Perinatal and infant mental health in Australia: moving forward towards REAL prevention and early intervention - can we do it?

Australas Psychiatry

Medical Unit Head, Helen Mayo House, Women's and Children's Health Network, Adelaide, SA, and; Clinical Senior Lecturer, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.

Published: June 2017

Objectives: Australia has been at the forefront of appropriate early intervention. Prevention of mental illness in infants by early identification and intervention in the mental health of their mothers has stalled since the cessation of funding through the National Perinatal Depression Initiative (NPDI, 2009-2015). Whilst screening for maternal mental illness has been widely implemented throughout Australia during the last two decades, services are now diminishing and great opportunities to ride the crest of a wave for appropriate mental illness intervention are receding. Reviews of history and interventions internationally may help guide future directions.

Conclusions: Advocacy through across-agency and across-political-party support has been markedly successful for perinatal and infant mental health in the United Kingdom. A solid foundation exists in Australia. Australian psychiatrists have the ability to continue to change the face of prevention and early intervention.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1039856217700761DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

mental health
12
early intervention
12
mental illness
12
perinatal infant
8
infant mental
8
prevention early
8
mental
6
intervention
5
australia
4
health australia
4

Similar Publications

This study intents to detect graphical network features associated with seizure relapse following antiseizure medication (ASM) withdrawal. Twenty-four patients remaining seizure-free (SF-group) and 22 experiencing seizure relapse (SR-group) following ASM withdrawal as well as 46 matched healthy participants (Control) were included. Individualized morphological similarity network was constructed using T1-weighted images, and graphic metrics were compared between groups.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of using probiotics with strains related to dopamine and gamma-aminobutyric acid production on clinical features of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and/or attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This randomized, controlled trial involved 38 children with ADHD and 42 children with ASD, aged 5-16 years, who received probiotics (Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Levilactobacillus brevis 109/cfu/daily) or placebo for 12 weeks. Parent-reported symptoms were assessed using Conners' 3rd-Ed and the Social Responsiveness Scale Test, 2nd-Ed (SRS-2), and children completed the Conners Continuous Performance Test, 3rd-Ed (CPT 3) or Conners Kiddie CPT, 2nd-Ed (K-CPT 2).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

This study investigates the performance of the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) across diverse demographic groups during the COVID-19 pandemic. Utilizing a large, generalizable U.S.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Pediatric anxiety is rapidly increasing, and in 2022, the US Preventive Services Task Force recommended universal anxiety screening using a validated tool for children 8-18 years.

Method: This evidence-based practice quality improvement initiative integrated an educational process, a validated anxiety screening tool, and a Caregiver Satisfaction Survey into all primary care wellness visits for patients aged 8-18 years.

Results: Significant increases in screening and referrals for mental healthcare were observed postinitiative implementation, especially in ages 8-11 years.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!