence intervals are provided. Results: Of 200 patients recruited at the beginning of this study, 122 patients (61%) were present in the city of Mumbai at the end of 10-year follow-up study period. Among 122 available patients, 101 patients (50.5%) were included in the assessment at the end of 10-year follow-up study period, 6 patients (3.0%) were excluded from the study due to changed diagnosis, and 15 patients (7.5%) were excluded due to admission into long-term care facilities. This indicates that 107 out of 122 available patients (87.7%) were living in the community with their families. Out of 101 (50.5%) patients assessed at the end of 10 years, 61 patients (30.5%) showed improved recovery on the Clinical Global Impression Scale, 40 patients (20%) revealed no improvement in the recovery, 43 patients (72.9%) were able to live independently, and 24 patients (40%) were able to find employment. Conclusions: With 10 years of treatment, the recovery rate among schizophrenia patients in Mumbai was 30.5%. Among the patients, 87.7% of patients lived in the community, 72.9% of patients lived independently, and 40% of patients obtained employment. However, 60% of patients were unable to return to work, which highlights the need for continued monitoring and support to prevent the deterioration of health in these patients. It is likely that socioecological factors have played a role in this outcome

As Far as the Eye Can See: Relationship between Psychopathic Traits and Pupil Response to Affective Stimuli

Psychopathic individuals show a range of affective processing deficits, typically associated with the interpersonal/affective component of psychopathy. However, previous research has been inconsistent as to whether psychopathy, within both offender and community populations, is associated with deficient autonomic responses to the simple presentation of affective stimuli. Changes in pupil diameter occur in response to emotionally arousing stimuli and can be used as an objective indicator of physiological reactivity to emotion. This study used pupillometry to explore whether psychopathic traits within a community sample were associated with hypo-responsivity to the affective content of stimuli. Pupil activity was recorded for 102 adult (52 female) community participants in response to affective (both negative and positive affect) and affectively neutral stimuli, that included images of scenes, static facial expressions, dynamic facial expressions and sound-clips. Psychopathic traits were measured using the Triarchic Psychopathy Measure. Pupil diameter was larger in response to negative stimuli, but comparable pupil size was demonstrated across pleasant and neutral stimuli. A linear relationship between subjective arousal and pupil diameter was found in response to sound-clips, but was not evident in response to scenes. Contrary to predictions, psychopathy was unrelated to emotional modulation of pupil diameter across all stimuli. The findings were the same when participant gender was considered. This suggests that psychopathy within a community sample is not associated with autonomic hypo-responsivity to affective stimuli, and this effect is discussed in relation to later defensive/appetitive mobilisation deficits

Barriers to participation in mental health research: are there specific gender, ethnicity and age related barriers?

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>It is well established that the incidence, prevalence and presentation of mental disorders differ by gender, ethnicity and age, and there is evidence that there is also differential representation in mental health research by these characteristics. The aim of this paper is to a) review the current literature on the nature of barriers to participation in mental health research, with particular reference to gender, age and ethnicity; b) review the evidence on the effectiveness of strategies used to overcome these barriers.</p> <p>Method</p> <p>Studies published up to December 2008 were identified using MEDLINE, PsycINFO and EMBASE using relevant mesh headings and keywords.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Forty-nine papers were identified. There was evidence of a wide range of barriers including transportation difficulties, distrust and suspicion of researchers, and the stigma attached to mental illness. Strategies to overcome these barriers included the use of bilingual staff, assistance with travel, avoiding the use of stigmatising language in marketing material and a focus on education about the disorder under investigation. There were very few evaluations of such strategies, but there was evidence that ethnically matching recruiters to potential participants did not improve recruitment rates. Educational strategies were helpful and increased recruitment.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Mental health researchers should consider including caregivers in recruitment procedures where possible, provide clear descriptions of study aims and describe the representativeness of their sample when reporting study results. Studies that systematically investigate strategies to overcome barriers to recruitment are needed.</p

Incidence of Schizophrenia and Other Psychoses in England, 1950–2009: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses

Background We conducted a systematic review of incidence rates in England over a sixty-year period to determine the extent to which rates varied along accepted (age, sex) and less-accepted epidemiological gradients (ethnicity, migration and place of birth and upbringing, time). Objectives To determine variation in incidence of several psychotic disorders as above. Data Sources Published and grey literature searches (MEDLINE, PSycINFO, EMBASE, CINAHL, ASSIA, HMIC), and identification of unpublished data through bibliographic searches and author communication. Study Eligibility Criteria Published 1950–2009; conducted wholly or partially in England; original data on incidence of non-organic adult-onset psychosis or one or more factor(s) pertaining to incidence. Participants People, 16–64 years, with first -onset psychosis, including non-affective psychoses, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, psychotic depression and substance-induced psychosis. Study Appraisal and Synthesis Methods Title, abstract and full-text review by two independent raters to identify suitable citations. Data were extracted to a standardized extraction form. Descriptive appraisals of variation in rates, including tables and forest plots, and where suitable, random-effects meta-analyses and meta-regressions to test specific hypotheses; rate heterogeneity was assessed by the I2-statistic. Results 83 citations met inclusion. Pooled incidence of all psychoses (N = 9) was 31.7 per 100,000 person-years (95%CI: 24.6–40.9), 23.2 (95%CI: 18.3–29.5) for non-affective psychoses (N = 8), 15.2 (95%CI: 11.9–19.5) for schizophrenia (N = 15) and 12.4 (95%CI: 9.0–17.1) for affective psychoses (N = 7). This masked rate heterogeneity (I2: 0.54–0.97), possibly explained by socio-environmental factors; our review confirmed (via meta-regression) the typical age-sex interaction in psychosis risk, including secondary peak onset in women after 45 years. Rates of most disorders were elevated in several ethnic minority groups compared with the white (British) population. For example, for schizophrenia: black Caribbean (pooled RR: 5.6; 95%CI: 3.4–9.2; N = 5), black African (pooled RR: 4.7; 95%CI: 3.3–6.8; N = 5) and South Asian groups in England (pooled RR: 2.4; 95%CI: 1.3–4.5; N = 3). We found no evidence to support an overall change in the incidence of psychotic disorder over time, though diagnostic shifts (away from schizophrenia) were reported. Limitations Incidence studies were predominantly cross-sectional, limiting causal inference. Heterogeneity, while evidencing important variation, suggested pooled estimates require interpretation alongside our descriptive systematic results. Conclusions and Implications of Key Findings Incidence of psychotic disorders varied markedly by age, sex, place and migration status/ethnicity. Stable incidence over time, together with a robust socio-environmental epidemiology, provides a platform for developing prediction models for health service planning

Mission d'appui au refoulement des éléphants en périphérie du parc national de Waza, Cameroun : Mission du 14 mai au 10 juin 1999

Une partie des éléphants du Parc National de Waza migre au début de la saison des pluies vers le département du Mayo Kani, dans la Province de l'Extrême Nord, au Cameroun. Une fois sur place les éléphants occasionnent des dégâts aux cultures et mettent en danger les populations locales. Les causes de cette migration sont encore très incertaines. Une équipe franco-zimbabwéenne est intervenue au début de Ici saison des pluies en périphérie du Parc pour maintenir les éléphants à l'intérieur du Parc. Cependant, les pluies n'arrivant pas, la sortie des éléphants a été retardée (I.), et l'équipe s'est concentrée sur la formation du personnel de refoulement et la fourniture d'équipement (II.). Une aide d'urgence a aussi été proposée pour que le Ministère de l'Environnement et des Forêts puisse faire face aux dépenses de refoulement jusqu'à la fin de la saison. Ces difficultés liées à l'imprévisibilité des éléphants permettent de reposer le problème de leur gestion à long terme (III.). En effet, l'approche adoptée jusqu'ici, qui consistait à bloquer les éléphants en bordure du Parc, suppose de procéder à moyen terme à un abattage d'une part des animaux devenus trop nombreux. L'alternative consiste à accompagner tout ou- une partie du troupeau pendant la migration, et à le controler plus étroitement que par le système actuel des battues administratives. Le choix politique revient donc à décider à quel niveau l'éléphant peut être toléré en zone rurale, en valorisant ses produits, ou bien si il doit etre confiné aux zones protégées et abattu lorsqu'il met celles-ci en danger. (Résumé d'auteur