Impact of urbanization on mental health and well being.

Purpose Of Review: It is predicted that by mid-21st century, over two-thirds of the world population will be urban. The shift from rural to urban living causes a major shift in priorities of public health. The current article aims at illuminating the urbanization process, its challenges and ramifications for mental health and well being of urban dwellers.

Stressors and mental health in Bangladesh: current situation and future hopes.

Bangladesh is a densely populated emerging country in South Asia. Since its harsh independence war, it has suffered from repeated floods and other natural and man-inflicted disasters. Internal migration from rural areas to the urban centres has increased crowdedness, pollution and social conflicts.

Well-being: Diversified perspectives in search of operational definitions.

well-being is a multi-faceted concept that should be an operational domain. The territory is claimed by many disciplines and professionals who usually emphasize their own unique perspective. Economists and politicians focus on finance, prosperity, per-capita product and jobs.

Psychosocial stress and immunosuppression in cancer: what can we learn from new research?

It is generally believed that the physiological consequences of stress could contribute to poor outcomes for patients being treated for cancer. However, despite preclinical and clinical evidence suggesting that stress promotes increased cancer-related mortality, a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms involved in mediating these effects does not yet exist. We reviewed 47 clinical studies published between 2007 and 2020 to determine whether psychosocial stress affects clinical outcomes in cancer: 6.

Psychological distress and sleep problems in healthcare workers in a developing context during COVID-19 pandemic: Implications for workplace wellbeing.

Background: Emotional wellbeing of healthcare workers is critical to the quality of patient care, and effective function of health services. The corona virus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic exerted unique physical and emotional demands on healthcare workers, however little is known about the emotional wellbeing of healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in resource-restricted settings. This study investigated the prevalence of psychological distress, and sleep problems in healthcare workers in a COVID-19 referral hospital in Nigeria.

Partnerships for interdisciplinary collaborative global well-being.

Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. The multifaceted intertwined nature of optimal health, mental health, and well-being requires operational, sustainable interdisciplinary partnerships in order to improve personal and global well-being and happiness. The initial step must be the assessment of the nature and magnitude of local problems in the global context.

Grave Concerns Expressed by Psychiatrists Over Current Immigration Policies.

As members of the Global Mental Health and Psychiatry Caucus of the American Psychiatric Association (APA), we would like to express our grave concerns about the ongoing policies and treatment of asylum seekers, refugees, and immigrants coming to the United States, and the adverse mental health sequelae that such policies will have on these individuals and populations.

Fourth consensus of the International Society for Premenstrual Disorders (ISPMD): auditable standards for diagnosis and management of premenstrual disorder.

Whilst professional bodies such as the Royal College and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have well-established standards for audit of management for most gynaecology disorders, such standards for premenstrual disorders (PMDs) have yet to be developed. The International Society of Premenstrual Disorders (ISPMD) has already published three consensus papers on PMDs covering areas that include definition, classification/quantification, clinical trial design and management (American College Obstetricians and Gynecologists 2011; Brown et al. in Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2:CD001396, 2009; Dickerson et al.

ISPMD consensus on the management of premenstrual disorders.

The second consensus meeting of the International Society for Premenstrual Disorders (ISPMD) took place in London during March 2011. The primary goal was to evaluate the published evidence and consider the expert opinions of the ISPMD members to reach a consensus on advice for the management of premenstrual disorders. Gynaecologists, psychiatrists, psychologists and pharmacologists each formally presented the evidence within their area of expertise; this was followed by an in-depth discussion leading to consensus recommendations.

An overview of four studies of a continuous oral contraceptive (levonorgestrel 90 mcg/ethinyl estradiol 20 mcg) on premenstrual dysphoric disorder and premenstrual syndrome.

Background: This article presents an overview of four studies that evaluated a continuous oral contraceptive (OC) containing levonorgestrel (90 mcg) and ethinyl estradiol (20 mcg; LNG/EE) for managing premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and premenstrual syndrome (PMS).

Study Design: Three randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials and one open-label, single-treatment substudy examined mean changes from baseline in the Daily Record of Severity of Problems (DRSP) or Penn Daily Symptom Rating (DSR).

Results: Improvements from baseline in mean DRSP and DSR scores were observed, but results were not consistent among the studies.

Continuous oral levonorgestrel/ethinyl estradiol for treating premenstrual dysphoric disorder.

Background: The study was conducted to investigate continuous daily levonorgestrel 90 mcg/ethinyl estradiol 20 mcg (LNG/EE) on premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).

Study Design: In this multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, women with PMDD received LNG/EE (n=186) or placebo (n=181) daily for 112 days and completed the Daily Record of Severity of Problems (DRSP).

Results: Mean DRSP change from baseline to late luteal phase was significantly greater with LNG/EE than placebo at the late luteal phase of the first estimated cycle (-30.

Premenstrual symptoms in young adults born preterm at very low birth weight--from the Helsinki Study of Very Low Birth Weight Adults.

Background: Clinically significant premenstrual symptoms are common among young women. Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is characterized by emotional, behavioural and physical symptoms that consistently occur during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a severe form of PMS.

Towards a consensus on diagnostic criteria, measurement and trial design of the premenstrual disorders: the ISPMD Montreal consensus.

Premenstrual disorders (PMD) are characterised by a cluster of somatic and psychological symptoms of varying severity that occur during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle and resolve during menses (Freeman and Sondheimer, Prim Care Companion J Clin Psychiatry 5:30-39, 2003; Halbreich, Gynecol Endocrinol 19:320-334, 2004). Although PMD have been widely recognised for many decades, their precise cause is still unknown and there are no definitive, universally accepted diagnostic criteria. To consider this issue, an international multidisciplinary group of experts met at a face-to-face consensus meeting to review current definitions and diagnostic criteria for PMD.

Imbalance between pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, and between Th1 and Th2 cytokines in depressed patients: the effect of electroacupuncture or fluoxetine treatment.

Background: An increase in inflammatory response and an imbalance between T-helper (Th) 1 and 2 functions have been implicated in major depression. The aims of the present study were to 1) study the relationship between pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and between Th1 and Th2 produced cytokines in depressed patients and 2) evaluate and compare the effect of treatments with electroacupuncture (EA) and fluoxetine on these cytokines.

Methods: 95 outpatients with major depressive disorder were treated for 6 weeks with EA, fluoxetine or placebo.

Antidepressant prescribing by specialty and treatment of premenstrual dysphoric disorder.

Because of limitations in diagnosis coding, it is difficult to determine which products are used to treat premenstrual dysphoric disorder. To better understand treatment of premenstrual dysphoric disorder, we examined the antidepressant prescribing behavior of obstetrician/gynecologists as a marker for premenstrual dysphoric disorder treatment and compare these use patterns to psychiatrists and primary care physicians. Over the past quarter, only three percent of antidepressants were prescribed by obstetrician/gynecologists as compared to 51 percent by primary care physicians and 20 percent by psychiatrists.

Women's reproductive related disorders (RRDs).

Background: In some but not all women, periods of hormonal change may be associated with diversified physical, mental and cognitive symptoms that may be severe enough to warrant treatment. These reproductive-life periods include pregnancy, post-partum, the premenstrual and perimenopausal periods.

Conclusions: Disorders during these periods are quite prevalent and may be grouped together as Reproductive Related Disorders (RRDs).

Non-Western therapies for affective disorders: in pursuit of open-minded considerations of concepts and applications.

Introduction: Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) modalities are gaining popularity among patients in Western countries. They are especially popular among patients seeking treatment for mental and mood symptoms. Some CAMs are according to current Western approaches but have not achieved approval by regulatory agencies.

Participation in clinical trials may improve care of acute schizophrenia inpatients in a general hospital.

Introduction: This report demonstrates parameters of quality of care and treatment outcome of acute schizophrenia patients who were involved as subjects in a clinical trial of two marketed widely used antipsychotics compared with their fellow patients who received routine clinical hospital care.

Methods: Patients were newly admitted severely agitated schizophrenia patients who agreed to participate in a double-blind randomized trial of short-term (5 days) rate of improvement in response to two second-generation oral antipsychotics. Treatment outcomes as measured by the Clinical Global Impression and parameters of quality of care were compared with the general population of inpatients in the same county hospital.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and initial oral contraceptives for the treatment of PMDD: effective but not enough.

Background: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are almost unanimously considered to be very efficacious and the first line of pharmacologic treatment for premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and premenstrual syndrome (PMS). There is a need to examine if this is actually the case. More recently, combined oral contraceptives (COCs) have been pursued due to their ovulation suppression effects.

Levetiracetam for treatment of premenstrual dysphoric disorder: a pilot, open-label study.

Kindling and impaired electroencephalophysiology have been suggested to play a role in the pathophysiology of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). Levetiracetam is a novel antiepileptic drug which has shown strong anti-kindling activity in animal models of epilepsy. In this preliminary prospective study we examined the safety and efficacy of levetiracetam for the treatment of PMDD.

Role of stressful life events and menopausal stage in wellbeing and health.

Stress plays an essential role in the development, continuation and exacerbation of mood problems throughout a woman's life. It exacerbates somatic symptoms of menopause, increasing the risk of recurrence of mood disorders, as well as of a mood disorder de novo throughout the lifespan and specifically in the menopausal transition. Chronic stress affects the hypothalamic-pituitary axis, hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis, the proinflammatory cytokines and cardiovascular risk.