Prompt initial contact with a treatment provider is a critical first step in seeking help for a mental or substance use disorders (SUDs). The aim of the current study was to provide estimates of patterns and predictors of delay in making initial treatment contact based on the recently completed Australian National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing.

Data came a nationally representative epidemiological survey of n = 15,893 Australians. Measures included DSM-IV lifetime diagnoses of mood (MD), anxiety (AD) and SUDs; age of disorder onset; and age of first treatment contact. Correlates of treatment delay were examined.

SUDs exhibited the lowest lifetime treatment rate (27%), compared to MD (94%) and ADs (85%). Individuals with AD experienced the longest delay in seeking treatment (Mdn = 11 years), followed by those with SUDs (Mdn = 8 years) and MDs (Mdn = 3 years). Females had higher odds of seeking treatment for MD and AD but lower odds for SUDs. Recent birth cohorts showed increased treatment seeking across disorders, and higher education was associated with increased treatment seeking for MD and AD. Age of onset, country of birth and co-occurring disorders had mixed associations with treatment seeking.

The study reveals stark disparities in treatment-seeking behaviour and delays across mental and substance use disorders, with a pronounced underutilization of services for SUDs. Additionally, attention should be directed towards early intervention for individuals with earlier symptom onset, those from earlier cohorts and those with co-occurring SUDs.

The structure of psychopathology can be organized hierarchically into a set of transdiagnostic dimensional phenotypes. No studies have examined whether these phenotypes are associated with brain structure or dementia in older adults.

Data were drawn from a longitudinal study of older adults aged 70–90 years at baseline (N = 1072; 44.8% male). Confirmatory factor models were fit to baseline psychiatric symptoms, with model fit assessed via traditional fit indices, model-based reliability estimates, and evaluation of model parameters. Bayesian plausible values were generated from the best-fitting model for use in subsequent analyses. Linear mixed models examined intraindividual change in global and regional gray matter volume (GMV) and cortical thickness over 6 years. Logistic regression examined whether symptom dimensions predicted incident dementia over 12 years.

A higher-order model showed a good fit to the data (BIC = 28,691.85; ssaBIC = 28,396.47; CFI = 0.926; TLI = 0.92; RMSEA = 0.047), including a general factor and lower-order dimensions of internalizing, disinhibited externalizing, and substance use. Baseline symptom dimensions did not predict change over time in total cortical and subcortical GMV or average cortical thickness; regional GMV or cortical thickness in the frontal, parietal, temporal, or occipital lobes; or regional GMV in the hippocampus and cerebellum (all p-values >0.5). Finally, baseline symptom dimensions did not predict incident dementia across follow-ups (all p-values >0.5).

We found no evidence that transdiagnostic dimensions are associated with gray matter structure or dementia in older adults. Future research should examine these relationships using psychiatric indicators capturing past history of chronic mental illness rather than current symptoms.

Adolescence is a critical period for preventing substance use and mental health concerns, often targeted through separate school-based programs. However, co-occurrence is common and is related to worse outcomes. This study explores prevention effects of leading school-based prevention programs on co-occurring alcohol use and psychological distress.

Data from two Australian cluster randomized trials involving 8576 students in 97 schools were harmonized for analysis. Students received either health education (control) or one of five prevention programs (e.g. Climate Schools, PreVenture) with assessments at baseline and 6, 12, 24, and 30 or 36 months (from ages ~13–16). Multilevel multinomial regressions were used to predict the relative risk ratios (RRs) of students reporting co-occurring early alcohol use and psychological distress, alcohol use only, distress only, or neither (reference) across programs.

The combined Climate Schools: Alcohol and Cannabis and Climate Schools: Mental Health courses (CSC) as well as the PreVenture program reduced the risk of adolescents reporting co-occurring alcohol use and psychological distress (36 months RRCSC = 0.37; RRPreVenture = 0.22). Other evaluated programs (excluding Climate Schools: Mental Health) only appeared effective for reducing the risk of alcohol use that occurred without distress.

Evidence-based programs exist that reduce the risk of early alcohol use with and without co-occurring psychological distress, though preventing psychological distress alone requires further exploration. Prevention programs appear to have different effects depending on whether alcohol use and distress present on their own or together, thus suggesting the need for tailored prevention strategies.

The relationship between adolescent alcohol use and emotional problems remains unclear and contradictory. These inconsistencies may in part be due to differences in the measurement and operationalization of alcohol use and emotional problems across studies, as well as confounder selection and missing data decisions. This study explores the associations between common specifications of adolescent alcohol use and emotional problems in a large sample of adolescents.

A multiverse analysis (also known as specification curve analysis or vibration of effects) was done with 7680 unique model specifications in a large longitudinal sample of 6639 Australian adolescents (aged ~14.7–15.7, 2021–2022).

While alcohol use and emotional problems nearly universally co-occurred in minimally adjusted cross-sectional models (98–99%), the operationalization of emotional problems, temporality of prospective relationships, and choice of confounders substantially impacted findings. Emotional problems appeared to predict later alcohol use more-so than the reverse, depression-focused measures yielded more consistent associations with alcohol use than anxiety-focused measures, and certain confounders (i.e. conduct, ADHD, smoking) explained most of the associations between adolescent alcohol use and emotional problems. Missing data decisions and whether outcomes were modelled continuously v. dichotomously had minimal impact on findings.

While adolescent alcohol use and emotional problems commonly co-occur, inconsistencies in the magnitude, direction, and significance of effects are closely tied to researcher decisions that are often made arbitrarily.

To identify if patients discharged from an older adult psychiatric ward were followed up in line with national recommended guidelines. Current National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines recommend follow up and final discharge letters (FDLs) being available within 7 days of discharge.

A record search was conducted to identify all patients discharged from one ward during a one year period.

Each patient's notes were reviewed to identify what follow up they had in place and how long it took for this to be implemented. We also examined the time taken for a final discharge letter (FDL) to be made available to their General Practitioner (GP).

We identified 99 patients who were discharged from the ward within the specified period.

The mean time taken for patients to be followed up after discharge was 9.72 days. In 63.16% of cases this follow up was provided by Community Psychiatric Nurses (CPNs), with 51.58% being reviewed in medical clinic. A further 9.47% had their initial follow up with an occupational therapist, 4.21% with a psychologist, 4.21% with the addictions team, 4.21% with care home liaison, 2.11% with social work, 2.11% with continuing care and 1.05% with rehab.

FDLs were sent to GPs, on average, 13.6 days after patients were discharged.

Within our data set a few outlier values markedly increased the mean for both outcomes. Using median figures, average follow up time fell to 6 days, meeting national guidelines, and FDL time fell to 8 days, exceeding recommendations by just 1 day.

Within our department, measures have since been put in place to ensure secretaries are reminding medical staff of the recommended time frames for final discharge letters and it should be noted that an immediate discharge letter (IDL) is routinely sent to GPs containing key clinical information prior to patients being discharged.

The results show that our current practice does fall somewhat short of matching national guidelines and further work should be done to investigate how we can improve standards.

To investigate risk assessment and management processes across a health board in the context of the implementation of a new risk screening tool and risk policy using comparison of DATIX incidents before and after implementation of the CRAFT tool.

In mental health services, risk assessment and management are key responsibilities for clinical staff. A risk management tool that is structured and evidence-based aims to assist staff in managing risks including violence, self-harm, suicide and self-neglect.

It is not clear whether risk tools have clinical utility in influencing risk-related decision making and previous reviews within the health board indicated that risk policy was not being adhered to, prompting a review of the policy. Furthermore, policy recommends service user and carer collaboration with staff in all areas of mental health in Scotland but despite these recommendations there is little evidence to suggest they are routinely involved in risk assessment and management processes.

The present study is an opportunity to explore how teams think about and discuss risk management.

We looked at data on patient incidents that occurred over 30 months from 1/1/19 to 30/09/21. The Datix data were subdivided into five main categories: Violence & Aggression, Challenging behaviour, self-harm, absconding/missing and Suicide.

Throughout the study period the category of Violence & Aggression was the most frequently reported Datix category for 28 out of 30 months, followed by Challenging Behaviour which was the second most frequent category for 22 out of 30 months and in the last year reports in this category have increased by 39.35%. The third most frequently reported category was self-harm and the fourth most reported category was Abscondment/Missing. The frequency of reports in this category increased over the study period.

The rate of suicide was consistently the lowest reported category and remained stable throughout the study period. With the exception of Violence and Aggression, all categories showed a general upwards trend in Datix report numbers.

We have seen an increase in significant incidents in all categories reported using the DATIX system with the exception of suicide and violence and aggression during the study period. This suggests that further work is required to ascertain the reasons for this and what impact, if any, the change in CRAFT risk assessment tool has had.

We aimed to review various health outcomes for patients admitted to an older adult psychiatry ward specialising in functional illness, over a one year period.

In 2020 the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland highlighted a concern about the lack of evidence and data surrounding admission to older people’s functional mental health wards. We aimed to review this for North Lanarkshire and provide a comprehensive overview of our in-patient population that will aid in service review and improve care.

We reviewed the electronic notes of all patients (total: 99) admitted to the ward over a one year period. Extracted data included demographics, medications, mental health act status, discharge destination and readmissions.

We found the average age was 73 years old and the median length of stay was 33 days (mean 63). Patients were admitted with a wide range of diagnosis including (most common to least): mood disorders, psychotic disorders, dementia, substance misuse and ARBD, delirium and personality disorders. 30% of patients required detention under the mental health act during their admission, but this fell to only 7% on discharge. 51% of patients were discharged on an antipsychotic. The majority of patients were discharged home; within a year 34% were readmitted to psychiatry and 40% required a medical admission.

We found that our demographic information was broadly consistent with the mental welfare commission's findings. However there is a significant variation in length of stay shown by the difference in the mean and median, due to a small number of significantly longer admissions. Notably there were numerous admissions with a dementia as a primary diagnosis, on a functional ward. In this age group it was significant that a high proportion of patients were prescribed antipsychotics. Further work is required to better understand these findings.

To investigate risk assessment and management processes across a health board in the context of the implementation of a new risk screening tool and policy through use of staff focus groups to identify how teams make decisions related to risk and gain an understanding of how the new CRAFT tool is used.

In mental health services, risk assessment and management are key responsibilities for clinical staff. A risk management tool that is structured and evidence-based aims to assist staff in managing risks including violence, self-harm, suicide and self-neglect.

It is not clear whether risk tools have clinical utility in influencing risk-related decision making and previous reviews within the health board indicated that risk policy was not being adhered to, prompting a review of the policy. Furthermore, policy recommends service user and carer collaboration with staff in all areas of mental health in Scotland but despite these recommendations there is little evidence to suggest they are routinely involved in risk assessment and management processes.

The present study is an opportunity to explore how teams think about and discuss risk management.

A qualitative analysis was carried out of data from two staff focus groups. These groups were identified by contacting interested teams by email. Groups comprised clinical staff from different disciplines within the MDT including medical and nursing staff. Staff were questioned about their understanding of risk, thoughts regarding risk assessment and their experience of being trained in and using the CRAFT tool.

Themes emerging from the data indicate that staff felt the CRAFT had limited clinical utility or impact on their assessment of risk but may prove useful for communicating decisions about risk between staff and services. However, concerns were raised that the format of the tool made it difficult to complete and read, meaning that important information may not be adequately communicated. Staff reported feeling inadequately trained in the use of the CRAFT tool and felt there were inconsistencies in its use across the health board.

Staff focus groups have identified challenges with the completion of the current CRAFT tool and expressed a need for better training in order to improve consistency of use across the health board. An update to the tool is due to be rolled out across the board in an effort to address these issues and improve risk assessment completion on the whole.

The Indian healthcare landscape has witnessed several promising changes including the introduction of a comprehensive medical technology inclusion process, Diagnosis-related group (DRG)-pilot and value-based incentives for hospital services under the national public health insurance scheme. Realizing the need for a more patient-centric stance towards improving healthcare outcomes as the way forward, we propose incremental changes including greater participation of public and private care-providers in topic prioritization and the appraisal committee. We also propose a unique evidence-driven approach using reimbursement as a lever for rewarding quality and innovation in medical technologies.

We developed two discussion guides to capture the ideas around deeper involvement of care-providers and patient societies, and introduction of value-based reimbursement for incentivizing high-quality implantable medical devices in India. The guides were prepared using secondary research and key informant interviews. Over 25 key stakeholders representing payers, regulatory agencies, government authorities, clinical experts, and industry players selected through quota sampling participated in a roundtable meeting. Based on the meeting outcomes, key recommendations for leveraging medical device reimbursement for better health outcomes were developed.

This qualitative research was carried out with participation of key stakeholders across the medical device reimbursement process. The group proposed recommendations for bringing care-providers closer to the process through a structured and inclusive nomination approach involving therapy users and patient groups at various stages of evaluation. Complementing the existing value-based incentives framework for hospital services, we proposed a similar two-step pathway for incentivizing quality of implantable medical devices. The proposal includes the introduction of certification-based and outcome-based incentives built on a scientific and holistic evaluation criterion.

Through this process, we created a pragmatic and concrete call for a stronger voice from care-providers and patient groups in the evaluation process. Consecutively, the proposed innovative framework introducing value-based incentives for implantable medical devices will be instrumental in enabling access to quality health care to poor patients. These strategies follow the principles of value-based care and will go a long way in achieving better health outcomes for the population. The scientific initiative has been made possible with the support of St. Jude Medical India Pvt Ltd. (now Abbott).

Substance use disorders negatively affect global disease burden. Effective preventive interventions are available, but whether they provide value for money is unclear.

This review looks at the cost-effectiveness evidence of preventive interventions for cannabis use, opioid misuse and illicit drug use.

Literature search was undertaken in Medline, CINAHL, PsycINFO, EconLit through EBSCOhost and EMBASE, up to May 2021. Grey literature search was conducted as supplement. Studies included were full economic evaluations or return-on-investment (ROI) analyses for preventing opioid misuse, cannabis and illicit drug use. English-language restriction was used. Outcomes extracted were incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICER) or ROI ratios, with costs presented in 2019 United States dollars. Quality was assessed with the Drummond checklist.

Eleven full economic evaluation studies were identified from 5674 citations, with all studies conducted in high-income countries. Most aimed to prevent opioid misuse (n = 4), cannabis (n = 3) or illicit drug use (n = 5). Modelling was the predominant methodology (n = 7). Five evaluated school-based universal interventions targeting children and adolescents (aged <18 years). Five cost–benefit studies reported cost-savings. One cost-effectiveness and two cost–utility analysis studies supported the cost-effectiveness of interventions, as ICERs fell under prespecified value-for-money thresholds.

There are limited economic evaluations of preventive interventions for opioid misuse, cannabis and illicit drug use. Family-based intervention (ParentCorps), school-based interventions (Social and Emotional Training and Project ALERT) and a doctor's programme to assess patient risk of misusing narcotics (‘the Network System to Prevent Doctor-Shopping for Narcotics’) show promising cost-effectiveness and warrant consideration.

Alcohol use is a leading risk factor for death and disability worldwide.

We conducted a systematic review on the cost-effectiveness evidence for interventions to prevent alcohol use across the lifespan.

Electronic databases (EMBASE, Medline, PsycINFO, CINAHL and EconLit) were searched for full economic evaluations and return-on-investment studies of alcohol prevention interventions published up to May 2021. The methods and results of included studies were evaluated with narrative synthesis, and study quality was assessed by the Drummond ten-point checklist.

A total of 69 studies met the inclusion criteria for a full economic evaluation or return-on-investment study. Most studies targeted adults or a combination of age groups, seven studies comprised children/adolescents and one involved older adults. Half of the studies found that alcohol prevention interventions are cost-saving (i.e. more effective and less costly than the comparator). This was especially true for universal prevention interventions designed to restrict exposure to alcohol through taxation or advertising bans; and selective/indicated prevention interventions, which involve screening with or without brief intervention for at-risk adults. School-based interventions combined with parent/carer interventions were cost-effective in preventing alcohol use among those aged under 18 years. No interventions were cost-effective for preventing alcohol use in older adults.

Alcohol prevention interventions show promising evidence of cost-effectiveness. Further economic analyses are needed to facilitate policy-making in low- and middle-income countries, and among child, adolescent and older adult populations.

This study aimed to evaluate the perceived quality of life, unmet needs and psychological distress in patients with head and neck cancer in a rural setting in New Zealand.

Patients presenting with head and neck cancer in Northland, New Zealand, were asked to complete questionnaires on quality of life, unmet needs, and anxiety or depression together with a free-text option.

About one quarter of respondents (27 per cent) scored high in the anxiety and depression scale, with corresponding diminished quality of life scores and increased needs. Over half of respondents (54 per cent) found it challenging to travel for treatment. Financial difficulties were encountered more frequently with indigenous patients. Rurality alone does not lead to significant differences in quality of life or needs.

After treatment for head and neck cancer, it is important to monitor and manage patients’ psychological distress and ease of access to health services to improve quality of life.