Prevalence of and risk factors for mental disorders in refugees.

Given the increasing numbers of refugees worldwide, the prevalence of their mental disorders is relevant for public health. Prevalence studies show that, in the first years of resettlement, only post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) rates are clearly higher in refugees than in host countries' populations. Five years after resettlement rates of depressive and anxiety disorders are also increased. Exposure to traumatic events before or during migration may explain high rates of PTSD. Evidence suggests that poor social integration and difficulties in accessing care contribute to higher rates of mental disorders in the long-term. Policy and research implications are discussed

Can mental health interventions change social networks? A systematic review

KA was previously funded by East London NHS Foundation Trust, and is a PhD research fellow in the Netherlands at the time of print. SP was funded by Queen Mary University of London, and NL was funded by East London NHS Foundation Trust

Satisfaction with sex life among patients with schizophrenia.

BACKGROUND: Whilst subjective quality of life has been extensively studied in patients with schizophrenia, little is known specifically about their satisfaction with their sex lives. Aim To assess the level of satisfaction with sex lives of patients with schizophrenia and explore patient characteristics associated with lower satisfaction. METHOD: Data of five independent samples of patients with schizophrenia or related disorders (ICD-10 F20-29) were analysed. Quality of life including satisfaction with sex life was assessed on the Manchester Short Assessment of Quality of Life. RESULTS: Across all patients (N=1404), satisfaction with sex life was significantly lower than satisfaction with any other life domain, and in each sample mean scores were below the middle scale point, indicating explicit dissatisfaction. Lower satisfaction was associated with male gender, being unmarried and more affective symptoms. CONCLUSION: Patients with schizophrenia experience their sex life as an area of particular dissatisfaction. Future research should identify context and reasons for this dissatisfaction

Preferences for befriending schemes: a survey of patients with severe mental illness

This paper presents independent research funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) under its Programme Grants for Applied Research Programme (Reference Number RP-PG-0611-20002). The funding body was not involved in, and did not influence, the design of the study, data collection, analysis or interpretation of the data. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Health

Psychosocial interventions for people with schizophrenia or psychosis on minimal or no antipsychotic medication: A systematic review

Antipsychotics are the first-line treatment for people with schizophrenia or psychosis. There is evidence that they can reduce the symptoms of psychosis and risk of relapse. However many people do not respond to these drugs, or experience adverse effects and stop taking them. In the UK, clinical guidelines have stressed the need for research into psychosocial interventions without antipsychotics. This systematic review examines the effects of psychosocial interventions for people with schizophrenia or psychosis who are on no/minimal antipsychotics. Databases were searched for empirical studies investigating a psychosocial intervention in people with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder who were not taking antipsychotics or had received an antipsychotic minimisation strategy. We identified nine interventions tested in 17 studies (N=2,250), including eight randomised controlled trials. Outcomes were generally equal to or in a small number of cases better than the control group (antipsychotics/treatment as usual) for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Need Adapted Treatment and Soteria. The remaining interventions provided some encouraging, but overall inconsistent findings and were Psychosocial Outpatient Treatment, Open Dialogue, Psychosocial Inpatient Treatment, Psychoanalysis/Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, Major Role Therapy, and Milieu Treatment. Study quality was generally low with little recent research. In conclusion, nine psychosocial interventions have been studied for patients on no/minimal antipsychotics, The majority of studies reported outcomes for the intervention which were the same as the control group, however, study quality was problematic. Given the adverse effects of antipsychotics and that many people do not want to take them, high quality trials of psychosocial treatments for people on minimal/no antipsychotics are needed