Concurrent versus simultaneous use of alcohol and non-medical use of prescription drugs: is simultaneous use worse for mental, social, and health issues?

Abstract This study investigated the difference between concurrent and simultaneous use of alcohol and non-medical use of prescription drugs (NMUPD) in relation to mental, social, and health issues. The 544 study participants of the Swiss ongoing Cohort Study on Substance Use Risk Factors (C-SURF) had a combined use of alcohol with NMUPD during the previous 12 months. Alcohol-related problems (i.e., dependence and consequences), as well as mental, social, and health concerns (i.e., depression, general mental/physical health, and social/health consequences), were assessed. The simultaneous use of alcohol and NMUPD proved to be a greater risk factor for mental, social, and health issues than concurrent use. This study adds information regarding simultaneous polydrug use, which results in distinct effects compared to concurrent use, including important social, psychosocial, and health-related consequences.

Indications of public health in the English regions - 7: mental health

This report is the eigth in the series, "Indications of Public Health in the English Regions" commissioned by the Chief Medical Officer and has been produced jointly by the Association of Public Health Observatories (APHO) and the North East PHO. This report presents a wide range of data on the factors which can give rise to poor mental health, the mental health status of populations, provision of interventions of care for mental illness, service user experience and traditional outcomes such as suicide. In 2006, the United Kingdom rated third highest across 25 EU member states for the number of drinks consumed in one sitting. This Regional Indications report is produced alongside the new national strategy Safe. Sensible. Social: The next steps in the National Alcohol Strategy.

Anti Bullying Procedures for Primary and Post Primary Schools

The role of the school is to provide an appropriate education for all its pupils. A stable, secure learning environment is an essential requirement to achieve this goal. Bullying behaviour, by its very nature, undermines and dilutes the quality of education. Research shows that bullying can have short and long-term effects on the physical and mental well-being of pupils, on engagement with school, on self-confidence and on the ability to pursue ambitions and interests. School-based bullying can be positively and firmly addressed through a range of school-based measures and strategies through which all members of the school community are enabled to act effectively in dealing with this behaviour. While it is recognised that home and societal factors play a substantial role both in the cause and in the prevention of bullying, the role of the school in preventative work is also crucial and should not be underestimated. School-based initiatives can either reinforce positive efforts or help counteract unsuccessful attempts of parents to change unacceptable behaviour. Parents and pupils have a particularly important role and responsibility in helping the school to prevent and address school-based bullying behaviour and to deal with any negative impact within school of bullying behaviour that occurs elsewhere. In this document, any reference(s) to parent(s) can be taken to refer also to guardian(s) where applicable.

Insufficient coping behavior under chronic stress and vulnerability to psychiatric disorders

Epidemiological data indicate that 75% of subjects with major psychiatric disorders have their onset in the age range of 17-24 years. An estimated 35-50% of college and university students drop out prematurely due to insufficient coping skills under chronic stress, while 85% of students receiving a psychiatric diagnosis withdraw from college/university prior to the completion of their education. In this study we aimed at developing standardized means for identifying students with insufficient coping skills under chronic stress and at risk for mental health problems. A sample of 1,217 college students from 3 different sites in the U.S. and Switzerland completed 2 self-report questionnaires: the Coping Strategies Inventory "COPE" and the Zurich Health Questionnaire "ZHQ" which assesses "regular exercises", "consumption behavior", "impaired physical health", "psychosomatic disturbances", and "impaired mental health". The data were subjected to structure analyses by means of a Neural Network approach. We found 2 highly stable and reproducible COPE scales that explained the observed inter-individual variation in coping behavior sufficiently well and in a socio-culturally independent way. The scales reflected basic coping behavior in terms of "activity-passivity" and "defeatism-resilience", and in the sense of stable, socio-culturally independent personality traits. Correlation analyses carried out for external validation revealed a close relationship between high scores on the defeatism scale and impaired physical and mental health. This underlined the role of insufficient coping behavior as a risk factor for physical and mental health problems. The combined COPE and ZHQ instruments appear to constitute powerful screening tools for insufficient coping skills under chronic stress and for risks of mental health problems.

Providing meaningful care: using the experiences of young suicidal men to inform mental health care services

A short report using the experiences of young suicidal men to inform mental health care services.�

'Under the surface' mental health campaign posters

The posters highlight some signs and symptoms that indicate that something is having a negative effect on your mental health and promote the website www.mindingyourhead.info� as a source of help for anyone finding it difficult coping with their feelings.

Atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis: update on management strategies.

Purpose of reviewAtherosclerotic renal artery stenosis (ARAS) usually occurs in patients at high risk of vascular disease, and is associated with increased mortality. The primary goals of ARAS treatment include the control of blood pressure (BP), the improved renal function, and the benefit on cardiovascular events. Although medical therapy remains the standard approach to the management of ARAS, percutaneous transluminal renal angioplasty (PTRA) revascularization can be a therapeutic option under certain conditions.Recent findingsRecent evidence confirms that ARAS increases cardiovascular risk, independent of BP and renal function. This suggests that revascularization might potentially improve overall prognosis, but no data are available currently. In cases of significant ARAS, the accepted indications for PTRA are uncontrollable hypertension, gradual or acute renal function decline with the use of agents blocking the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, and recurrent flash pulmonary edema. The key point of treatment success remains in all cases a careful patient selection.SummaryAlthough the atherosclerotic lesions of the renal arteries tend to progress over time, the anatomical lesion progression is not always associated with changes in BP. Furthermore, a poor correlation was noted between the degree of anatomic stenosis and glomerular filtration rate. The high cardiovascular risk warrants aggressive pharmacological treatment to prevent progression of the generalized vascular disorder. Ongoing trials will show whether PTRA revascularization has added, long-term effects on BP, renal function, and cardiovascular prognosis. With or without PTRA revascularization, medical therapy using antihypertensive agents, statins, and aspirin is necessary in almost all cases.

Perinatal Mental Health Care Pathway

�This regional care pathway provides�guidance for all Health and Social Care (HSC) professionals who come into contact with pregnant women. In addition, each Trust has developed a local adaptation of this pathway for their population.�

Look after yourself and others - Promoting mental health and suicide prevention within the Northern area

This leaflet lists the wide range of local support available in the Northern area to help improve mental health and emotional wellbeing and reduce the number of deaths by suicide. This leaflet is aimed at individuals and organisations to raise awareness of the support for individuals and communities.

Regional Guidelines for the Search of Patients, their Belongings and the Environment of Care within Adult Mental Health and Learning Disability Inpatient Settings

The overarching purpose of these guidelines is to ensure the safety and promote the protection of patients, staff and visitors by ensuring that dangerous items or hazardous substances are not brought into the in-patient setting, including illicit substances, prescribed / over the counter medications, dangerous items and alcohol or any other hazardous or potentially hazardous item or substance.

Promoting positive mental health at work: a guide for employers

This booklet is one in a series aimed at promoting health in the workplace. It outlines to employers the importance of employees' mental health, good practice to support positive mental health at work, the legal requirements with regard to working environments and mental health, and key steps for action.�

Discursive media strategies in the journalistic construction of schistosomiasis in Jaboticatubas, Minas Gerais

Using media discourse analysis for material published by the press on schistomisasis in the city of Jaboticatubas, the possible determining factors of narrative and discursive constructions in the diffusion of information are discussed. It was observed that media discourse treats schistosomiasis in 1962 as something from the natural order. By 1997 and 1998, the media discourse strategies reveal ideological treatment in favor of certain social segments. Situations are identified in which social agents in specific contexts construct the meanings of this endemic disease. It was concluded that the economic organization of space was a determining factor in the production and circulation of the media discourses.

Mental Health First Aid Northern Ireland wallet card

The MHFA wallet card supplements the MHFA Northern Ireland Manual and is used by MHFA trainers and instructors.It has the five actions of the MHFA action plan on the back.