What impact does illness severity have on the sexual health of young people affected by mental health disorders? A comparison of inpatients and outpatients.

Objective: Young people affected by mental health disorders have greater sexual health needs compared to their peers. Less is known about this need across illness severity.

Method: A cross-sectional survey of the sexual health of those attending outpatients or inpatients within a youth mental health service was conducted.

High-risk sexual behaviour in young people with mental health disorders.

Aim: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of high-risk sexual behaviours, sequelae and associated factors in young people attending a youth mental health service.

Methods: The study design was a cross-sectional survey of 103 young people aged between 15-25 years carried out across four specialist mental health clinics. A questionnaire on the sexual health of secondary level students was adapted for this study.

Management of a complex patient - intravenous olanzapine use.

Objective:: This case report aims to highlight the challenges faced by mental health clinicians in managing complex medical and psychiatric presentation, with a particular interest in intravenous (IV) olanzapine use outside the emergency department (ED) and intensive care unit setting.

Conclusion:: There is no current prescribing guideline regarding the use of IV olanzapine for acute agitation associated with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Most of the literature available regarding the use of IV olanzapine has originated from studies performed in the ED setting, with the majority of studies reporting a favourable efficacy and safety profile for IV olanzapine.

Sexual functioning and experiences in young people affected by mental health disorders.

The majority of mental disorders have their onset in late adolescence and early adulthood and this coincides with important stages of sexual development. Although sexual dysfunction is highly prevalent among people with mental health disorders, little is known about this topic among youth. This study aimed to evaluate the sexual functioning and subjective experience of sex in young people aged between 15 and 26 years attending a youth mental health service.