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Yager J, Treem J, Strouse TB. Foreseeably Early Deaths in Patients With Psychiatric Disorders: Challenges in Caring for Patients Manifesting Likely Fatal Trajectories. J Nerv Ment Dis 2024; 212:471-478. [PMID: 39207291 DOI: 10.1097/nmd.0000000000001789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Patients with psychiatric disorders often have foreshortened lives, attributed both to "natural" medical and "unnatural" external causes of death such as suicide, homicide, and accident. Many deaths are foreseeable due to circumstances linked to patients' psychiatric disorders. These can include illness-associated disparities, adverse treatment effects, lack of self-care, and behaviors stemming directly from psychopathological processes. Whereas some of these processes contribute indirectly to patients' causes of death, others are more directly consequential, causing patients to "die from" their psychiatric disorders. Some patients manifest likely fatal trajectories that may lead to "end-stage" psychiatric disorders. Palliative approaches may optimize their quality of life and potentially alter these trajectories, but patients with psychiatric disorders are less likely to receive optimal end-of-life care. Although assuring a "good death" can be challenging, systematic efforts can assist in providing patients with psychiatric disorders deaths with dignity rather than indignity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel Yager
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Jonathan Treem
- Palliative Care and Hospice at Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group, Kaiser Permanente, Gaithersburg, Maryland
| | - Thomas B Strouse
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California
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Su X, Sun L. Prevalence and associated factors of abortion among women with severe mental disorders. J Affect Disord 2024; 355:432-439. [PMID: 38548200 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.03.116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Abortion behaviors among individuals with mental disorders presented major obstacles to women's health. However, few studies reported the prevalence and associated factors of abortion among women with severe mental disorders in China. Consequently, this study aims to investigate the prevalence of abortion among female patients in rural communities and identify potential health risks. METHOD This was a cross-sectional study of 276 women aged 18 years and older with severe mental disorders in rural areas of Shandong Province, China. The pregnancy history, abortion history and socio-demographic characteristics of women were investigated by questionnaire. Logistic regression analysis was employed to examine the associated factors for different abortion behaviors. RESULT The study showed that 82.61 % (228/276) of patients had a pregnancy history. Among the patients with a pregnancy history, 43.42 % (99/228) reported having had at least one abortion, and 15.79 % (36/228) had more than one. In the other side, 31.58 % (72/228) of them experienced spontaneous abortion, while 12.72 % (29/228) experienced induced abortion. Age at first gestation (aOR 0.80, 95 % CI 0.70-0.90) and age at last gestation (aOR 1.17, 95 % CI 1.07-1.27) were both associated with abortion. Anxiety was related to spontaneous (aOR 1.08, 95 % CI 1.02-1.15) and repeat abortions (aOR 1.10, 95 % CI 1.01-1.19). In addition, religion (aOR 10.47, 95 % CI 2.81-39.01), number of children≥2 (aOR 0.18, 95 % CI 0.04-0.77), and family functioning (aOR 1.31, 95 % CI 1.06-1.63) were associated with induced abortion. CONCLUSION Women with severe mental disorders in rural regions have notably higher rates of abortion compared to the general female population, particularly for spontaneous abortions. Gestational age and anxiety of pregnant patients deserve attention and preventive measures to avoid the outcomes of abortion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoying Su
- Centre for Health Management and Policy Research, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China; National Health Commission of China (NHC), Key Laboratory of Health Economics and Policy Research (Shandong University), Jinan 250012, China
| | - Long Sun
- Centre for Health Management and Policy Research, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China; National Health Commission of China (NHC), Key Laboratory of Health Economics and Policy Research (Shandong University), Jinan 250012, China.
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3
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Wojtkowiak J, Geusendam E, van Dijk R, Smid GE. Perspectives on dying in severe and enduring eating disorders (SEEDs): A qualitative study among Dutch mental healthcare providers. DEATH STUDIES 2023; 48:43-53. [PMID: 36930988 DOI: 10.1080/07481187.2023.2186534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Dying of severe and enduring eating disorders (SEEDs) was studied using semi-structured interviews (n = 7) and a follow-up videoconferencing focus group (n = 3) with Dutch mental healthcare providers. We identified three main themes: the uncertainties of dying from SEEDs, dilemmas in defining treatment resistance and palliative care, and suicidal ideation and intent. There were two contrasting perspectives on good care, both centering on the patient. While mental healthcare providers strive toward healthy living, palliative care strives toward quality of life and dying. Clarifying underlying concepts enables flexibility in applying these perspectives to optimize individual patient care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Wojtkowiak
- Department of Humanist Chaplaincy Studies, University of Humanistic Studies, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Eline Geusendam
- Department of Humanist Chaplaincy Studies, University of Humanistic Studies, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Rob van Dijk
- GGz Breburg, Centrum voor Eetstoornissen Tilburg and Breda, the Netherlands
| | - Geert E Smid
- Department of Humanist Chaplaincy Studies, University of Humanistic Studies, Utrecht, the Netherlands
- ARQ National Psychotrauma Centre, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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4
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Westmoreland P, Parks L, Lohse K, Mehler P. Severe and Enduring Anorexia Nervosa and Futility: A Time for Every Purpose? Psychiatr Clin North Am 2021; 44:603-611. [PMID: 34763793 DOI: 10.1016/j.psc.2021.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
The concept of futility in the treatment of individuals with severe and enduring anorexia nervosa remains controversial and has significant legal and ethical considerations. For those who have been unremittingly ill for 8 to 12 years, full recovery, although possible, is unlikely, and alternatives to traditional, active treatment must be explored. The harm reduction model, palliative care, and end-of-life care are explored as meaningful and reasonable treatments for this population. Landmark cases demonstrating the legal and ethical controversy of such treatment are explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Westmoreland
- Women's Unit, The Medical Center of Aurora and Consultant, ACUTE Center for Eating Disorders at Denver Health, Denver, CO 80204, USA.
| | - Libby Parks
- Clinical Social Work, ACUTE Center for Eating Disorders at Denver Health, Denver, CO 80204, USA
| | - Kristen Lohse
- ACUTE Center for Eating Disorders at Denver Health, Denver, CO 80204, USA
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Abstract
There are a small number of articles in the literature discussing palliative and end-of-life care in the SMI population. Most tackle the questions relating to competency to refuse care in end-stage anorexia or terminal medical conditions. This is a case review of a 55 year old patient with a complex psychiatric and medical history, who despite extensive treatment and long hospitalizations has failed to regain any ability to care for her basic needs. She has exhausted all available treatment options and her prognosis is extremely poor. The mental health community is resistant to discussing and/ or confronting the fact that such a patient faces with the need for end-of-life care directly related to chronic psychiatric illness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gwen Levitt
- Department of Psychiatry at District Medical Group in Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, USA
- Creighton University School of Medicine, University of Arizona School of Medicine- Phoenix Campus, Mayo College of Medicine, Phoenix, AZ, USA
- Arizona Osteopathic College of Medicine, Glendale, AZ, USA
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Clausen L, Larsen JT, Bulik CM, Petersen L. A Danish register-based study on involuntary treatment in anorexia nervosa. Int J Eat Disord 2018; 51:1213-1222. [PMID: 30414329 DOI: 10.1002/eat.22968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2018] [Revised: 09/20/2018] [Accepted: 09/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Involuntary treatment is controversial and widely debated, but remains a significant component of treatment for severe anorexia nervosa. Given how little is known about this topic, we describe the frequency of various involuntary measures in a national cohort of all patients diagnosed with anorexia nervosa. In a subsample of patients, we explored predictors of the first involuntary measure recorded. METHOD Descriptive statistics and Cox proportional hazard analyses were conducted using the national registers of Denmark covering the total population. Data from the National Patient Register and the Psychiatric Central Research Register including all psychiatric visits from 1969 onwards were merged with data from the National Register on Coercion covering 1999 onward. Involuntary measures registered between 2000 and 2013 were analyzed. RESULTS A total of 4,727 patients with a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa representing 16,592 admissions were included. Eighteen percent experienced at least one involuntary measure. A variety of measures were used with tube feeding being the most frequent followed by mechanical restraint, involuntary medication, physical restraint, constant observation, and sedative medication. A subsample of 2% of AN patients had more than 100 involuntary measures recorded. The first recorded involuntary measure was predicted by most but not all psychiatric comorbidities, especially schizophrenia, autism spectrum, and personality disorders, older age at first diagnosis, and previous admissions. DISCUSSION It is important to develop a more granular understanding of patients at risk of requiring involuntary treatment and to determine how best to treat them effectively with minimal use of involuntary measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Clausen
- Centre for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Aarhus University Hospital Risskov, Risskov, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.,Department of Psychology and Behavioural Sciences, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - J T Larsen
- National Centre for Register-Based Research, Aarhus BSS, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.,Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH), Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - C M Bulik
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.,Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.,Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - L Petersen
- National Centre for Register-Based Research, Aarhus BSS, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.,Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH), Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
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Barriguete-Meléndez JA, Trujillo E, Hernández-Ávila M, Laurent-Parodi AL. Legislación y salud pública en Francia. SALUD PUBLICA DE MEXICO 2017; 59:502-503. [DOI: 10.21149/8996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Señor editor: Sabemos que existen muchas maneras de proteger a nuestra población y, particularmente, a la población en mayor riesgo.
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Reiter-Theil S. Initiating and maintaining clinical ethics support in psychiatry. Ten tasks and challenges – And how to meet them. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016. [DOI: 10.1177/1477750916649119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Initiating clinical ethics support in psychiatry (CESiP) and maintaining its continuity appear to be easy. This is contradicted by the observed delay or lack of CESiP, e.g. ethics consultation. On the basis of a published literature search and the discussion of practical experiences over 2.5 years 10 tasks and relating challenges of initiating and maintaining CESiP are formulated and illustrated by examples. Referral to experiences is grounded on the systematic documentation of ca. 100 CESiP activities. The tasks and challenges illustrate how CESiP was initiated and maintained in child and adolescent, adult and forensic psychiatry. Each example is followed by a “rule of thumb” that was found useful in our centre. Discussion: Suggestions I–III are of organisational nature, IV–X have explicit ethical content concerning the ethos or professionalism of the ethics consultant and CES practice. Their realisation requires a minimum of stability of CESiP and considerable consultancy experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stella Reiter-Theil
- Department Clinical Ethics, Psychiatric Hospitals of the University Basel, Switzerland
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Caring for Patients With Severe and Enduring Eating Disorders (SEED): Certification, Harm Reduction, Palliative Care, and the Question of Futility. J Psychiatr Pract 2016; 22:313-20. [PMID: 27427843 DOI: 10.1097/pra.0000000000000160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Anorexia nervosa is a serious mental illness with a high mortality rate. The body image distortion inherent to this disorder and the impaired judgment and cognition due to malnutrition frequently result in patients refusing treatment. Treatment is most effective if patients are treated early in the course of their illness and undergo a full course of treatment. Involuntary treatment may therefore be both life-saving and critical to recovery. Between April 2012 and March 2016, 109 patients (5.2% of patients admitted to the Eating Recovery Center in Denver, CO) were certified, 39% of whom were transferred from the ACUTE Center for Eating Disorders at Denver Health Medical Center. Of these 109 certified patients, 31% successfully completed treatment, and 42% returned for a further episode of care; 24% of the certifications were terminated as involuntary treatment was not found to be helpful. Conclusions supported by these data are that patients with anorexia nervosa who are the most medically ill often require involuntary treatment. In addition, although many patients who are certified successfully complete treatment, involuntary treatment is not helpful approximately 25% of the time. Many of the patients for whom certification is ineffective are those who suffer from a lifetime of illness that is severe and enduring. Patients with severe and enduring eating disorders (SEED) typically undergo cyclical weight restoration and weight loss. Many of these patients question the value of serial treatments, especially when they have few (if any) illness-free intervals. Patients, families, and treating physicians often wish to explore other models of care, including harm reduction and palliative care. In addition, patients with SEED may also contemplate whether a compassionate death would be better than an ongoing lifetime of suffering. In this review, we outline arguments for and against the concept of futility in SEED, and explore whether (or when) patients are competent to make the decision to die.
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Schreyer CC, Coughlin JW, Makhzoumi SH, Redgrave GW, Hansen JL, Guarda AS. Perceived coercion in inpatients with Anorexia nervosa: Associations with illness severity and hospital course. Int J Eat Disord 2016; 49:407-12. [PMID: 26578421 DOI: 10.1002/eat.22476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2015] [Revised: 09/22/2015] [Accepted: 09/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The use of coercion in the treatment for anorexia nervosa (AN) is controversial and the limited studies to date have focused on involuntary treatment. However, coercive pressure for treatment that does not include legal measures is common in voluntarily admitted patients with AN. Empirical data examining the effect of non-legal forms of coerced care on hospital outcomes are needed. METHOD Participants (N = 202) with AN, Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID), or subthreshold AN admitted to a hospital-based behavioral specialty program completed questionnaires assessing illness severity and perceived coercion around the admissions process. Hospital course variables included inpatient length of stay, successful transition to a step-down partial hospitalization program, and achievement of target weight prior to program discharge. RESULTS Higher perceived coercion at admission was associated with increased drive for thinness and body dissatisfaction, but not with admission BMI. Perceived coercion was not related to inpatient length of stay, rate of weight gain, or achievement of target weight although it was predictive of premature drop-out prior to transition to an integrated partial hospitalization program. DISCUSSION These results, from an adequately powered sample, demonstrate that perceived coercion at admission to a hospital-based behavioral treatment program was not associated with rate of inpatient weight gain or achieving weight restoration, suggesting that coercive pressure to enter treatment does not necessarily undermine formation of a therapeutic alliance or clinical progress. Future studies should examine perceived coercion and long-term outcomes, patient views on coercive pressures, and the effect of different forms of leveraged treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colleen C Schreyer
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 600 North Wolfe Street, Meyer 101, Baltimore, Maryland, 21287
| | - Janelle W Coughlin
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 600 North Wolfe Street, Meyer 101, Baltimore, Maryland, 21287
| | - Saniha H Makhzoumi
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, 1000 Hilltop Circle, Catonsville, Maryland, 21250
| | - Graham W Redgrave
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 600 North Wolfe Street, Meyer 101, Baltimore, Maryland, 21287
| | - Jennifer L Hansen
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 600 North Wolfe Street, Meyer 101, Baltimore, Maryland, 21287
| | - Angela S Guarda
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 600 North Wolfe Street, Meyer 101, Baltimore, Maryland, 21287
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Chang PF, Bazarova NN. Managing Stigma: Disclosure-Response Communication Patterns in Pro-Anorexic Websites. HEALTH COMMUNICATION 2015; 31:217-229. [PMID: 26266693 DOI: 10.1080/10410236.2014.946218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Pro-anorexic websites are a popular online venue for individuals with anorexia, but recent research suggests that they play a role of "online negative enabling support groups" because they can undermine recovery and encourage negative behaviors by validating pro-anorexic views. By analyzing 22,811 messages from 5,590 conversations from the Pro-Ana Nation online discussion board forum, this study examines communicative mechanisms of online negative enabling support through language analysis of disclosure-response sequences, changes in the language of the initial discloser within an interaction exchange, and the role of responses in eliciting those changes. The findings show that initiating disclosures containing stigma-related emotion words, anorexia-specific content, and sociorelational content are typically met with negatively valenced responses from other members of the pro-anorexic community. Moreover, although the act of revealing stigmatized information has some cathartic effects, disclosers use more, not fewer, stigma-related emotion words when they receive negatively valenced responses. These results provide insight into communicative dynamics and effects of online negative enabling support through validation of the pro-anorexic identity and the dangerous cycle of stigma escalation in disclosure-response exchanges on pro-anorexic online communities.
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Geppert CMA. Futility in Chronic Anorexia Nervosa: A Concept Whose Time Has Not Yet Come. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOETHICS : AJOB 2015; 15:34-43. [PMID: 26147264 DOI: 10.1080/15265161.2015.1039720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Comparatively little scholarly attention has been given to the question of futility in chronic psychiatric disorders, with the exception of a small body of work on so-called end-stage anorexia nervosa (AN). A review of this literature provides the background for a critical examination of whether the concept of futility has any clinically meaningful, ethically justifiable, and legally defensible application to AN. In this article, the arguments for and against futility judgments in AN are analyzed with special emphasis on determinations of capacity in this serious mental illness. Parallels between the futility disputes in medical and psychiatric disorders, where applicable, will be drawn to further illuminate whether or not the concept that continued psychiatric treatment for AN is ever truly futile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia M A Geppert
- a New Mexico Veterans Affairs Health Care System and University of New Mexico School of Medicine
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Clausen L, Jones A. A systematic review of the frequency, duration, type and effect of involuntary treatment for people with anorexia nervosa, and an analysis of patient characteristics. J Eat Disord 2014; 2:29. [PMID: 25414793 PMCID: PMC4237771 DOI: 10.1186/s40337-014-0029-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2014] [Accepted: 10/12/2014] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Involuntary treatment of anorexia nervosa is controversial and costly. A better understanding of the conditions that determine involuntary treatment, as well as the effect of such treatment is needed in order to adequately assess the legitimacy of this model of care. The aim of the present study was to investigate the frequency and duration of involuntary treatment, the characteristics of this group of patients, the kind of involuntary actions that are applied and the effect of such actions. REVIEW Relevant databases were systematically searched for studies investigating the involuntary treatment of individuals diagnosed with anorexia nervosa. RESULTS The studies included in the review contained people treated in an inpatient setting for severe or severe and enduring anorexia nervosa. People that were treated involuntarily were characterised by a more severe psychiatric load. The levels of eating disorder pathology between involuntary and voluntary groups were similar and the outcome of involuntary treatment was comparable in terms of symptom reduction to that of voluntary treatment. CONCLUSION Despite inconsistent findings, the comparable levels of eating disorder pathology observed between involuntary and voluntary patient-groups together with findings of higher co-morbidity, more preadmissions, longer duration of illness and more incidences of self-harm for involuntary patients suggest that involuntary treatment is not a reaction to the severity of eating disorder symptoms alone, but is most likely a response to the complexity of the patient's situation as a whole.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loa Clausen
- Centre of Child- and Adolescent Psychiatry, Aarhus University Hospital, Skovagervej 2, DK-8240 Risskov, Denmark
| | - Allan Jones
- Institute of Psychology, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, DK-5230 Odense M, Denmark
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW This review considers the literature on ethical and conceptual issues in eating disorders from the last 18 months. Some reference to earlier work is necessary in order to provide context for the recent findings from research that is ongoing. RECENT FINDINGS Empirical ethics research on anorexia nervosa includes novel ethical and conceptual findings on the role of authenticity and personal identity in individuals' reports of their experience, as well as new evidence on the role of affective states and values in decision making at later stages of the illness. Evidence points to the hypothesis that anorexia nervosa may be a distinct affective syndrome that organizes feelings and emotions in accordance with a fixed idea. SUMMARY There has been impressive progress in empirical ethics research on anorexia nervosa, with important implications for ethical and conceptual issues that surround decision-making capacity and our understanding of the illness.
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