Attachment-based psychosocial programme for under-privileged school children with adverse life experiences in Istanbul, Turkey.

Children experiencing educational neglect are likely to experience the harm associated with adverse life experiences and a range of emotional and psychological challenges. Using attachment theory and psychosocial frameworks, we devised and implemented an intervention designed to ameliorate the deleterious effects of challenging behaviours in an elementary school situated in a deprived neighbourhood of Istanbul, Turkey. For a period of eight months, 160 pupils received a psychosocial intervention once a week.

Migration and common mental disorder: an improvement in mental health over time?

Global migration is reaching record high levels and UK migrant groups comprise an increasing proportion of the total population. The migratory process causes stress that can affect mental health. There is limited consistent empirical evidence of a longitudinal nature to explain the association between migration and mental health.

Maternal migration and autism risk: systematic analysis.

Autism (AUT) is one of the most prevalent developmental disorders emerging during childhood, and can be amongst the most incapacitating mental disorders. Some individuals with AUT require a lifetime of supervised care. Autism Speaks reported estimated costs for 2012 at £34 billion in the UK; and $3.

Is violent radicalisation associated with poverty, migration, poor self-reported health and common mental disorders?

Background: Doctors, lawyers and criminal justice agencies need methods to assess vulnerability to violent radicalization. In synergy, public health interventions aim to prevent the emergence of risk behaviours as well as prevent and treat new illness events. This paper describes a new method of assessing vulnerability to violent radicalization, and then investigates the role of previously reported causes, including poor self-reported health, anxiety and depression, adverse life events, poverty, and migration and socio-political factors.

Adult attachment style as a risk factor for maternal postnatal depression: a systematic review.

Background: Postnatal depression (PND) is an important health problem of global relevance for maternal health and impacts on the health and wellbeing of the child over the life-course. Multinational data is hard to locate, the economic burden of PND on health care systems have been calculated in several countries, including Canada and in the UK. In Canada, health and social care costs for a mother with PND were found to be just over twice that of mothers with no mental illness.

Treatment of eating disorders among ethnic minorities in western settings: a systematic review.

Objectives: This systematic review looked at the utilisation of treatment, access to treatment and referral of ethnic minorities for treatment of eating disorders in western settings. It also aimed to explore the barriers in access and utilisation of treatment including the role of acculturation.

Methods: The review included both qualitative and quantitative studies.

Migration experiences, employment status and psychological distress among Somali immigrants: a mixed-method international study.

Background: The discourse about mental health problems among migrants and refugees tends to focus on adverse pre-migration experiences; there is less investigation of the environmental conditions in which refugee migrants live, and the contrasts between these situations in different countries. This cross-national study of two samples of Somali refugees living in London (UK) and Minneapolis, Minnesota, (USA) helps to fill a gap in the literature, and is unusual in being able to compare information collected in the same way in two cities in different countries.

Methods: There were two parts to the study, focus groups to gather in-depth qualitative data and a survey of health status and quantifiable demographic and material factors.

Forced residential mobility and social support: impacts on psychiatric disorders among Somali migrants.

Background: Somali migrants fleeing the civil war in their country face punishing journeys, the loss of homes, possessions, and bereavement. On arrival in the host country they encounter poverty, hostility, and residential instability which may also undermine their mental health.

Methods: An in-depth and semi-structured interview was used to gather detailed accommodation histories for a five year period from 142 Somali migrants recruited in community venues and primary care.

A case study of organisational Cultural Competence in mental healthcare.

Background: Ensuring Cultural Competence (CC) in health care is a mechanism to deliver culturally appropriate care and optimise recovery. In policies that promote cultural competence, the training of mental health practitioners is a key component of a culturally competent organisation. This study examines staff perceptions of CC and the integration of CC principles in a mental healthcare organisation.

Introduction to the special issue: the changing use and misuse of khat (Catha edulis)--tradition, trade and tragedy.

Within the last decade the hitherto little known psychoactive substance of khat has emerged as a regional and international issue. In the Horn of Africa khat production has spurred an economic boom, but dramatic increases in consumption have raised public health concerns. Given the complexity of the topic spanning multiple academic disciplines and fields of professional practice, the need for a systematic overview is urgent.

Trauma, khat and common psychotic symptoms among Somali immigrants: a quantitative study.

Aim Of The Study: To investigate the relationship between (i) khat use and (ii) traumatic events, with measures of common psychotic symptoms and symptoms of anxiety and depression. To undertake this work in a Somali population of emigrants who have sought asylum in a non-conflict zone country.

Materials And Methods: A secondary analysis of data on a population sample of 180 Somali men and women.

Trauma, khat and common psychotic symptoms: a quantitative study.

Aim: To investigate the relationship between (i) khat use and (ii) traumatic events, with measures of common psychotic symptoms and symptoms of anxiety and depression. To undertake this work in a Somali population of emigrants who have sought asylum in a non-conflict zone country.

Materials & Methods: A secondary analysis of data on a population sample of 180 Somali men and women.

The stimulant khat--another door in the wall? A call for overcoming the barriers.

Aim: In this article, we comment on the current international discourse on khat, we highlight pitfalls and and suggest balanced national international regulatory actions.

Method: A brief an focussed review of the available literature on khat and health and examples from our own research are provided.

Results: The use patterns of catha edulis (khat) have changed throughout the last decades.

Drug consumption in conflict zones in Somalia.

The authors discuss the public health implications of a new study on the use of khat and other drugs by Somali combatants.

Khat use and mental illness: a critical review.

Khat has been used as a stimulant plant in many parts of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula for centuries. Its current use among particular migrant communities in Europe and elsewhere has caused alarm among policy makers and health care professionals. In the United Kingdom, the debate over the psychiatric and social implications of khat use has led to a demand for stricter legal control of this stimulant plant.

Cultural competence in mental health care: a review of model evaluations.

Background: Cultural competency is now a core requirement for mental health professionals working with culturally diverse patient groups. Cultural competency training may improve the quality of mental health care for ethnic groups.

Methods: A systematic review that included evaluated models of professional education or service delivery.

Mental disorders among Somali refugees: developing culturally appropriate measures and assessing socio-cultural risk factors.

Background: There are few mental health data for Somali people. This is due to the absence of culturally validated appropriate assessment instruments and methodological challenges. We aimed to develop a culturally appropriate instrument, and address the methodological challenges and assess some risk factors for mental disorder among Somalis in London.

Post-migration geographical mobility, mental health and health service utilisation among Somali refugees in the UK: a qualitative study.

Migration is known to be associated with poor health outcomes for certain marginalised and socially disadvantaged populations. This paper reviews a number of reasons why residential mobility in the 'host' country may be associated with poor mental health for refugee populations and reports on a qualitative study of Somalis living in London, UK, and their beliefs about the relationship between residential mobility, poor health and health service use. Two discussion groups were undertaken with 13 Somali professionals and four groups with 21 lay Somalis in East and South London, UK.