Twelve-month treatment of psychiatric disorders in the South African Stress and Health Study (World Mental Health Survey Initiative)

Background

The proportion of people with mental disorders in treatment is relatively small in low and middle income countries. However, little is known about patterns of recent service use in a country like South Africa.

Methods

A nationally representative household survey of 4,351 adult South Africans was carried out. Twelve-month DSM-IV disorders were determined using the WHO composite international diagnostic interview (CIDI). Prevalence and correlates of treatment were assessed among respondents with anxiety, mood and substance use disorders.

Results

One-fourth (25.5%) of respondents with a 12-month disorder had received treatment in the past 12 months either from a psychiatrist (3.8%), nonpsychiatrist mental health specialist (2.9%), general medical provider (16.6%), human services provider (6.6%), or complementary-alternative medical (CAM) provider (5.9%). Only 27.6% of severe cases had received any treatment. In addition, 13.4% of respondents with no disorder had accessed services in the past year. Blacks were significantly more likely than other racial groups to access the CAM sector while Whites were more likely to have seen a psychiatrist.

Conclusions

The majority of South Africans with a 12-month mental disorder have unmet treatment needs. In addition to a greater allocation of resources to mental health services, more community outreach and awareness initiatives are needed.     

Non-fatal suicidal behavior among South Africans

BACKGROUND: Suicide represents 1.8% of the global burden of disease, yet the prevalence and correlates of suicidal behavior in low income countries are unclear. This study examines the prevalence, age of onset and sociodemographic correlates of suicide ideation, planning, and attempts among South Africans. METHOD: Nationally representative data are from the South Africa Stress and Health Study (SASH), a national household probability sample of 4,351 South African respondents aged 18 years and older conducted between 2002 and 2003, using the World Health Organization version of the composite international diagnostic interview (CIDI). Bivariate and survival analyses were employed to delineate patterns and correlates of nonfatal suicidal behavior. Transitions are estimated using life table analysis. Risk factors are examined using survival analysis. RESULTS: The risk for attempted suicide is highest in the age group 18-34 and Coloureds had highest lifetime prevalence for attempts. Cumulative probabilities are 43% for the transition from ideation to a plan, 65% from a plan to an attempt, and 12% from ideation to an unplanned attempt. About 7.5% of unplanned and 50% of planned first attempts occur within 1 year of the onset of ideation. South Africans at higher risk for suicide attempts were younger, female, and less educated. CONCLUSIONS: The burden of nonfatal suicidality in South Africa underscores the need for suicide prevention to be a national priority. Suicide prevention efforts should focus on planned attempts due to the rapid onset and unpredictability of unplanned attempts.     

Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis of the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children among adolescents in the Cape Town metropole of South Africa

There are no published data on the factor structure of the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children (MASC) among adolescents in the Cape Town metropole of South Africa. The objectives of this study were (i) to establish the exploratory factor structure of the MASC using a principal components exploratory factor analysis (EFA); (ii) to confirm the derived factor structure using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA); and (iii) to examine gender, age, and race effects among adolescents in the Western Cape of South Africa. A convenience sample of 1,051 adolescents was selected from nine different schools in the Cape Town metropole of South Africa. An EFA yielded a four-factor structure congruent to the factor structure established previously in other samples. Furthermore, the CFA showed that the four-factor structure fit the data well. Black participants reported significantly higher levels of Harm Avoidance than other racial groups, and Black and Coloured (mixed race) participants reported significantly higher levels of Anxious Coping than White and Asian participants. Black and Coloured participants reported significantly higher levels of Separation/Panic than White participants, and Black participants reported higher levels than Asian and Coloured participants. Finally, there were no significant age effects, but females scored significantly higher overall and on all MASC subscales. The MASC seems to be a useful tool for assessing and distinguishing anxiety symptoms among adolescents in the Cape Town metropole of South Africa.     

Acute, subacute toxicity and genotoxic effect of a hydroethanolic extract of the cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.)

Anacardium occidentale L. (Anacardiaceae), popularly known as cajueiro is a native plant to Brazil, and largely used in popular medicine to treat ulcers, hypertension and diarrhea. In the present study, acute, 30-day subacute toxicity and genotoxicity assays were carried out. The crude extract did not produce toxic symptoms in rats in doses up to 2000 mg/kg. Based on biochemical analyses of renal and hepato-biliary functions, such as the level of urea, creatinine, transaminases and alkaline phosphatase, we determined that the extract is generally tolerated by rats. This was also confirmed by hematological and histopathological exams. Genotoxicity was accessed by the Ames test in Salmonella typhimurium strains TA97, TA98, TA100, TA102 and by the bone marrow micronucleus test in mice. The extract was shown to induce frameshift, base pair substitution and damage to the chromosomes. However, this effect was less deleterious than the clastogenic effect of ciclophosphamide.     

Implementation of ward-based clinical pharmacy services in Belgium--description of the impact on a geriatric unit

BACKGROUND: Patient-centered clinical pharmacy services are still poorly developed in Europe, despite their demonstrated advantages in North America and the UK. Reporting European pilot experiences is, therefore, important to assess the usefulness of clinical pharmacy services in this specific context. OBJECTIVE: To report the results of the first implementation of Belgian clinical pharmacy services targeting patients at high risk of drug-related problems. METHODS: An intervention study was conducted by a trained clinical pharmacist providing pharmaceutical care to 101 patients (mean age 82.2 y; mean +/- SD number of prescribed drugs 7.8 +/- 3.5) admitted to an acute geriatric unit, over a 7 month period. All interventions to optimize prescribing, and their acceptance, were recorded. An external panel (2 geriatricians, 1 clinical pharmacist) assessed the interventions' clinical significance. Persistence of interventions after discharge was assessed through telephone calls. RESULTS: A total of 1066 interventions were made over the 7 month period. The most frequent drug-related problems underlying interventions were: underuse (15.9%), wrong dose (11.9%), inappropriate duration of therapy (9.7%), and inappropriate choice of medicine (9.6%). The most prevalent consequences were to discontinue a drug (24.5%), add a drug (18.6%), and change dosage (13.7%). Acceptance rate by physicians was 87.8%. Among interventions with clinical impact, 68.3% and 28.6% had moderate and major clinical significance, respectively. Persistence of chronic treatment changes 3 months after discharge was 84%. CONCLUSIONS: Involving a trained clinical pharmacist in a geriatric team led to clinically relevant and well-accepted optimization of medicine use. This initiative may be a springboard for further development of clinical pharmacy services.     

Human papillomavirus type 33 polymorphisms and high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions of the uterine cervix

BACKGROUND: We investigated the association between polymorphisms of human papillomavirus (HPV)-33 and squamous intraepithelial lesions (SILs). METHODS: Endocervical specimens from 89 women infected with HPV-33, out of a total of 5347 recruited for 2 case-control and 2 cohort studies, were further analyzed by polymerase chain reaction sequencing of the long control region (LCR), E6, and E7. RESULTS: Of the 89 samples, 64 were normal, 7 had low-grade SILs (including 3 determined by histopathologic analysis), 15 had high-grade SILs (HSILs, including 14 determined by histopathologic analysis), and 3 had an unknown diagnosis. Non-prototype-like LCR variants were significantly associated with HSILs (age- and study site-adjusted odds ratio [OR], 9.2 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.8-45.9]). The C7732G variation, which results in the loss of a putative binding site for the cellular upstream stimulatory factor, was associated with HSILs (age- and site-adjusted OR, 8.0 [95% CI, 1.5-42.8]). E6 and E7 polymorphisms were not associated with HSILs. Samples collected at 6-month intervals from 14 participants contained the same variant. The HPV-33 MT 1-0-0 variant carrying the G7584A variation was detected more frequently in women from Brazil (7/20 [35%]) than in women from Canada (1/65 [1.5%]; P=.001). CONCLUSION: Intratypic LCR variants of HPV-33 seem to vary geographically and to differ with respect to their oncogenic potential.