Measuring Substance-Related Disorders Using Canadian Administrative Health Databanks: Interprovincial Comparisons of Recorded Diagnostic Rates, Incidence Proportions and Mortality Rate Ratios

CONTEXT

Assessing temporal changes in the recorded diagnostic rates, incidence proportions, and health outcomes of substance-related disorders (SRD) can inform public health policymakers in reducing harms associated with alcohol and other drugs.

OBJECTIVE

To report the annual and cumulative recorded diagnostic rates and incidence proportions of SRD, as well as mortality rate ratios (MRRs) by cause of death among this group in Canada, according to their province of residence.

METHODS

Analyses were performed on linked administrative health databases (AHD; physician claims, hospitalizations, and vital statistics) in five Canadian provinces (Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Québec, and Nova Scotia). Canadians 12 years and older and registered for their provincial healthcare coverage were included. The International Classification of Diseases (ICD-9 or ICD-10 codes) was used for case identification of SRD from April 2001 to March 2018.

RESULTS

During the study period, the annual recorded SRD diagnostic rates increased in Alberta (2001-2002: 8.0‰; 2017-2018: 12.8‰), Ontario (2001-2002: 11.5‰; 2017-2018: 14.4‰), and Nova Scotia (2001-2002: 6.4‰; 2017-2018: 12.7‰), but remained stable in Manitoba (2001-2002: 5.5‰; 2017-2018: 5.4‰) and Québec (2001-2002 and 2017-2018: 7.5‰). Cumulative recorded SRD diagnostic rates increased steadily for all provinces. Recorded incidence proportions increased significantly in Alberta (2001-2002: 4.5‰; 2017-2018: 5.0‰) and Nova Scotia (2001-2002: 3.3‰; 2017-2018: 3.8‰), but significantly decreased in Ontario (2001-2002: 6.2‰; 2017-2018: 4.7‰), Québec (2001-2002: 4.1‰; 2017-2018: 3.2‰) and Manitoba (2001-2002: 2.7‰; 2017-2018: 2.0‰). For almost all causes of death, a higher MRR was found among individuals with recorded SRD than in the general population. The causes of death in 2015-2016 with the highest MRR for SRD individuals were SRD, suicide, and non-suicide trauma in Alberta, Ontario, Manitoba, and Québec.

DISCUSSION

Linked AHD covering almost the entire population can be useful to monitor the medical service trends of SRD and, therefore, guide health services planning in Canadian provinces.

Dexmedetomidine sedation vs. inhaled general anesthesia for pediatric MRI: A retrospective cohort study: Dexmedetomidine sedation vs. inhaled general anesthesia for MRI

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and the efficacy of a dexmedetomidine-based protocol followed by anesthesiologists unaccustomed to using dexmedetomidine during pediatric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations compared to conventional halogenated general anesthesia.

METHODS

This was a single-center retrospective cohort study including patients younger than 18 years who underwent sedation for MRI between August 1, 2018 and March 31, 2019. Patients who received dexmedetomidine were included in the DEX group and patients who had general anesthesia formed the GA group. Patients were matched with a ratio of 2 GA:1 DEX, based on age and type of MRI examination.

RESULTS

Overall, 78 patients were included (DEX=26; GA=52). Dexmedetomidine was significantly associated with a decrease in invasive ventilation (p<0.001) with no impact on image quality. The sedation failure rate was 42% with dexmedetomidine vs. 0% with general anesthesia (p<0.001). All cases of failure followed the intranasal administration of dexmedetomidine.

CONCLUSION

Dexmedetomidine seems to be a suitable sedation option for pediatric MRI. It provides an alternative to halogenated general anesthesia with the aim of limiting exposure to conventional anesthetic agents and invasive ventilation.

Association between previous and future antipsychotic adherence in patients initiating clozapine: real-world observational study

BACKGROUND

Although recognised as the most effective antipsychotic for treatment-resistant schizophrenia, clozapine remains underused. One reason is the widespread concern about non-adherence to clozapine because of poor adherence before initiating clozapine.

AIMS

To determine if prior poor out-patient adherence to treatmentbefore initiating clozapine predisposes to poor out-patient adherence to clozapine or to any antipsychotics (including clozapine) after its initiation.

METHOD

This cohort study included 3228 patients with schizophrenia living in Quebec (Canada) initiating (with a 2-year clearance period) oral clozapine (index date) between 2009 and 2016. Using pharmacy data, out-patient adherence to treatment was measured by the medication possession ratio (MPR), over a 1-year period preceding and following the index date. Five groups of patients were formed based on their prior MPR level (independent variable). Two dependent variables were defined after clozapine initiation (good out-patient adherence to any antipsychotics and to clozapine only). Along with multiple logistic regressions, state sequence analysis was used as a visual representation of antipsychotic-use trajectories over time, before and after clozapine initiation.

RESULTS

Although prior poor adherence to antipsychotics was associated with poor adherence after clozapine initiation, the absolute risk of subsequent poor adherence remained low, regardless of previous adherence level. Most patients adhered to their treatment after initiating clozapine (>68% to clozapine and >84% to any antipsychotics).

CONCLUSIONS

Despite the fact that poor adherence prior to initiating clozapine is widely recognised by clinicians as a barrier for the prescription of clozapine, the current study supports the initiation of clozapine in all eligible patients.

Comparing Childhood Characteristics of Adopted and Non-adopted Individuals Deceased by Suicide

OBJECTIVE

Across the globe more than 35,000 children a year are adopted by non-relatives, and some studies suggest that adopted individuals may be more vulnerable to developing mental disorders. To map the differences in suicide risk factors in adopted and non-adopted individuals, this study will compare the development of mental disorders as well as life events occurring before the age of 18 for both adopted and non-adopted individuals deceased by suicide.

METHODS

This study included 13 adopted and 26 non-adopted individuals deceased by suicide as well as 26 non-adopted living control individuals. Cases were taken from a data bank created over the last decade by researchers of [our institution] comprising a mixture of 700 suicide cases and living control individuals aged from 14 to 84. Adopted and non-adopted individuals deceased by suicide; adopted individuals deceased by suicide and non-adopted living control individuals were each compared on Axis I and II disorders, early life events, and burdens of adversity.

RESULTS

Results show significant differences, with a higher rate of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, mental health comorbidity and Cluster C personality disorders among adopted individuals. Furthermore, adopted individuals have higher adversity scores prior to the age of 15.

CONCLUSION

This study underlines the fact that adoptive families need to be supported throughout adoption. Health care professionals need specialized training on this matter, and the psychological challenges adopted individuals face need to be treated at the earliest juncture.

Development of a balanced instrument to measure global health-related quality of life: The 13-MD

Generic instruments are of interest in measuring global health-related quality of life (GHRQoL). Their applicability to all patients, regardless of their health profile, allows program comparisons of whether the patients share the same disease or not. In this setting, quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) instruments must consider GHRQoL to allow the best programs to emerge for more efficiency in health resource utilization. However, many differences may be perceived among the existing generic instruments relative to their composition, where dimensions related to physical aspects of health are generally depicted more often than dimensions related to mental or social aspects. The objective of this study was to develop a generic instrument that would be complete in its covered meta-dimensions and reflect, in a balanced way, the important aspects of GHRQoL. To this end, a Delphi procedure was held in four rounds, gathering 18 participants, including seven patients, six caregivers, and five citizens. The structure of the instrument derived from the Delphi procedure was submitted to psychometric tests using data from an online survey involving the general population of Quebec, Canada (n = 2,273). The resulting questionnaire, the 13-MD, showed satisfying psychometric properties. It comprises 33 items or dimensions, with five to seven levels each. The 13-MD reflects, in a balanced form, the essential aspects of GHRQoL by including five meta-dimensions for physical health, four meta-dimensions for mental health, three meta-dimensions for social health, and one meta-dimension for sexuality and intimacy. The next step will involve the development of a value set for the 13-MD to allow QALY calculation.

Measuring Quality of Care Received by Suicide Attempters in the Emergency Department

CONTEXT

Audits conducted on medical records have been traditionally used in hospitals to assess and improve quality of medical care but have yet to be properly integrated and used for suicide prevention purposes. We aimed to (1) revise a quality of care grid and adapt it to an adult population of suicide attempters and (2) identify quality of care deficits in managing adult suicide attempters at the emergency department (ED) in two different Montreal university hospitals.

METHODS

An existing checklist for quality of medical and social care in the ED was adapted. A systematic search and data extraction of all suicide attempters in two different Montreal university hospitals were then conducted. All identified individuals who attempted suicide were fully reviewed and quality of care was assessed.

RESULTS

Eleven criteria were kept by the expert focus group in the revised grid that was then used to rate 369 individuals that attempted suicide. Suicide risk assessment was only present in 63% of attempters before discharge. Although family history was documented for 90% of attempters, in only 41% of the cases were interviews conducted with relatives. Most discharged patient lacked proper follow-up considering 11% of their relatives received written information on resources in case of need.

DISCUSSION

Paper records may be used to systematically assess the quality of care for suicide attempters seen in ED. Results reiterate the need for better suicide prevention strategies for these individuals. The checklist proved to be an excellent assessment of best practices or identification of possible improvements.

Utilization of Health Care Services by Patients With Cluster B Personality Disorders or Schizophrenia

OBJECTIVE

The comparable severities of cluster B personality disorders and schizophrenia are increasingly recognized. The authors sought to compare the general medical and psychiatric comorbid conditions and use of medical services among individuals with one or both of these disorders.

METHODS

Data were collected from the linked health administrative databases of Quebec's universal health plan in the Quebec Integrated Chronic Disease Surveillance System, which covers 99% of Quebec's population. The study cohort of 2016-2017 included almost 7.05 million people, and the study covered the 1996-2017 period.

RESULTS

Comorbid conditions were extremely prevalent in the three groups studied-persons with cluster B personality disorders, schizophrenia, or both-compared with the general population. People having both disorders had the highest prevalence of comorbid conditions. Psychiatric services were used more frequently by individuals in all three groups than among those in the general population, and use was especially high among people with both disorders. Medical care service use was heterogeneous, with patients with cluster B personality disorders using more medical care services but fewer specialized outpatient treatments and psychotherapy than those with schizophrenia or with both disorders.

CONCLUSIONS

The three cohorts had higher rates of comorbid conditions and health care service use than individuals in the general population. Patients with cluster B personality disorders used fewer psychiatric services than patients with schizophrenia or with both disorders. One explanation for this difference may be that people with cluster B personality disorders encounter more obstacles in accessing mental health care services.

Validation of case definitions of depression derived from administrative data against the CIDI-SF as reference standard: results from the PROspective Québec (PROQ) study

BACKGROUND

Administrative data have several advantages over questionnaire and interview data to identify cases of depression: they are usually inexpensive, available for a long period of time and are less subject to recall bias and differential classification errors. However, the validity of administrative data in the correct identification of depression has not yet been studied in general populations. The present study aimed to 1) evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of administrative cases of depression using the validated Composite International Diagnostic Interview - Short Form (CIDI-SF) as reference standard and 2) compare the known-groups validity between administrative and CIDI-SF cases of depression.

METHODS

The 5487 participants seen at the last wave (2015-2018) of the PROQ cohort had CIDI-SF questionnaire data linked to hospitalization and medical reimbursement data provided by the provincial universal healthcare provider and coded using the International Classification of Disease. We analyzed the sensitivity and specificity of several case definitions of depression from this administrative data. Their association with known predictors of depression was estimated using robust Poisson regression models.

RESULTS

Administrative cases of depression showed high specificity (≥ 96%), low sensitivity (19-32%), and rather low agreement (Cohen's kappa of 0.21-0.25) compared with the CIDI-SF. These results were consistent over strata of sex, age and education level and with varying case definitions. In known-groups analysis, the administrative cases of depression were comparable to that of CIDI-SF cases (RR for sex: 1.80 vs 2.03 respectively, age: 1.53 vs 1.40, education: 1.52 vs 1.28, psychological distress: 2.21 vs 2.65).

CONCLUSION

The results obtained in this large sample of a general population suggest that the dimensions of depression captured by administrative data and by the CIDI-SF are partially distinct. However, their known-groups validity in relation to risk factors for depression was similar to that of CIDI-SF cases. We suggest that neither of these data sources is superior to the other in the context of large epidemiological studies aiming to identify and quantify risk factors for depression.

Transdiagnostic internet cbt for mixed anxiety and depressive: Results from a feasibility study in primary care

Introduction

In response to the treatment gap for anxiety and depressive disorders, psychological treatments with innovative modalities and high implementation potential are essential. Internet CBT (iCBT) is a cost/effective approach that could improve access to a low-intensity evidence-based CBT intervention.

Objectives

To assess the feasibility and acceptability of the French adaptation of the physician-prescribed six-lesson This Way Up transdiagnostic iCBT program for mixed anxiety and depressive disorders developed in Australia.

Methods

Feasibility study with pre- post-intervention evaluations, including an embedded qualitative study in Family Medicine Groups (Quebec, Canada). Inclusion criteria comprise a family physician diagnosis of Major Depression, Panic Disorder, Agoraphobia, Social Anxiety Disorder or Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Primary self-reported outcomes: PHQ-9 (depression) and GAD-7 (anxiety); secondary measures include diagnostic-specific scales and health service utilisation.

Results

Family physicians (N=21) from five Family Medicine Groups prescribed iCBT to 45 patients (30 women, 15 men; mean age = 39.7), 31 initiated the program. To date, 20 patients completed 5 or 6 lessons, nine completed between 2 and 4. Intervention and post-treatment assessments are ongoing, results forthcoming. Results of semi-structured interviews with patients (N=15) and family physicians (ongoing) on iCBT acceptability indicate it is beneficial, practical and easy to use. Program adherence requires patient readiness and determination and could be fostered by motivational support from clinicians.

Conclusions

Results support this French iCBT program’s scaling-up potential to contribute to reducing the gap in evidence-based treatments for common mental disorders. Its implementation in primary care could improve the effectiveness, efficiency and equity to a rapidly accessible treatment.

Systematic Suicide Audit: An Enhanced Method to Assess System Gaps and Mobilize Leaders for Prevention

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

In Quebec, Canada, several independent processes are in place to investigate cases of death by suicide. An enhanced multidisciplinary audit process was developed to analyze these cases more thoroughly, with the aim of generating recommendations for suicide prevention. A study was undertaken to evaluate the feasibility and implementability of this process.

METHODS

The life trajectories of 14 people who died by suicide in Montreal, Canada, in 2016 were reconstructed on the basis of information retrieved by interviewing bereaved relatives and examining coroner investigation files and other records. A multidisciplinary panel that included a representative of families bereaved by suicide then reviewed case summaries to determine unmet needs and service gaps at 3 levels: individual intervention, regional programs, and the provincial health and social services system.

RESULTS

The feasibility of the audit process was demonstrated in the context of a public health care system. Thirty-one distinct recommendations were made variably across 13 of the 14 cases reviewed, whereas none had originally been made by the coroner. The recommendations that recurred most often were (1) improve training for professionals and educate the general public regarding depression and substance-related disorders; (2) deploy mobile crisis intervention teams from emergency departments; and (3) provide access to a family physician to all, especially men.

CONCLUSION

Although the audit produced novel recommendations and is implementable, there was resistance from physicians and their hospital mortality review committee against this multidisciplinary audit involving families. These concerns could be alleviated by having the process endorsed by provincial authorities.

Public Funding of Evidence-Based Psychotherapy for Common Mental Disorders: Increasing Calls for Action in Canadian Provinces

Canada's provinces are without a publicly funded psychotherapy program for common mental disorders despite evidence that psychological services help reduce the length and number of depressive episodes, symptoms of post-traumatic stress and associated negative outcomes (hospitalizations and suicide attempts). Studies also show that including psychological services as part of the service package offered under the public health plan for those without access pays for itself. We posit that a publicly funded psychotherapy program in Canada, including digitized self-guided psychotherapy platforms for common mental disorders, will lead to improved population health useful in the COVID-19 context and beyond.

Using administrative health data to estimate prevalence and mortality rates of alcohol and other substance-related disorders for surveillance purposes

INTRODUCTION

Administrative health databases (AHD) are critical to guide health service management and can inform the whole spectrum of substance-related disorders (SRD). This study estimates prevalence and mortality rates of SRD in administrative health databases.

METHODS

The Quebec Integrated Chronic Disease Surveillance System consists of linked AHD. Analyses were performed on data of all Quebec residents aged 12 and over and eligible for health-care coverage using the International Classification of Diseases (ninth or tenth revision) for case identification. Mortality rate ratios stratified by causes of death were obtained to calculate an excess of mortality.

RESULTS

Since 2001-2002, the annual age-adjusted prevalence rate of diagnosed overall SRD remained stable (8.6 per 1000 in 2017-2018). In any given year, the annual prevalence rate was significantly higher in males; adolescents had the lowest rate, while adults 65 years and older the highest. The annual 2017-2018 rate was 2.1 per 1000 for alcohol-induced disorder, 1.9 for other drug-induced disorder, 0.7 for alcohol intoxication and 0.6 for other drug intoxications. Cumulative rate of any diagnosis related to alcohol was 32 per 1000 females and 53 per 1000 males (2001-2018), and 33 per 1000 females and 49 per 1000 males for any diagnosis related to other drugs. There was an excess of all-cause mortality among individuals with SRD compared to the general population.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

AHD can complement epidemiological surveys in monitoring SRD jurisdiction-wide. Surveillance of services utilisation and interventions, coupled with health outcomes like mortality, could be useful in guiding health services planning.

Online and Recovery-Oriented Support Groups Facilitated by Peer Support Workers in Times of COVID-19: Protocol for a Feasibility Pre-Post Study

BACKGROUND

In times of pandemics, social distancing, isolation, and quarantine have precipitated depression, anxiety, and substance misuse. Scientific literature suggests that patients living with mental health problems or illnesses (MHPIs) who interact with peer support workers (PSWs) experience not only the empathy and connectedness that comes from similar life experiences but also feel hope in the possibility of recovery. So far, it is the effect of mental health teams or programs with PSWs that has been evaluated.

OBJECTIVE

This paper presents the protocol for a web-based intervention facilitated by PSWs. The five principal research questions are whether this intervention will have an impact in terms of (Q1) personal-civic recovery and (Q2) clinical recovery, (Q3) how these recovery potentials can be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, (Q4) how the lived experience of persons in recovery can be mobilized to cope with such a situation, and (Q5) how sex and gender considerations can be taken into account for the pairing of PSWs with service users beyond considerations based solely on psychiatric diagnoses or specific MHPIs. This will help us assess the impact of PSWs in this setting.

METHODS

PSWs will lead a typical informal peer support group within the larger context of online peer support groups, focusing on personal-civic recovery. They will be scripted with a fixed, predetermined duration (a series of 10 weekly 90-minute online workshops). There will be 2 experimental subgroups-patients diagnosed with (1) psychotic disorders (n=10) and (2) anxiety or mood disorders (n=10)-compared to a control group (n=10). Random assignment to the intervention and control arms will be conducted using a 2:1 ratio. Several instruments will be used to assess clinical recovery (eg, the Recovery Assessment Scale, the Citizenship Measure questionnaire). The COVID-19 Stress Scales will be used to assess effects in terms of clinical recovery and stress- or anxiety-related responses to COVID-19. Changes will be compared between groups from baseline to endpoint in the intervention and control groups using the Student paired sample t test.

RESULTS

This pilot study was funded in March 2020. The protocol was approved on June 16, 2020, by the Research Ethics Committees of the Montreal Mental Health University Institute. Recruitment took place during the months of July and August, and results are expected in December 2020.

CONCLUSIONS

Study results will provide reliable evidence on the effectiveness of a web-based intervention provided by PSWs. The investigators, alongside key decision makers and patient partners, will ensure knowledge translation throughout, and our massive open online course (MOOC), The Fundamentals of Recovery, will be updated with the evidence and new knowledge generated by this feasibility study.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04445324; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04445324.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

PRR1-10.2196/22500.

The Early Impact of the Covid-19 Emergency on Mental Health Workers: A Survey in Lombardy, Italy

Lombardy was the epicenter of the Covid-19 outbreak in Italy, and in March 2020 the rapid escalation in cases prompted the Italian Government to decree a mandatory lockdown and to introduce safety practices in mental health services. The general objective of the study is to evaluate the early impact of the Covid-19 emergency and quarantine on the well-being and work practices of mental health service personnel and professionals. Data were collected through an online survey of workers and professionals working with people with mental health problems in Lombardy in several outpatient and inpatient services. Their socio-demographic characteristics, professional background, description of working conditions during lockdown and psychological distress levels were collected. All analyses were performed on a sample of 241. Approximately, 31% of the participants obtained a severe score in at least one of the burnout dimensions, 11.6% showed moderate or severe levels of anxiety, and 6.6% had a moderate or severe level of depression. Different work conditions and patterns of distress were found for outpatient service workers and inpatient service workers. The overall impact of the Covid-19 emergency on mental health workers' level of distress was mild, although a significant number of workers experienced severe levels of depersonalization and anxiety. More research is needed to assess specific predictive factors.

Being pro-active in meeting the needs of suicide-bereaved survivors: results from a systematic audit in Montréal

BACKGROUND

Suicide is a major public health concern. In 2017, the suicide rate in Canada was 11 per 100,000 inhabitants. According to literature, 1 in 5 people have experienced a death by suicide during their lifetime. The aim of this study was to describe the met and unmet needs of suicide-bereaved survivors and to provide postvention recommendations.

METHODS

Further to an exploratory mixed-method audit of 39 suicides that occurred in Montreal (Canada) in 2016, suicide-bereaved survivors (n = 29) participated in semi-structured interviews and completed instruments to discuss and assess potential pathological grief, depression (PHQ-9), and anxiety (GAD-7), as well as health and social services utilization. A panel then reviewed each case and provided recommendations. The mean age of participants was 57.7 years and 23 were women.

RESULTS

Although help was offered initially, in most cases by a health professional or service provider (16/29), 22 survivors would have liked to be contacted by telephone in the first 2 months post suicide. Four categories of individual unmet needs (medical/pharmacological, information, support, and outreach) and one collective unmet need (suicide pre/postvention training and delivery) emerged.

CONCLUSIONS

Although Quebec provincial services have been developed and offered to suicide-bereaved survivors in the past decade, many dwindled over time and none has been applied systematically. Recommendations for different stakeholders (Ministry of Health and Social Services, coroners, NGOs, and representatives of suicide-bereaved survivors) outlined in this study could be an interesting first step to help develop a suicide pre/postvention strategy.

A Quantitative and Qualitative Study of Notes Left by Youth Who Died by Suicide in Quebec from 1895 to 1985

The study of suicide notes and the evolution of their content could contribute to a better understanding of reasons conducive to suicide mortality and offer further prevention strategies. From 1895 to 1985, 706 coroner's inquests of individuals who died by suicide and were 20 years old or younger were found in the province of Quebec. Quantitative analysis compared those who left notes (n = 47) to those who did not leave notes (n = 659). Furthermore, notes were subjected to inductive thematic analysis. Sociodemographic characteristics of the deceased individuals did not change over time. Qualitative analysis revealed four superordinate themes: (1) last wishes, (2) to those I leave behind, (3) about me and how and why I did it, and (4) self-positioning in the world. Only the last theme evolved over the time period considered. Suicide notes shed light on the psychological state of the majority of young note leavers and suggest the persistent feelings of distress and entrapment before the suicide, which may be important factors for caregivers and family members to monitor.

Determinants of mental health professionals' attitudes towards recovery: A review

OBJECTIVE

The attitudes of mental health professionals towards consumers' recovery are far more pessimistic than what is needed for the recovery-orientation to truly permeate systems of care. It has become pressing to depict determinants for these attitudes and how they evolve during professionalization. This, in the hopes to adjust not only medical education, but also ongoing training of professionals.

METHODS

A systematic search of PubMed and PsycINFO databases was conducted, yielding a net 15 303 records. Twenty-two publications from specific educational journals and reference lists were added. Finally, thirty-four full texts were read, from which twenty-two articles were included.

RESULTS

From the reviewed studies emerged five main determinants: profession, education, age, clinical experience, and nature of the contact with consumers. Traditional clinical placements during residency, negative experiences with acute patients, younger age and the professional attitudes of psychiatrists seem to all be determining factors for professionals' pessimistic attitudes towards recovery.

CONCLUSIONS

This review found specific determinants for attitudes in recovery and four out of five can be acted upon. For a recovery-orientation to be implemented across our mental health system, we formulate recommendations within the Canadian context for revision of curriculum, recovery-specific training, and operationalisation through state/provincial technical assistance centers.

Psychosocial Stressors at Work and the Risk of Sickness Absence Due to a Diagnosed Mental Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

IMPORTANCE

Mental health problems are associated with considerable occupational, medical, social, and economic burdens. Psychosocial stressors at work have been associated with a higher risk of mental disorders, but the risk of sickness absence due to a diagnosed mental disorder, indicating a more severe condition, has never been investigated in a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE

To synthesize the evidence of the association of psychosocial stressors at work with sickness absence due to a diagnosed mental disorder among adult workers.

DATA SOURCES

Seven electronic databases (MEDLINE, Embase, PsycInfo, Web of Science, CINAHL, Sociological Abstracts, and International Bibliography of the Social Sciences), 3 gray literature databases (Grey Literature Report, WHO-IRIS and Open Grey), and the reference lists of all eligible studies and reviews were searched in January 2017 and updated in February 2019.

STUDY SELECTION

Only original prospective studies evaluating the association of at least 1 psychosocial stressor at work from the 3 most recognized theoretical models were eligible: the job demand-control-support model, including exposure to job strain (high psychological demands with low job control); effort-reward imbalance model; and organizational justice model. Study selection was performed in duplicate by blinded independent reviewers. Among the 28 467 citations screened, 23 studies were eligible for systematic review.

DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS

This meta-analysis followed the PRISMA and MOOSE guidelines. Data extraction and risk of bias evaluation, using the Risk of Bias in Nonrandomized Studies-Interventions tool, were performed in duplicate by blinded independent reviewers. Data were pooled using random-effect models.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Sickness absence due to a mental disorder with a diagnosis obtained objectively.

RESULTS

A total of 13 studies representing 130 056 participants were included in the 6 meta-analyses. Workers exposed to low reward were associated with a higher risk of sickness absence due to a diagnosed mental disorder compared with nonexposed workers (pooled risk ratio [RR], 1.76 [95% CI, 1.49-2.08]), as were those exposed to effort-reward imbalance (pooled RR, 1.66 [95% CI, 1.37-2.00]), job strain (pooled RR, 1.47 [95% CI, 1.24-1.74]), low job control (pooled RR, 1.25 [95% CI, 1.02-1.53]), and high psychological demands (pooled RR, 1.23 [95% CI, 1.04-1.45]).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

This meta-analysis found that workers exposed to psychosocial stressors at work were associated with a higher risk of sickness absence due to a mental disorder. A better understanding of the importance of these stressors could help physicians when evaluating their patients' mental health and work capacity.

Berkson's bias in biobank sampling in a specialised mental health care setting: a comparative cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES

To determine whether studying aetiological pathways of depression, in particular the well-established determinant of childhood trauma, only in a specialised mental healthcare setting can yield biased estimates of the aetiological association, given that the majority of individuals are treated in primary care settings.

DESIGN AND SETTING

Two databanks were used in this study. The Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) on Mental Health and Well-Being 2012 is a national survey about mental health of adult Canadians. It measured common mental disorders and utilisation of services. The Signature mental health biobank includes adults from the Island of Montreal recruited at the emergency department of a major university mental health centre. After consent, participants filled standardised psychosocial questionnaires, gave blood samples, and their clinical diagnosis was recorded. We compared the cohort of depressed individuals from CCHS and Signature in contact with specialised services with those in contact with primary care or not in treatment.

PARTICIPANTS

There were 860 participants with depression in the CCHS and 207 participants with depression in the Signature Bank.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOMES

The Childhood Experiences of Violence Questionnaire was used to measure childhood trauma in both settings. Childhood trauma is associated with depression as with other common mental and physical disorders.

RESULTS

Individuals with depression in the CCHS who reported having been hospitalised for psychiatric treatment or having seen a psychiatrist or those from Signature were found to be more strongly associated with childhood abuse than individuals with depression who were treated in primary care settings or did not seek mental healthcare in the preceding year.

CONCLUSIONS

Berkson's bias limits the generalisability of aetiological associations observed in such university-hospital-based biobanks, but the problem can be remedied by broadening recruitment to primary care settings and the general population.

Using Group Concept Mapping to Develop a Conceptual Model of Housing and Community-Based Residential Settings for Adults With Severe Mental Illness

BACKGROUND

Most existing conceptual models of residential environments and housing programs were developed over a decade ago or lack comprehensiveness. The attributes to be used to describe housing programs with adequate specification remain unclear including the attributes that mediate service user outcomes. In this study, group concept mapping was used to develop a conceptual model of housing and community-based residential settings for adults with severe mental illness based on stakeholder perceptions and values.

METHODS

Participants were selected through purposive sampling and included service users, family members, staff working in residential facilities, mental health workers and managers. Participants (n=221) generated 1,382 statements describing attributes of housing and community-based residential settings for adults with severe mental illness (99% saturation). Thematic content analysis was conducted to analyze the statements and create a list of 140 selected statements. Participants then rated (n=416) and sorted into categories (n=73) the selected statements. Descriptive statistics were computed for each statement relative importance. Multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis were used to produce the conceptual model (maps). Stakeholders (n=12) were also involved in the interpretation of the maps.

RESULTS

The findings show overall concordance between stakeholders in relation to statements perceived importance (rating) and the statements inter-relationships (sorting). The stress value of 0.23 indicates that the two-dimensional solution of the multidimensional scaling analysis fits the data set (goodness of fit). The final conceptualization includes 12 clusters: (1) A balanced and healthy housing system; (2) Quality and management practices (facility/local level); (3) Physical external environment; (4) Services tailored to needs and preferences; (5) Services and interventions provided (linkage); (6) Equality, policies and availability of activities; (7) Organizational structure and staff qualities; (8) Services and interventions (learning skills); (9) Services and interventions (daily living support); (10) Personal space and right to privacy; (11) Physical interior environment; (12) Respect, functioning and atmosphere.

CONCLUSION

The results illustrate the multifaceted and multilevel nature of community-based residential settings through a visual representation. They articulate a number of attributes, clusters and dimensions that could be included in a common conceptual model of community-based residential settings and housing for adults with severe mental illness.

Combined impacts of multimorbidity and mental disorders on frequent emergency department visits: a retrospective cohort study in Quebec, Canada

BACKGROUND

Multimorbidity and mental disorders are independently associated with frequent visits to the emergency department (≥ 3 visits/yr), but their interaction has been little studied. We aimed to measure the interaction between mental disorders and physical multimorbidity with respect to frequent visits to the emergency department.

METHODS

We conducted a population-based cohort study of adults in Quebec from 2012 to 2016, using the Quebec Integrated Chronic Disease Surveillance System. We assessed multimorbidity as the number of physical illnesses and mental disorders as serious (psychotic or bipolar disorders), common or absent, using data from 2012 to 2014. We counted emergency department visits from 2014 to 2015. We used logistic regression to estimate interaction on frequent visits to the emergency department from 2 perspectives: of public health (additive scale as differences in risk) and of individual patients (multiplicative scale as odds ratios).

RESULTS

Each additional physical illness was associated with a greater increase in the absolute risk of frequent visits to the emergency department for people with mental disorders. Between 0 and ≥ 4 physical conditions, the absolute risk increased more for individuals with serious mental disorders (16.2%) than common (15.3%) or no disorders (11.4%). On the relative scale, for people with no mental disorders and ≥ 4 physical conditions, odds of frequent visits to the emergency department were 6.2 (95% confidence interval [CI] 6.08-6.35) times the odds for people with no physical conditions. For individuals with common and serious mental illnesses, corresponding odds ratios were 4.75 (95% CI 4.60-4.90) and 3.7 (95% CI 3.18-3.57), respectively.

INTERPRETATION

Mental disorders interact with physical multimorbidity to increase the odds of frequent visits to the emergency department. More research is needed on interventions that promote high-quality care for mental illness, especially in the context of physical multimorbidity.

Prevalence of depressive, bipolar and adjustment disorders, in Quebec, Canada

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of mood disorders was estimated at 5.4% according to the latest Canadian survey. It has been suggested to use administrative data and self-reported data to optimize the estimation for mental health care in the population. Using administrative data, algorithms (combination of codes from the International Classification of Diseases) had been previously developed to identify the population with mood and anxiety disorders. However, the specific prevalence of each component of mood disorders (depressive, bipolar and adjustment disorders) are still unknown in Quebec, Canada.

OBJECTIVE

To 1) identify the population diagnosed respectively with depressive, bipolar and adjustment disorders in administrative data, and 2) provide annual prevalence estimates of each component.

METHOD

Data were extracted from the Quebec Integrated Chronic Disease Surveillance System and the entire population of Quebec (2000-2017) was included in this study (8.3 million; 2017). The prevalence of depressive, bipolar and adjustment disorders were estimated using specific algorithms.

RESULTS

The annual prevalence of depressive disorders was 3.7% in 2000-2001; it decreased to 2.8% in 2016-2017. In comparison, the prevalence of bipolar disorders was 0.8% in 2000-2001, decreasing to 0.6% in 2016-2017, and the prevalence of adjustment disorders was 1.3% in 2000-2001 and increased to 1.6% in 2016-2017.

CONCLUSION

Using specific algorithms, we observed that the trend of adjustment disorders is increasing while trends of depressive and bipolar disorders are decreasing. Further studies should assess if the related burden of care respectively follows the same trends as policy makers' allocations of resources may need to be adapted.

Are school difficulties an early sign for mental disorder diagnosis and suicide prevention? A comparative study of individuals who died by suicide and control group

BACKGROUND

Suicide is the third leading cause of death worldwide among youth aged 10- to 19, and mental disorders are often associated in the etiology of suicidal behavior. Mental disorders are often under-diagnosed and under-treated in young people, a situation likely to increase the severity of the disorder and suicide risk. Presence of school difficulties may, in some cases, be a consequence of mental disorder, and theses difficulties are observable. Therefore, early detection and early intervention of school difficulties may alleviate the development of mental disorders and suicide vulnerability. The aim of this study is to understand the link between school difficulties and suicide risk.

METHODS

We used the data bank gathered by the McGill Group on Suicide Studies over the past two decades through interviews with the relatives of individuals who died by suicide and with individuals from the community as a control group. We included data on common sociodemographic characteristics, life events and mental health characteristics identified before age 18, among individuals who died before the age of 35 or were interviewed before the age of 35. We identified 200 individuals who died by suicide and 97 living controls. We compared groups according to gender and characteristics.

RESULTS

Within the total sample, 74% were male, 13% had met with academic failure, 18% had engaged in inappropriate behavior at school, and 18% presented combined school difficulties. Combined school difficulties (academic failure and inappropriate behavior) for both sexes and academic failure alone for males were associated with higher suicide risk before the age of 35. School difficulties generally began in early childhood and were linked to mental disorders/difficulties and substance abuse before age 18.

CONCLUSIONS

This study underlines the importance for parents, teachers, and educators to identify children with school difficulties-academic failure and behavioral difficulties at school-as early as possible in order to be able to propose adapted interventions. Early identification and proper diagnosis may prevent chronicity of some disorders, accumulation of adverse events, and even suicide.