The predictive effect of medical illnesses for mental health care in adolescence: a register-based study.

Background: Adolescence is a developmentally sensitive stage, during which a medical illness may have an effect on individual development, and vice versa. Chronic medical illnesses in adolescents have been associated with psychiatric symptoms. The aim of the present register-based pilot study was to assess whether, and to what extent, different medical diagnoses predict subsequent use of mental health services among adolescents.

Professionalism Mini-Evaluation Exercise in Finland: A preliminary investigation introducing the Finnish version of the P-MEX instrument.

Introduction: Teaching medical professionalism is increasingly acknowledged as an important aspect of medical education. The Professionalism Mini-Evaluation Exercise (P-MEX) is an assessment tool for evaluating medical professionalism, but no studies using it as a self-assessment instrument have been reported. This paper reports on a preliminary investigation of the Finnish version of the P-MEX instrument as an assessment and self-assessment measure.

[Current Care Guideline: Eating disorders].

Early diagnosis with intervention is linked to better outcome. In primary care patients in risk for eating disorder should be screened and actively asked about eating disorder symptoms. Treatment is mainly out-patient care and should first be focused on gaining a normal nutritional status.

Using grounded theory to create a substantive theory of promoting schoolchildren's mental health.

Aim: To discuss the creation of a substantive theory using grounded theory. This article provides an example of generating theory from a study of mental health promotion at a high school in Finland.

Background: Grounded theory is a method for creating explanatory theory.

[Sleep disorders among adolescents--a major problem in mental health care].

Sleep disturbances are common in adolescents. The etiologies include biological, environmental, and sociocultural factors. The structure of sleep changes during adolescence, and it is easy for adolescents to stay awake.

Mental health promotion in a school community by using the results from the Well-being Profile: an action research project.

This article presents an action research project as a method to combine science and practical expertise in order to develop the practices of the health care system. The project aimed at developing mental health promotion in the school community in general and at finding tools for timely help when mental health is at risk. The underlying idea is that mental health is an integral part of health and by promoting general well-being it is also possible to promote and ensure mental health at school.

Deficit in speech development at the age of 5 years predicts alexithymia in late-adolescent males.

Objective: Assessment of the etiology of alexithymia is in most studies hindered by recall bias. The aim of the present study was to assess the significance of individual developmental factors at the age of 5 years for alexithymia in late adolescence. By using data from a child welfare center check-up at the age of 5 years, it was possible to avoid recall bias.

Does perceived social support and parental attitude relate to alexithymia? A study in Finnish late adolescents.

The aim of the present study was to explore the associations of perceived social support and parental attitude with alexithymia in a Finnish adolescent population sample. Of the initial sample of 935 adolescents, 729 (78%) answered the questionnaire and formed the final sample. The mean age of the subjects was 19 years (range 17-21 years).

Alexithymia and eating disorder symptoms in adolescents.

An increasing amount of evidence indicates an association between alexithymia and eating disorder symptoms. This possible association was evaluated in a non-clinical sample of late adolescents. Seven hundred and twenty nine adolescents completed the questionnaire and formed the final sample.

Mental health promotion in the upper level of comprehensive school from the viewpoint of school personnel and mental health workers.

Prevalence of mental health problems among adolescents varies from 10 to 30%. Therefore, mental health promotion in school has risen as a very important developing area in public health services. The need is international.

Alexithymia is associated with anxiety among adolescents.

Background: The aim of this study was to explore the possible association between alexithymia and anxiety in a non-clinical sample of late adolescents.

Methods: The questionnaire was sent to 935 adolescents of whom 729 (78%) responded, thus forming the final sample. The mean age of the subjects was 19 years (range 17-21 years).

[Clozapine in the treatment of under-age schizophrenia].

In as many as one third of those afflicted with schizophrenia, the symptoms have emerged before adulthood. Early-onset schizophrenia is often a long-term illness with an unfavorable prognosis. Clozapine is more effective than other antipsychotic drugs in adults, but its use is limited by potential adverse effects, of which agranulocytosis is the most serious one.

Mirtazapine in the treatment of adolescents with major depression: an open-label, multicenter pilot study.

This multicenter, open-label study with a duration of 85 days was performed to evaluate the antidepressant efficacy and safety of mirtazapine (dose range, 30-45 mg) in 12-18-year-old adolescents diagnosed with major depression. Twenty-four (24) patients (15 female patients and 9 male patients) meeting the DSM-IV criteria for major depression and the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D-17) score of 18 at baseline were enrolled in the study. The primary outcome measures were HAM-D-17, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Clinical Global Impression (CGI) scales.

Prescription of psychotropic drugs in adolescent psychiatry wards in Finland.

This point-prevalence study was designed to assess adolescent psychiatrists' practices of prescribing psychotropic drugs in hospital settings, and to compare the practices between the years 1991 and 1999. Data on patients' gender, age, diagnosis and psychotropic medication were obtained by means of a questionnaire sent to four hospital units in Finland. The sample represented 49% in 1991 and 29% in 1999 of all adolescent psychiatric inpatient beds in Finland.

National prescribing practices of adolescent psychiatrists for psychotropic medications in outpatient care in Finland.

We studied national prescribing practices for psychotropic drugs in adolescent psychiatric outpatient care in Finland in the cross-sectional survey study in 1999. A questionnaire was sent to the adolescent psychiatrists employed in the community outpatient clinics covering all Finland. The response rate was 81% (n=34).