Actin polymerization driven by WASH causes V-ATPase retrieval and vesicle neutralization before exocytosis

WASH coats mature lysosomes and is required for exocytosis of indigestible material

Early psychosis in central Viet Nam: Short-term outcomes and their determinants

Set in central Vietnam, this project aimed to address the relative lack of research on people in developing countries who have recently experienced schizophrenia or a related illness for the first time. It examined the community functioning and quality of life of participants over a six-month period, as well as factors linked with a good or poor recovery. Overall, the group's outcomes were relatively positive, despite the region's limited mental health services. However, participants from low-income households appeared to have a high risk of poor outcomes, indicating the need for interventions targeting such individuals

Supporting recovery: challenges for in-home psychiatric support workers

Design/methodology/approach - The findings reported here are based on interviews with 27 support workers and ten managers of organisations providing support services. These were collected as part of evaluations of two supported housing programmes carried out between 2010 and 2011

Subjective quality of life and its predictors among people with early psychosis in central Vietnam: a short-term longitudinal study

Subjective quality of life (sQOL) has become an established outcome indicator in psychosis research, but longitudinal studies from developing countries remain scarce. This study aimed to examine sQOL, its short-term course and its predictors among people with early psychosis in central Vietnam. Community-dwelling individuals with early psychosis and their relatives were recruited via public health facilities for a naturalistic 6 month longitudinal study. The WHO Quality of Life-Bref and other standardized assessments were administered to 77 patients at baseline and 56 at follow-up. Average sQOL levels were found to be moderate across all key domains, but individuals who reported good QOL were in the minority. Negative appraisals in the environment domain, particularly in terms of money, were more common than in other QOL areas. Although level of community functioning improved significantly over the 6 month period, mean sQOL scores remained unchanged. Generalized estimating equation models revealed that more social support, being unmarried, and absence of dysphoria and negative symptoms were significantly associated with better sQOL in most domains. In summary, functional improvement may not necessarily result in enhanced sQOL for individuals with early psychosis in this setting. Local socioeconomic factors appeared to be among the most important influences on subjective wellbeing

Psychiatrists' perceptions of what determines outcomes for people diagnosed with schizophrenia in Vietnam

Objectives: Research about the outcomes of schizophrenia and the factors that determine them in developing countries is still limited. In this study, we interviewed experienced Vietnamese psychiatrists to examine their perspectives on outcome determinants in their country. The qualitative approach aimed to complement existing epidemiological knowledge and contribute to debate around the hypothesis that recovery is better in developing countries. Methods: Fifteen Vietnamese psychiatrists working in five leading psychiatric facilities participated in semi-structured interviews. Thematic content analysis of their expressed views identified three themes related to important outcome determinants in Vietnam: access to contemporary treatment, established patient-level prognostic indicators, and sociocultural variables. Results: The improving accessibility of modern treatment (including new medications, specialist staff and facilities) and increasing community adoption of a medical perspective on mental illness were seen as factors leading to improved outcomes, particularly in urban areas. However, some psychiatrists also identified the potentially beneficial nature of some aspects of Vietnamese society and culture being eroded by modernization, including traditional family structures, forms of employment and lifestyles. Conclusions: The perspectives of psychiatrists in this study suggest that socioeconomic change may be exerting conflicting influences on the outcomes of schizophrenia in Vietnam and other developing countries. Their views have implications in terms of how adequate treatment and support for people with severe mental illness can be provided in the context of limited resources, staffing and formal treatment options. Further research is needed to establish current recovery rates and prospectively explore the impact of modernization on outcomes

Early psychosis in central Vietnam: A longitudinal study of short-term functional outcomes and their predictors

BACKGROUND Few longitudinal studies have investigated the functional outcomes of individuals with recent-onset psychotic illness in low- and middle-income countries. AIMS To investigate short-term functional remission and its predictors in a central Vietnamese sample. METHODS A naturalistic 6-month prospective cohort study recruited 79 patients of public health facilities who had experienced a first episode of schizophrenia or related illness in the past 18 months. Individuals and their family members were interviewed using standardised assessments of community functioning, symptoms, treatment, demographics and various psychosocial variables. Rates of functional remission (i.e. no or minimal impairment) were calculated based on rigorous, culturally appropriate criteria. Generalised estimating equations were used to explore predictors of remission. RESULTS Rates of global functional remission were 28% at baseline and 53% at follow-up. In individual functional domains, remission was least common for occupational activities, intermediate for relationships and relatively common for daily living activities. Global functional remission was significantly associated with absence of negative and cognitive symptoms, average or better household economic status and unimpaired premorbid functioning. CONCLUSION Remission rates appeared similar to those seen in many international intervention studies. However, individuals from poor households had markedly unfavourable outcomes, suggesting the need for community-based interventions targeting low-socioeconomic status (SES) groups

The adoption of recovery-based practice: the organisation\u27s journey

In this article we describe the implementation of the CRM and describe it in terms of how three non-government mental health organisations responded to the call to increase their recovery-focussed practices. Although located in three different Australian states, servicing metropolitan, regional, and rural populations, the three organisations independently introduced very similar protocols to transfer recovery-focussed training into routine practice. The introduction of these implementation protocols is discussed in terms of the organisations developmental journeys and its parallels with a model of consumer recovery journeys

Early psychosis in central Vietnam: A longitudinal study of short-term functional outcomes and their predictors

<b>BACKGROUND</b>\ud \ud Few longitudinal studies have investigated the functional outcomes of individuals with recent-onset psychotic illness in low- and middle-income countries.\ud \ud <b>AIMS</b>\ud \ud To investigate short-term functional remission and its predictors in a central Vietnamese sample.\ud \ud <b>METHODS</b>\ud \ud A naturalistic 6-month prospective cohort study recruited 79 patients of public health facilities who had experienced a first episode of schizophrenia or related illness in the past 18 months. Individuals and their family members were interviewed using standardised assessments of community functioning, symptoms, treatment, demographics and various psychosocial variables. Rates of functional remission (i.e. no or minimal impairment) were calculated based on rigorous, culturally appropriate criteria. Generalised estimating equations were used to explore predictors of remission.\ud \ud <b>RESULTS</b>\ud \ud Rates of global functional remission were 28% at baseline and 53% at follow-up. In individual functional domains, remission was least common for occupational activities, intermediate for relationships and relatively common for daily living activities. Global functional remission was significantly associated with absence of negative and cognitive symptoms, average or better household economic status and unimpaired premorbid functioning.\ud \ud <b>CONCLUSION</b>\ud \ud Remission rates appeared similar to those seen in many international intervention studies. However, individuals from poor households had markedly unfavourable outcomes, suggesting the need for community-based interventions targeting low-socioeconomic status (SES) groups