How Stigma Interferes With Mental Healthcare: An Expert Interview With Patrick W. Corrigan, PsyD

The stigmatization of people with mental illness is widespread in our society. What is stigma? How does it negatively affect patient outcomes and how can it be reduced? Randall F. White, MD, contributing writer at Medscape, interviewed Patrick W. Corrigan, PsyD, about these issues. Dr. Corrigan is a Professor of Psychiatry and Psychology at Northwestern University and Executive Director of the Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation at Evanston Northwestern Healthcare, both in Evanston, Illinois. He and his collaborators work at the forefront of understanding the stigmatization of people with mental illness in our society.

Conference Report
Culture and Mental Health: Highlights of the 54th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Psychiatric Association
October 14-17, 2004, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

The Canadian Psychiatric Association held its 54th Annual Meeting from October 14 to 17, 2004 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The theme of the meeting was culture and mental health. Below are summaries of selected sessions on the mental health of immigrants and cultural considerations for treatment of mental health issues.

Joshua Fogel, PhD
Posted 11/30/2004

The National Report on Health Sector Performance Indicators 2003
Catalogue No. HWI-78, Available from CanPrint (ph: 1300 889 873)

"Australians' health getting better but there is room for improvement"

The National Report on Health Sector Performance Indicators 2003 is designed to help policy makers and others understand trends and patterns in health, and to identify areas for action. It examines 44 indicators of performance across the three tiers of the NHPC's National Health Performance Framework - health status and outcomes, determinants of health and health system performance.

In general, Australians are living healthier as well as living longer, with significantly lower rates of heart disease, stroke and injury compared with a decade ago. However, diabetes, mental illness and psychological distress are all more common.

There are also still substantial health inequalities in Australia. People living in the most disadvantaged areas have avoidable mortality rates 54% higher than those living in the least disadvantaged areas. But the starkest health inequalities are between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other Australians. Infant mortality for indigenous Australians is twice as high and, for older people, their chances of dying from circulatory disease, diabetes and injuries due to accidents, suicide and assault are much higher than for other Australians.

The report looks at determinants of health - those which have protective benefits, such as fruit and vegetable intake and physical activity, and those that are hazardous to health, such as overweight and obesity and tobacco use. For example, in 2001, 46% of Australians were sufficiently active to achieve a health benefit and 16% of adult Australians were obese.

Health system performance information in the report includes indicators of effectiveness (such as childhood immunisation rates), responsiveness (such as waiting times in emergency departments) and safety (such as adverse events in hospitals.)

Canberra, 9 December 2004

Depression affects elderly people's lives more than physical illnesses
BMJ 2004;329:1307 (4 December)
Janice Hopkins Tanne

Severe depression impairs elderly patients' lives more than serious medical illnesses, and treatment of depression "has the potential to improve patients' lives in spite of other medical comorbidities," says a multicentre randomised controlled US study published in the Annals of Family Medicine ( 2004;2: 555-562).

Australian Health Promotion Association Conference
Canberra March 13th - 16th 2005

The 'theme 20/20 Vision' focusses on progress to date and a look at the future for health promotion. Plenary speakers will talk on the five action areas of the Ottawa Charter, including Dr. Debra Rickwood, national consultant/writer on mental health policy, on "Reorienting Health Services".

Other specific mental health content is around mental health and schools, stress and health, preventing depression, and resilience. There are workshops on the Mindmatters program and InterCAMHS. A networking session for workers in mental health promotion will discuss the idea of a national association focus/representation either within AHPA or elsewhere, and other current issues for workers in this area.

Important dates
17 DECEMBER 2004 Early bird registration deadline and cut-off date for presenters to register
11 FEBRUARY 2005 Standard registration deadline

For further information
Conference Co-ordinatorsAHPA National Conference Secretariat, PO Box 139 Calwell, ACT 2905 Phone: (02) 6292 9000 Email: ahpa@confco.com.au
Or visit the ACT Health Promotion website: http://www.healthpromotion.act.gov.au

Events
Annual candlelight service
The Compassionate Friends provide support and understanding to bereaved parents and invite you to bring a plate of food and a framed photo of your loved one to place of their table.
WHEN: Sunday December 12, 6.30pm
WHERE: St Georges Cathedral, St Georges Terrace and Cathedral Avenue Perth.
COST: Free, but donations are valued and welcome
CONTACT: 9486 8711

Crisis, Vol. 25, No. 1, 2004

Peer Suicide Prevention in a Prison
Summary: Suicide rates among inmate populations in prisons are considerably higher than in the general population. Suicide prevention is a common need among penal Institutions around the world. Traditional approaches involving only correctional staff in suicide prevention efforts have proven to have their limitations. The involvement of inmates in peer prevention efforts seems to be a reasonable alternative approach. This study examines such a program, called SAMS in the Pen, operated jointly between the prison and the Samaritans of Southern Alberta. This service, the first of its kind in Canada, involved inmate volunteers, known as SAMS, who were trained in listening skills, suicide prevention, and risk assessment. Data was collected for the research from volunteers, correctional staff, general inmate population, and professional staff. However, given the low absolute number in the one institution where the study was carried out, statistical analyses were not practical. As with any new service, the SAMS in the Pen experienced some developmental problems but was perceived to be a worthwhile service to both inmates and staff of the prison.
Keywords: Suicide prevention, prisons, Samaritans, peers

Hall, B & Gabor, P. Peer Suicide Prevention in a Prison (2004). Crisis. Vol. 25, No. 1, 19-26


Complicated Grief in Survivors of Suicide
Summary: Complicated grief is a newly defined and distinctive psychiatric disorder that occurs in response to a significant loss through death. New findings suggest that survivors who were close to the deceased are at heightened risk for complicated grief. Little is known about whether close kinship (spouses, parents, children, siblings, vs. in-laws, aunts/uncles, nieces/nephews, friends, or coworkers) to a suicide victim also represents a heightened risk for complicated grief. Assessing for complicated grief is important, especially with survivors of suicide, because of the potential for associated health risks. This report contains preliminary data from an exploratory, descriptive pilot study examining complicated grief in adult survivors of suicide. Sixty bereaved subjects, within one month after the suicide of a family member or significant other, were assessed for complicated grief symptoms. Statistically significant differences, as measured with the Inventory of Complicated Grief, were noted between closely related and distantly related survivors of the suicide victim. These preliminary results indicate that health care professional's assessments and interventions for complicated grief should take into consideration the bereaved's familial and/or social relationship to the deceased. The closely related survivors of suicide had higher levels of complicated grief and could be at risk of developing physical and/or mental health problems, including suicidal ideation, in the future.
Keywords: Bereavement, complicated grief, grief, suicide, survivors of suicide

Mitchell, A.M., Kim, Y., Prigerson, H.G. & Mortimer-Stephens, K. Complicated Grief in Survivors of Suicide. 2004. Crisis. Vol. 25, No. 1, 12-18