When Mothers Go Wrong: Likely Neural Undercurrents Related to Poor Parenting

The mammalian model of survival begins with puzzling-out a simple but stark truth: Life must learn to care for life. We have described the experiences involved in changing from nulliparous female to mother, from unresponsive to committed. The transition taking place in the nervous system that underpins the shift from largely self-centered organism to other-focused caregiver is accompanied by an assortment of effects ranging from basic gene expression changes, to modifications of neuronal complexity and activity, to wholesale shifts in the size of specific brain structures. In total, the female changes in ways both subtle an

Bibliography on HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia and Ethiopians in the Diaspora: The 2008 Update

This is the sixth update of the bibliography on HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia and Ethiopians in the Diaspora, which was originally published in this journal in 2003. That bibliography covered published and unpublished work on HIV/AIDS and related health conditions (e.g., other sexually transmitted infections, tuberculosis) for the period 1972 to 2002. Five subsequent updates werepublished in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008. The present update extends the bibliography to cover references not listed in previous updates and those recent publications or presentations that appeared in 2008

Burden of mental disorders and unmet needs among street homeless people in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

BACKGROUND: The impact of mental disorders among homeless people is likely to be substantial in low income countries because of underdeveloped social welfare and health systems. As a first step towards advocacy and provision of care, we conducted a study to determine the burden of psychotic disorders and associated unmet needs, as well as the prevalence of mental distress, suicidality, and alcohol use disorder among homeless people in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among street homeless adults. Trained community nurses screened for potential psychosis and administered standardized measures of mental distress, alcohol use disorder and suicidality. Psychiatric nurses then carried out confirmatory diagnostic interviews of psychosis and administered a locally adapted version of the Camberwell Assessment of Needs Short Appraisal Schedule. RESULTS: We assessed 217 street homeless adults, about 90% of whom had experienced some form of mental or alcohol use disorder: 41.0% had psychosis, 60.0% had hazardous or dependent alcohol use, and 14.8% reported attempting suicide in the previous month. Homeless people with psychosis had extensive unmet needs with 80% to 100% reporting unmet needs across 26 domains. Nearly 30% had physical disability (visual and sensory impairment and impaired mobility). Only 10.0% of those with psychosis had ever received treatment for their illness. Most had lived on the streets for over 2 years, and alcohol use disorder was positively associated with chronicity of homelessness. CONCLUSION: Psychoses and other mental and behavioural disorders affect most people who are street homeless in Addis Ababa. Any programme to improve the condition of homeless people should include treatment for mental and alcohol use disorders. The findings have significant implications for advocacy and intervention programmes, particularly in similar low income settings. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12916-014-0138-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users