Prevalence of psychiatric morbidity and psychological adaptation of the nurses in a structured SARS caring unit during outbreak: a prospective and periodic assessment study in Taiwan.

To assess the rapidly changing psychological status of nurses during the acute phase of the 2003 SARS outbreak, we conducted a prospective and periodic evaluation of psychiatric morbidity and psychological adaptation among nurses in SARS units and non-SARS units. Nurse participants were from two SARS units (regular SARS [N=44] and SARS ICU [N=26]) and two non-SARS units (Neurology [N=15] and CCU [N=17]). Participants periodically self-evaluated their depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress symptoms, sleep disturbance, attitude towards SARS and family support.

[Legislative policy and management in relation to long term care in Taiwan].

Because of the ageing of Taiwan society, long-term care needs increase on a daily basis. But no shift system has been introduced for long-term care, with the result that when there is an inappropriate balance of deployment of resources, acute hospital resources are being given over to long-term care patients, and a heavy burden is being placed upon long-term care patients and their families. In addition, there are developmental differences within the current system, in which many different management methods are adopted.

Association of AIDS and bipolar mania with rapid progression to dementia and death.

Neuropsychiatric complications of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection or acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) may present clinically as acute or chronic organic brain syndrome, or mimic functional psychiatric diseases. Among such psychiatric diseases, mania tends to occur with increased frequency after the onset of AIDS. We report a case in which manic manifestations were noted before the diagnosis of AIDS.