MENTAL FILES AND METAFICTIVE UTTERANCES

ABSTRACT Metafictive utterances raise a kind of intuitions (intuitions of truthfulness) that pose a problem for a view that combines a referentialist approach to proper names with an antirealist stance on fictional characters. In this article I attempt to provide a solution to this problem within the framework of mental files. According to my position, metafictive utterances literally express an incomplete proposition while pragmatically conveying a complete one, which accounts for the intuitions of truthfulness. The proposition pragmatically conveyed is ‘metarepresentational', I'll argue, in the sense that it is about a mental representation or mental file.

Frequent users of emergency departments present very high prevalence of mental health and substance use disorders, which are largely underdiagnosed by clinicians

Background: The objective of this study was to determine if mental health and substance use diagnoses were equally detected in frequent users (FUs) compared to infrequent users (IUs) of emergency departments (EDs). Methods: In a sample of 399 adult patients (>= 18 years old) admitted to a teaching hospital ED, we compared the mental health and substance use disorders diagnoses established clinically and consigned in the medical files by the ED physicians to data obtained in face-to-face research interviews using the Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders (PRIME-MD) and the Alcohol, Smoking and Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST). Between November 2009 and June 2010, 226 FUs (>4 visits within a year) who attended the ED were included, and 173 IUs (<= 4 visits within a year) were randomly selected from a pool of identified patients to comprise the comparison group. Results: For mental health disorders identified by the PRIME-MD, FUs were more likely than IUs to have an anxiety (34 vs. 16%, Chi2(1) = 16.74, p <0.001), depressive (47 vs. 25%, Chi2(1) = 19.11, p <0.001) or posttraumatic stress (PTSD) disorder (11 vs. 5%, Chi2(1) = 4.87, p = 0.027). Only 3/76 FUs (4%) with an anxiety disorder, 16/104 FUs (15%) with a depressive disorder and none of the 24 FUs with PTSD were detected by the ED medical staff. None of the 27 IUs with an anxiety disorder, 6/43 IUs (14%) with a depressive disorder and none of the 8 IUs with PTSD were detected. For substance use disorders identified by the ASSIST, FUs were more at risk than IUs for alcohol (24 vs. 7%, Chi2(1) = 21.12, p <0.001) and drug abuse/dependence (36 vs. 25%, Chi2(1) = 5.52, p = 0.019). Of the FUs, 14/54 (26%) using alcohol and 8/81 (10%) using drugs were detected by the ED physicians. Of the IUs, 5/12 (41%) using alcohol and none of the 43 using drugs were detected. Overall, there was no significant difference in the rate of detection of mental health and substance use disorders between FUs and IUs (Fisher's Exact Test: anxiety, p = 0.567; depression, p = 1.000; PTSD, p = 1.000; alcohol, p = 0.517; and drugs, p = 0.053). Conclusions: While the prevalence of mental health and substance use disorders was higher among FUs, the rates of detection were not significantly different for FUs vs. IUs. However, it may be that drug disorders among FUs were more likely to be detected.

Frequent users of emergency departments present very high prevalence of mental health and substance use disorders, which are largery underdiagnosed by clinicians.

Background: The objective of this study was to determine if mental health and substance use diagnoses were equally detected in frequent users (FUs) compared to infrequent users (IUs) of emergency departments (EDs). Methods: In a sample of 399 adult patients (>= 18 years old) admitted to a teaching hospital ED, we compared the mental health and substance use disorders diagnoses established clinically and consigned in the medical files by the ED physicians to data obtained in face-to-face research interviews using the Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders (PRIME-MD) and the Alcohol, Smoking and Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST). Between November 2009 and June 2010, 226 FUs (>4 visits within a year) who attended the ED were included, and 173 IUs (<= 4 visits within a year) were randomly selected from a pool of identified patients to comprise the comparison group. Results: For mental health disorders identified by the PRIME-MD, FUs were more likely than IUs to have an anxiety (34 vs. 16%, Chi2(1) = 16.74, p <0.001), depressive (47 vs. 25%, Chi2(1) = 19.11, p <0.001) or posttraumatic stress (PTSD) disorder (11 vs. 5%, Chi2(1) = 4.87, p = 0.027). Only 3/76 FUs (4%) with an anxiety disorder, 16/104 FUs (15%) with a depressive disorder and none of the 24 FUs with PTSD were detected by the ED medical staff. None of the 27 IUs with an anxiety disorder, 6/43 IUs (14%) with a depressive disorder and none of the 8 IUs with PTSD were detected. For substance use disorders identified by the ASSIST, FUs were more at risk than IUs for alcohol (24 vs. 7%, Chi2(1) = 21.12, p <0.001) and drug abuse/dependence (36 vs. 25%, Chi2(1) = 5.52, p = 0.019). Of the FUs, 14/54 (26%) using alcohol and 8/81 (10%) using drugs were detected by the ED physicians. Of the IUs, 5/12 (41%) using alcohol and none of the 43 using drugs were detected. Overall, there was no significant difference in the rate of detection of mental health and substance use disorders between FUs and IUs (Fisher's Exact Test: anxiety, p = 0.567; depression, p = 1.000; PTSD, p = 1.000; alcohol, p = 0.517; and drugs, p = 0.053). Conclusions: While the prevalence of mental health and substance use disorders was higher among FUs, the rates of detection were not significantly different for FUs vs. IUs. However, it may be that drug disorders among FUs were more likely to be detected.

Screening of mental health and substance users in frequent users of a general Swiss emergency department.

BACKGROUND: The objectives of this study were to determine the proportions of psychiatric and substance use disorders suffered by emergency departments' (EDs') frequent users compared to the mainstream ED population, to evaluate how effectively these disorders were diagnosed in both groups of patients by ED physicians, and to determine if these disorders were predictive of a frequent use of ED services. METHODS: This study is a cross-sectional study with concurrent and retrospective data collection. Between November 2009 and June 2010, patients' mental health and substance use disorders were identified prospectively in face-to-face research interviews using a screening questionnaire (i.e. researcher screening). These data were compared to the data obtained from a retrospective medical chart review performed in August 2011, searching for mental health and substance use disorders diagnosed by ED physicians and recorded in the patients' ED medical files (i.e. ED physician diagnosis). The sample consisted of 399 eligible adult patients (≥18 years old) admitted to the urban, general ED of a University Hospital. Among them, 389 patients completed the researcher screening. Two hundred and twenty frequent users defined by >4 ED visits in the previous twelve months were included and compared to 169 patients with ≤4 ED visits in the same period (control group). RESULTS: Researcher screening showed that ED frequent users were more likely than members of the control group to have an anxiety, depressive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or suffer from alcohol, illicit drug abuse/addiction. Reviewing the ED physician diagnosis, we found that the proportions of mental health and substance use disorders diagnosed by ED physicians were low both among ED frequent users and in the control group. Using multiple logistic regression analyses to predict frequent ED use, we found that ED patients who screened positive for psychiatric disorders only and those who screened positive for both psychiatric and substance use disorders were more likely to be ED frequent users compared to ED patients with no disorder. CONCLUSIONS: This study found high proportions of screened mental health and/or substance use disorders in ED frequent users, but it showed low rates of detection of such disorders in day-to-day ED activities which can be a cause for concern. Active screening for these disorders in this population, followed by an intervention and/or a referral for treatment by a case-management team may constitute a relevant intervention for integration into a general ED setting.

Diagnostic agreement of conventional and inverted scanned panoramic radiographs in the detection of the mandibular canal and the mental foramen.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic agreement of conventional panoramic radiographs and their inverted scanned images in the detection of the mandibular canal and mental foramen. A total of 77 panoramic radiographs obtained from the files of totally edentulous patients were used. Digitization was done by means of a scanner with brightness and contrast adjustment, as well as image inversion. The extension of mandibular canal was divided into anterior, middle, and posterior regions, and the presence of a radiopaque line that characterized the mandibular canal was classified according to a 5-point confidence scale. The mental foramen was classified in 4 types: continuous, separated, diffuse, and unidentified. Both conventional and inverted scanned panoramic radiographs were evaluated by 3 calibrated implantologists at 2 distinct moments with a minimum interval of 10 days between them. Intraexaminer agreement was evaluated by Kappa statistics by point and by 95% confidence interval. Because the intraexaminer level of agreement was low, interexaminer agreements could not be carried out. The results showed a substantial (in 2 situations), moderate (in 16 situations), and fair (in 18 situations) intraexaminer agreement for mandibular canal and a substantial (in 1 situation), fair (in 1 situation), and moderate (in 10 situations) intraeaminer agreement for mental foramen. There were no statistically significant differences in most instances. In conclusion, the diagnostic agreement of conventional and inverted scanned panoramic radiographs for detection of mandibular canal and mental foramen was low.

A banalização da prescrição de psicofármacos em um ambulatório de saúde mental

The development of modern psychiatric medications coupled with the wide range currently gained by preventive emphasis in mental health changed the practices of psychiatry, which is no longer focused on treating insanity but is also dedicated to treat any psychiatric suffering through the prescription of psychopharmacos. This study discusses the current process in which medication has been generalized, and presents the results of an exploratory study aimed to examine the patients' medical files, the trajectory of users since they enter the service to the prescription of psychiatric medication in the scope of a Mental Health Outpatient Clinic, in a town in the west of the São Paulo state, Brazil. Results revealed that most (65%) users already arrive at the service with previous prescription of psychiatric medications, and nearly all (99%) of them receive prescriptions of psychiatric medication once forwarded to psychiatric consultations.

The mental health and wellbeing of first generation migrants: a systematic-narrative review of reviews

Background
First generation migrants are reportedly at higher risk of mental ill-health compared to the settled population. This paper systematically reviews and synthesizes all reviews on the mental health of first generation migrants in order to appraise the risk factors for, and explain differences in, the mental health of this population.
Methods
Scientific databases were searched for systematic reviews (inception-November 2015) which provided quantitative data on the mental ill-health of first generation migrants and associated risk factors. Two reviewers screened titles, abstracts and full text papers for their suitability against pre-specified criteria, methodological quality was assessed.
Results
One thousand eight hundred twenty articles were identified, eight met inclusion criteria, which were all moderate or low quality. Depression was mostly higher in first generation migrants in general, and in refugees/asylum seekers when analysed separately. However, for both groups there was wide variation in prevalence rates, from 5 to 44 % compared with prevalence rates of 8–12 % in the general population. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder prevalence was higher for both first generation migrants in general and for refugees/asylum seekers compared with the settled majority. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder prevalence in first generation migrants in general and refugees/ asylum seekers ranged from 9 to 36 % compared with reported prevalence rates of 1–2 % in the general population. Few studies presented anxiety prevalence rates in first generation migrants and there was wide variation in those that did. Prevalence ranged from 4 to 40 % compared with reported prevalence of 5 % in the general population. Two reviews assessed the psychotic disorder risk, reporting this was two to three times more likely in adult first generation migrants. However, one review on the risk of schizophrenia in refugees reported similar prevalence rates (2 %) to estimates of prevalence among the settled majority (3 %). Risk factors for mental ill-health included low Gross National Product in the host country, downward social mobility, country of origin, and host country.
Conclusion
First generation migrants may be at increased risk of mental illness and public health policy must account for this and influencing factors. High quality research in the area is urgently needed as is the use of culturally specific validated measurement tools for assessing migrant mental health.

Saúde mental e dependência química

Neste módulo, vamos tratar sobre a temática da Saúde Mental e Dependência Química, como um dos grandes desafios da Reforma Psiquiátrica no Brasil. Serão objetos de estudo do módulo os olhares sobre os transtornos psíquicos, a estruturação dos serviços substitutivos ao modelo vigente, a discussão sobre os principais transtornos mentais severos e sobre os chamados transtornos mentais comuns e algumas alternativas de tratamento oferecidas na rede de saúde mental no âmbito do SUS

Os primórdios da saúde mental

O objeto inicia mostrando uma linha do tempo com as interpretações da loucura como um fenômeno social. Desde as sociedades pré-industriais, passando por idade média, Revolução Francesa, até chegar na Assembleia Constituinte de 1790 na França, quando a loucura ganhou status social de doença. Segue comentando sobre a mudança provocada por Philippe Pinel e o ordenamento do espaço hospitalar. Finaliza abordando o Tratado Médico Filosófico sobre a Alienação Mental de Pinel e como os pilares da construção alienista estão definidos como um saber médico sobre a loucura. Unidade 1 do módulo 9 que compõe o Curso de Especialização em Saúde da Família.

Transtorno mental comum

Este objeto começa declarando que existe um conceito que, apesar de não muito claro, é necessário para o profissional que trabalha na AP: o de Transtorno Mental Comum, e que devem ser consideradas as diferenças na maneira de conceber e processar diagnósticos. Coloca as duas naturezas: categorial e dimensional, além de mencionar que a abordagem categorial facilita a identificação de alguns transtornos. Segue abordando o diagnóstico de transtornos não facilmente categorizáveis, os que não admitem diagnóstico preciso com base no número e periodicidade de sintomas e sinais. Mostra ainda a abordagem dimensional indispensável para entender o “homem integral em seu estado de doença” e compara em um quadro as duas abordagens lado a lado. Termina apontando que os TMCs incluem uso de álcool e drogas e sintomas somáticos, mas as duas grandes dimensões que constituem os TMC são os sintomas de ansiedade e depressão. Unidade 3 do módulo 9 que compõe o Curso de Especialização em Saúde da Família.

Medicalização em saúde mental

O objeto inicia mostrando que há uma preocupação muito grande com a hipermedicação, os interesses da indústria farmacêutica, medicações antidepressivas, no Brasil e que neste contexto, a farmacoterapia revela-se um elemento de interesse científico, político e econômico. Coloca ainda que quanto às conclusões sobre a efetividade e a eficácia das medicações no tratamento dos transtornos mentais, a crise de confiança manifesta-se mais em relação aos TMC que aos transtornos severos. Segue detalhando as razões dessa diferença e lembra que os profissionais caminham em direção a um trabalho verdadeiramente solidário, dirimindo angústias e fortalecendo-se mutuamente. Unidade 3 do módulo 9 que compõe o Curso de Especialização em Saúde da Família.

Atendimento à família do paciente com transtorno mental

O objeto inicia definindo a família como o lócus de integração e socialização dos indivíduos e detalha o que isso representa. Aborda a desestabilização de toda uma estrutura familiar quando o adoecimento mental acontece e a obrigação e responsabilidade do que cuida pela pessoa dependente e nas relações que a situação envolve. Segue abordando a família do paciente com transtorno mental como uma que vive a realidade de preconceito e exclusão, e que ela pode contribuir tanto para a melhora, como para seu agravamento e que as incapazes de manter uma estrutura e padrões de comportamento que conduzam a um funcionamento eficaz, frequentemente demonstram sinais de um estresse contínuo e insolúvel. Termina por apresentar o atendimento domiciliar como uma alternativa, porém, muitas vezes, ela não seja aproveitada em sua totalidade, reproduzindo, no ambiente domiciliar, a consulta realizada na ULS. Unidade 4 do módulo 9 que compõe o Curso de Especialização em Saúde da Família.

Atuação em equipe em saúde mental

Este objeto começa colocando que na Estratégia Saúde da Família, o trabalho em equipe mostra-se fundamental para a integralidade das ações, porém, questiona como é possível definir e conseguir realizar um bom trabalho em equipe. Detalha as características das equipes em sete pontos e destaca que o trabalho em equipe deve ser de natureza interdisciplinar. Segue comentando a inclusão do usuário, a relação da equipe com este, o potencial terapêutico dessa inclusão, e que muito do trabalho em equipe materializa-se na estratégia de matriciamento e mostra detalhes sobre esta estratégia. Aponta o apoio matricial como sendo um fator determinante no processo de referência para serviços especializados e uma estratégia para dar suporte às equipes da ESF. Termina colocando os Núcleos de Apoio à Saúde da Família como uma estratégia de integralização do cuidado. Unidade 4 do módulo 9 que compõe o Curso de Especialização em Saúde da Família.

Grupos em saúde mental

Este objeto inicia questionando o que caracteriza um grupo e aponta algumas definições, diferenciando agrupamentos de grupos e detalhando ocasiões em que um agrupamento transforma-se em grupo. Detalhas as características para a formação de um grupo e aborda organização e planejamento da atividade grupal. Segue mostrando detalhes importantes sobre atividades de grupos como: setting ou enquadre, tipos de grupo, classificação quanto à participação e número de participantes. Segue abordando o papel primordial que o coordenador tem na atividade grupal e termina elencando alguns atributos que são fundamentais para o coordenador exercer sua função. Unidade 4 do módulo 9 que compõe o Curso de Especialização em Saúde da Família.

Campo da saúde mental e da saúde coletiva

Este objeto inicia mencionando as visões de Zimerman e Osório sobre o grupo na saúde mental. Relembra que muito das técnicas e teorias que hoje temos descendem de teorias psicológicas que inicialmente se preocuparam com o olhar para o indivíduo e não para os grupos. Segue detalhando as quatro linhas de grupos psicoterápicos no campo da saúde mental: psicodrama, cognitivo-comportamental, psicanálise e teoria sistêmica. Cita ainda algumas modalidades de trabalhos de grupos no campo da saúde coletiva como os campos: de ensino-aprendizagem; institucionais; comunitários e terapêuticos. Termina citando o uso de dinâmica de grupo com os trabalhadores da Equipe da Saúde da Família, e a importância dos grupos comunitários nesse contexto. Unidade 3 do módulo 13 que compõe o Curso de Especialização em Saúde da Família.