Epidemiology and psychiatric sciences
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This article briefly presents the main characteristics of the World Health Organization (WHO) essential medicines list (EML), a register of minimum medicine needs for every health-care system. The idea behind the list is that the use of a limited number of well-known and cost-effective medicines may lead to improved long-term medicine supply, lower costs and better health care provision.
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Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci · Mar 2012
EditorialThe great east Japan earthquake in 2011; toward sustainable mental health care system.
In face with a triple disaster of earthquake, tsunami and nuclear power plant accident, the degrees of which are historically hardly preceded, immediate mental health countermeasure was taken by the initiative of the national and local government together with academic and clinical organizations. Based on previous experience of natural disasters, more than 50 mental health care teams have been organized and dispatched to the affected areas, scheduled by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. ⋯ Existing guidelines should be respected but actually it tended to be only partially recognized. In Fukushima prefecture, where nuclear plant accident occurred, its mental health impact is most concerned and long-term follow-up of the residents' health has been being planned.
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Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci · Dec 2011
Editorial ReviewBurnout and psychiatrists: what do we know and where to from here?
Medicine in most parts of the world is becoming a stressful profession. Psychiatrists represent a high-risk group among doctors for experiencing burnout, alcohol and drug use, posing suicide risk and other forms of work-related stress. ⋯ Methodologically sound studies are needed to help us understand positive aspects of psychiatry as a profession and the environment psychiatrists work in. Effective treatment programmes for burnout are also needed not only to reduce suffering but also to retain psychiatrists in the profession.
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Investment in innovative mental health care services requires the use of scarce resources that could be used in alternative ways. Economic evaluation is essential to ensure that such an investment is appropriately compared with investment elsewhere. ⋯ Economic evaluations in the area of mental health care are increasing in number and it is essential that researchers continue to develop and improve methods used to conduct such studies.
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Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci · Mar 2011
Effectiveness of continuity-of-care programs to reduce time in hospital in persons with schizophrenia.
To assess the impact of the Continuity-of-Care Program (CCP; a clinical case management model) on hospital use of persons with schizophrenia in three Community Mental Health Services in Madrid (Spain). ⋯ These results encourage the development and implementation of such programs, even though more studies evaluating the effectiveness of these programs for other endpoints are needed.