| 1. |
- Alem, Atalay, et al.
(författare)
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Awareness and attitudes of a rural Ethiopian community toward suicidal behaviour. A key informant study in Butajira, Ethiopia.
- 1999
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Ingår i: Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica Supplementum. - : Wiley. - 0065-1591 .- 1600-5473 .- 0001-690X .- 1600-0447. ; 100:S397, s. 65-69
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- One hundred key informants were interviewed regarding their awareness and attitudes toward suicidal behaviour. Eighty-eight informants were male, 58 were Muslim and 42 were Christian. Informants on average, claimed to know more persons who had completed suicide than those who had attempted suicide. Almost all informants mentioned more than one cause for suicide. Of these, frustration was the most frequently mentioned cause. Most informants believed that suicide attempters are cruel, feared and not trustworthy. Their attitude toward suicide completers was expressed as condemned sinners, do not deserve funeral ceremony, and should be buried separately from others. Christians gave importance to the funeral issue more than did the Muslims. Generally, the attitudes of informants were punitive and disapproving.
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| 2. |
- Alem, Atalay, et al.
(författare)
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How are mental disorders seen and where is help sought in a rural Ethiopian community? A key informant study in Butajira, Ethiopia.
- 1999
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Ingår i: Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica Supplementum. - : Wiley. - 0065-1591 .- 1600-5473 .- 0001-690X .- 1600-0447. ; 100:S397, s. 40-47
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- One hundred key informants were interviewed about their awareness, attitudes and practices regarding mental illness using the Key Informant Questionnaire developed by WHO. Case vignettes of seven common neuropsychiatric disorders were presented to the key informants. Informants' awareness about these disorders and help-seeking practices for mental and physical symptoms or conditions were assessed. An additional question on the prototype symptoms of mental disorders was also posed. Among the presented seven conditions, epilepsy was perceived as the most common condition and major depression was regarded as the least common one. Schizophrenia was judged as the most severe problem, and mental retardation was considered the second most severe condition. Talkativeness, aggression and strange behaviour were the most frequently perceived prototype symptoms of mental illness. Traditional treatment methods were preferred more often for treating symptoms of mental disorders and modern medicine was preferred more often for treating physical diseases or symptoms. Findings of this study are similar to other studies conducted in socio-culturally different communities. Working in close connection with traditional healers would give the primary health care worker a better opportunity to gain acceptance from the community and modify certain harmful practices.
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| 3. |
- Alem, Atalay, et al.
(författare)
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Suicide attempts among adults in Butajira, Ethiopia.
- 1999
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Ingår i: Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica Supplementum. - : Wiley. - 0065-1591 .- 1600-5473 .- 0001-690X .- 1600-0447. ; 100:S397, s. 70-76
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In a cross-sectional survey, 10,468 adults of a rural and semi-urban community were interviewed to determine lifetime suicide attempts. Among the study population, 58% were female, 74.4% were Muslim and 79.3% had had no formal education. The majority of the population were in the age group 25-59 years. Lifetime suicide attempt was reported by 3.2% (n = 332) of the study population. Of these, 63% (n = 208) were women. The most frequent age of attempt was between 15 and 24 years and the frequency of attempt decreased with increasing age. Hanging and poisoning were the most frequently reported methods of attempting suicide. Marital or family conflict was the most frequently reported cause for attempting suicide and most of those who reported this cause were women (Chi-square = 17.42; P < 0.001). Men were significantly more likely to use hanging to attempt suicide than women (Chi-square = 8.21; P < 0.001). Among Christians 3.9% had a lifetime suicide attempt compared to 2.9% among Muslims (Chi-square = 6.15; P < 0.05). People who currently had mental distress and problem drinking reported lifetime suicide attempt more often than others.
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| 4. |
- Alem, Atalay, et al.
(författare)
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The epidemiology of problem drinking in Butajira, Ethiopia.
- 1999
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Ingår i: Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica Supplementum. - : Wiley. - 0065-1591 .- 1600-5473 .- 0001-690X .- 1600-0447. ; 100:S397, s. 77-83
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In order to determine the prevalence and socio-demographic correlates of problem drinking, a total of 10,468 persons aged 15 and above, most residing in a rural district, were interviewed using the CAGE questionnaire as an important element of a general mental health survey. Twenty-three per cent of the respondents admitted that they currently drank alcohol. The prevalence of alcohol drinking was 15% for women and 36% for men. Among those who drank, 16% met the criterion for problem drinking as defined by two or more positive responses to the CAGE. The overall prevalence for problem drinking was found to be 3.7%. Stratified analysis for sex showed that Christian religion, male sex, being ethnically non-Gurage, and smoking were strongly associated with problem drinking in both sexes. Marital status, mental distress and income were found to be associated factors with problem drinking only in men.
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| 5. |
- Alem, Atalay, et al.
(författare)
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The prevalence and socio-demographic correlates of khat chewing in Butajira, Ethiopia.
- 1999
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Ingår i: Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica Supplementum. - : Wiley. - 0065-1591 .- 1600-5473 .- 0001-690X .- 1600-0447. ; 100:S397, s. 84-91
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A house-to-house survey was carried out in a rural Ethiopian community to determine the prevalence and socio-demographic correlates of khat use. A total of 10,468 adults were interviewed. Of these, 58% were female, and 74% were Muslim. More than half of the study population (55.7%) reported lifetime khat chewing experience and the prevalence of current use was 50%. Among current chewers, 17.4% reported taking khat on a daily basis; 16.1% of these were male and 3.4% were female. Various reasons were given for chewing khat; 80% of the chewers used it to gain a good level of concentration for prayer. Muslim religion, smoking and high educational level showed strong association with daily khat chewing.
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| 6. |
- Alem, Atalay, et al.
(författare)
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The prevalence and socio-demographic correlates of mental distress in Butajira, Ethiopia.
- 1999
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Ingår i: Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica Supplementum. - : Wiley. - 0065-1591 .- 1600-5473 .- 0001-690X .- 1600-0447. ; 100:S397, s. 48-55
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 10,468 rural and semi-urban adults in an Ethiopian district using the Self Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ) to detect the prevalence of mental distress and its association with socio-demographic risk factors. Fifty-eight per cent of the study population were women, 74% were Muslim, 79% were illiterate. Those experiencing 11 or more symptoms out of the 20 SRQ items were considered as having mental distress. Accordingly, the prevalence of mental distress was 17%, which is comparable with the previous hospital-based studies in Ethiopia and elsewhere. However, it was higher than the previous community-based studies in Ethiopia. Mental distress was more prevalent among women. Part of the explanation was that women in the study population were older and that they were more often widowed or divorced, which were factors associated with mental distress. Illiteracy, which was more common among women and older individuals, was also independently associated with mental distress.
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| 7. |
- Bodlund, Owe, et al.
(författare)
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Axis V--Global Assessment of Functioning Scale. Evaluation of a self-report version
- 1994
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Ingår i: Acta Psychiatr Scand. - : Wiley. - 0001-690X .- 0001-690X .- 1600-0447. ; 90:5
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The present study examines a self-report version of the Global Assessment of Functioning Scale according to Axis V (GAF self-report). The sample (n = 73) was a psychiatric outpatient population from a catchment area clinic. Patients with psychotic and organic mental disorders were not included. The diagnostic distribution on Axis I was similar to the findings from previous studies. Axis II disorders were identified among 47%, of whom a majority also had a concomitant Axis I disorder. The mean GAF expert score was 66.5 (range: 48-86). High complexity and severity of disorders and a high number of fulfilled Axis II criteria were significantly associated with low GAF scores. Independent expert ratings on GAF were correlated with the GAF self-report overall at r = 0.62, varying from 0.45 to 0.91 between different diagnostic groups. In general, the patients scored themselves lower (mean: -4.4 units) than expert ratings. Patients with depressive symptoms from an adjustment disorder or mood disorder were most prone to underestimation. Women also tended to score themselves lower than experts did. Conclusively, the GAF self-report turned out to be a valid and reliable unidimensional instrument measuring psychological, social and occupational functioning. The GAF is easy to handle, and with a self-report version as a complement, Axis V could be more frequently used in future clinical practice and research.
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| 8. |
- Ekselius, Lisa, et al.
(författare)
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Personality disorders in DSM-III-R as categorical or dimensional.
- 1993
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Ingår i: Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica. - : Wiley. - 0001-690X .- 1600-0447. ; 88:3, s. 183-7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Despite the atheoretical approach of the DSM-III-R, the personality disorders have their roots in specific theoretical schools. Due to clinical tradition, analogies with Axis I and the tradition in psychiatry and medicine, the personality disorders are presented as categories although there is more empirical support for a dimensional approach. This study attempted to determine whether the separate personality disorders meet Kendell's criteria for distinct entities, i.e., bimodality with distinct points of rarity. None of the personality disorders met the criteria for a distinct disease entity. Instead, all of the personality disorders presented as continuous, dimensional personality traits present among healthy subjects and more pronounced in patients with mental disorders.
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| 9. |
- Bodlund, Owe, et al.
(författare)
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Personality traits and disorders among transsexuals.
- 1993
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Ingår i: Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica. - 0001-690X .- 1600-0447. ; 88:5, s. 322-7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A group of transsexuals, 9 biological men and 10 women, was assessed according to clinical DSM-III-R diagnosis and a self-report instrument for Axis II diagnoses based on the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R (SCID screen). A control group of 133 individuals was assessed by the same instrument. Combined with a functional criterion according to the Global Assessment of Functioning, the SCID screen showed good agreement with clinical Axis II diagnoses. The overall proportion of Axis II criteria fulfilled, proportion of criteria fulfilled for every single personality disorder and number of personality disorders were calculated from the modified version of the SCID screen. Personality disorders, mainly within cluster B, were identified among 5 of 19 transsexuals, and a majority had multiple personality disorders. Among controls, no personality disorder was identified. Personality traits as measured by the SCID screen revealed significantly more subthreshold pathology among transsexuals than controls in 8 of 12 personality categories. The proportion of overall Axis II criteria fulfilled was 29% among transsexuals versus 17% among controls. Sex differences among transsexuals, the usefulness of the SCID screen and diagnostic problems in DSM-III-R with respect to gender identity disorders are discussed.
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| 10. |
- Caldera, Trinidad, et al.
(författare)
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Is treatment in groups a useful alternative for psychiatry in low-income countries? An evaluation of a psychiatric outpatient unit in Nicaragua.
- 1995
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Ingår i: Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica. - 0001-690X .- 1600-0447. ; 92:5, s. 386-91
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Centro de Atención Psicosocial in León, Nicaragua is a psychiatric outpatient unit that has developed a group-oriented model of working, in which 80% of all visits are in groups: first-admission groups, insight-oriented group psychotherapy, psycho-educative, family groups and relatives groups. The aim of the present study was to analyze patient characteristics and make a preliminary study of improvement, compliance and patient satisfaction in a 1-year perspective. One hundred consecutive visits were assessed, 44 of them first admissions. They were assessed according to all axes of DSM-III-R plus the Structural Clinical Interview for DSM-III Disorders. A 1-year follow up was conducted on 39 of 41 selected patients within the major diagnostic groups. One of 4 patients had a psychotic disorder where schizophrenia dominated. Among nonpsychotics major depression, anxiety and adjustment disorders were most frequent. Personality disorders were common (80%) among nonpsychotic patients, paranoid, obsessive-compulsive, passive-aggressive and masochistic personality disorders dominating. The illiteracy rate was 10%, but 50% had high school or university background. Severity of mental disorders and functional level did not differ between educational levels. There was a strong male dominance in all diagnostic, socioeconomic and educational level strata and few old patients. Improvement in functional level was clinically and statistically significant in all groups, and more than two thirds were very satisfied with the group treatment offered.
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