Validation of a novel online depression symptom severity rating scale: the R8 Depression.

Background: An automated web-based assessment and monitoring system ( www.psynary.com ) has been developed to assist non-specialist clinicians in managing common mood and anxiety disorders.

[The Impact of NICE Guidance on UK Psychiatry].

The UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is a non-departmental public body accountable to the Department of Health. NICE was established in 1999 in an attempt to reduce variability in the availability and quality of medical services in NHS to end the so-called postcode lottery. Since its establishment NICE has acquired an international reputation for the development of high quality, evidence-based clinical guidelines.

End-of-life preferences of the general public: Results from a Japanese national survey.

Purpose: To determine under different End-of-Life (EoL) scenarios the preferences of the general public for EoL care setting and Life-sustaining-Treatments (LST), and to develop a new framework to assess these preferences.

Method: Using a 2-stage, geographical cluster sampling method, we conducted a postal survey across Japan of 2000 adults, aged 20+. Four EoL scenarios were used: cancer, cardiac failure, dementia and persistent vegetative state (PVS).

The cost of schizophrenia in Japan.

Introduction: Schizophrenia is a disorder that produces considerable burdens due to its often relapsing/remitting or chronic longitudinal course. This burden is felt not only by patients themselves, but also by their families and health care systems. Although the societal burden caused by this disorder has been evaluated in several countries, the magnitude of the societal cost of schizophrenia in Japan has never been estimated.