Biomedical subjects

M C Angermeyer

Publications and source records attributed to M C Angermeyer.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed2004

Prevalence of mental disorders in Europe: results from the European Study of the Epidemiology of Mental Disorders (ESEMeD) project.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the 12-month and lifetime prevalence rates of mood, anxiety and alcohol disorders in six European countries. METHOD: A representative random sample of non-institutionalized inhabitants from Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain aged 18 or older (n = 21425) were interviewed between January 2001 and August 2003. DSM-IV disorders were assessed by lay interviewers using a revised version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (WMH-CIDI). RESULTS: Fourteen per cent reported a lifetime history of any mood disorder, 13.6% any anxiety disorder and 5.2% a lifetime history of any alcohol disorder. More than 6% reported any anxiety disorder, 4.2% any mood disorder, and 1.0% any alcohol disorder in the last year. Major depression and specific phobia were the most common single mental disorders. Women were twice as likely to suffer 12-month mood and anxiety disorders as men, while men were more likely to suffer alcohol abuse disorders. CONCLUSION: ESEMeD is the first study to highlight the magnitude of mental disorders in the six European countries studied. Mental disorders were frequent, more common in female, unemployed, disabled persons, or persons who were never married or previously married. Younger persons were also more likely to have mental disorders, indicating an early age of onset for mood, anxiety and alcohol disorders.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

12-Month comorbidity patterns and associated factors in Europe: results from the European Study of the Epidemiology of Mental Disorders (ESEMeD) project.

OBJECTIVE: Comorbidity patterns of 12-month mood, anxiety and alcohol disorders and socio-demographic factors associated with comorbidity were studied among the general population of six European countries. METHOD: Data were derived from the European Study of the Epidemiology of Mental Disorders (ESEMeD), a cross-sectional psychiatric epidemiological study in a representative sample of adults aged 18 years or older in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain. The diagnostic instrument used was the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (WMH-CIDI). Data are based on 21 425 completed interviews. RESULTS: In general, high associations were found within the separate anxiety disorders and between mood and anxiety disorders. Lowest comorbidity associations were found for specific phobia and alcohol abuse-the disorders with the least functional disabilities. Comorbidity patterns were consistent cross-nationally. Associated factors for comorbidity of mood and anxiety disorders were female gender, younger age, lower educational level, higher degree of urbanicity, not living with a partner and unemployment. Only younger people were at greater risk for comorbidity of alcohol disorder with mood, anxiety disorders or both. CONCLUSION: High levels of comorbidity are found in the general population. Comorbidity is more common in specific groups. To reduce psychiatric burden, early intervention in populations with a primary disorder is important to prevent comorbidity.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

Disability and quality of life impact of mental disorders in Europe: results from the European Study of the Epidemiology of Mental Disorders (ESEMeD) project.

OBJECTIVE: This manuscript examines the impact of mental health state and specific mental and physical disorders on work role disability and quality of life in six European countries. METHOD: The ESEMeD study was conducted in: Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain. Individuals aged 18 years and over who were not institutionalized were eligible for an in-home computer-assisted interview. Common mental disorders, work loss days (WLD) in the past month and quality of life (QoL) were assessed, using the WMH-2000 version of the CIDI, the WHODAS-II, and the mental and physical component scores (MCS, PCS) of the 12-item short form, respectively. The presence of five chronic physical disorders: arthritis, heart disease, lung disease, diabetes and neurological disease was also assessed. Multivariate regression techniques were used to identify the independent association of mental and physical disorders while controlling for gender, age and country. RESULTS: In each country, WLD and loss of QoL increased with the number of disorders. Most mental disorders had approximately 1.0 SD-unit lower mean MCS and lost three to four times more work days, compared with people without any 12-month mental disorder. The 10 disorders with the highest independent impact on WLD were: neurological disease, panic disorder, PTSD, major depressive episode, dysthymia, specific phobia, social phobia, arthritis, agoraphobia and heart disease. The impact of mental vs. physical disorders on QoL was specific, with mental disorders impacting more on MCS and physical disorders more on PCS. Compared to physical disorders, mental disorders had generally stronger 'cross-domain' effects. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that mental disorders are important determinants of work role disability and quality of life, often outnumbering the impact of common chronic physical disorders.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Use of mental health services in Europe: results from the European Study of the Epidemiology of Mental Disorders (ESEMeD) project.

OBJECTIVE: Comprehensive information about access and patterns of use of mental health services in Europe is lacking. We present the first results of the use of health services for mental disorders in six European countries as part of the ESEMeD project. METHOD: The study was conducted in: Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain. Individuals aged 18 years and over who were not institutionalized were eligible for an computer-assisted interview done at home. The 21 425 participants were asked to report how frequently they consulted formal health services due to their emotions or mental health, the type of professional they consulted and the treatment they received as a result of their consultation in the previous year. RESULTS: An average of 6.4% of the total sample had consulted formal health services in the previous 12 months. Of the participants with a 12-month mental disorder, 25.7% had consulted a formal health service during that period. This proportion was higher for individuals with a mood disorder (36.5%, 95% CI 32.5-40.5) than for those with anxiety disorders (26.1%, 95% CI 23.1-29.1). Among individuals with a 12-month mental disorder who had contacted the health services 12 months previously, approximately two-thirds had contacted a mental health professional. Among those with a 12-month mental disorder consulting formal health services, 21.2% received no treatment. CONCLUSION: The ESEMeD results suggest that the use of health services is limited among individuals with mental disorders in the European countries studied. The factors associated with this limited access and their implications deserve further research.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Psychotropic drug utilization in Europe: results from the European Study of the Epidemiology of Mental Disorders (ESEMeD) project.

OBJECTIVE: To assess psychotropic drug utilization in the general population of six European countries, and the pattern of use in individuals with different DSM-IV diagnoses of 12-month mental disorders. METHOD: Data were derived from the European Study of the Epidemiology of Mental Disorders (ESEMeD/MHEDEA 2000), a cross-sectional psychiatric epidemiological study in a representative sample of 21 425 adults aged 18 or older from six European countries (e.g. Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain). Individuals were asked about any psychotropic drug use in the past 12 months, even if they used the drug(s) just once. A colour booklet containing high-quality pictures of psychotropic drugs commonly used to treat mental disorders was provided to help respondents recall drug use. RESULTS: Psychotropic drug utilization is generally low in individuals with any 12-month mental disorder (32.6%). The extent of psychotropic drug utilization varied according to the specific DSM-IV diagnosis. Among individuals with a 12-month diagnosis of pure major depression, only 21.2% had received any antidepressants within the same period; the exclusive use of antidepressants was even lower (4.6%), while more individuals took only anxiolytics (18.4%). CONCLUSION: These data question the appropriateness of current pharmacological treatments, particularly for major depression, in which under-treatment is coupled with the high use of non-specific medications, such as anxiolytics.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

Quality of life in persons with schizophrenia in out-patient treatment with first- or second-generation antipsychotics.

OBJECTIVE: Effects of first in comparison with second-generation antipsychotics on the subjective quality of life (QoL) of patients with schizophrenia under routine treatment conditions were examined. METHOD: In a prospective naturalistic trial the QoL, social, clinical, and treatment-related characteristics and type of antipsychotic medication of 307 patients with schizophrenia (ICD-10 F 20) were assessed five times with 6-month intervals over 2.5 years. Longitudinal and cross-sectional effects of antipsychotic medication were assessed by hierarchical regression models. Selection bias was controlled by propensity scores. RESULTS: While positive effects of first-generation antipsychotics on subjective QoL in comparison with no antipsychotic treatment were found, second-generation antipsychotics caused no better QoL than first-generation antipsychotics. CONCLUSION: The hypothesis that second-generation in comparison with first-generation antipsychotics have a better effect on the improvement of subjective QoL of people with schizophrenia in routine out-patient treatment was not supported.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

[The impact of the study design and the sampling procedure on the assessment of mental health services].

In this paper the impact of the study design and the sampling procedure on the assessment of the costs of schizophrenia treatment will be analyzed. The study sample consists of 307 patients with the diagnosis of schizophrenia (ICD 10F20) with the age between 18 and 65 years. Study participants were recruited consecutively in inpatient and outpatient treatment settings and in accommodation facilities according to the proportions of patients treated in these settings in Leipzig which have been assessed before. Treatment costs have been assessed by means of the German version of the Client Sociodemographic and Service Receipt Inventory at five follow-ups at six-months intervals. For the whole study period significant differences of the mean service costs due to the recruitment setting have been found. The mean yearly costs amounted to 44.669 DM for participants recruited in sheltered accommodation, 27.975 DM for participants in inpatient treatment and 5691 DM for patients in outpatient facilities. A random-effect regression model confirmed significant effects of the recruitment setting over all five follow-ups. Additionally, the variance of costs over time indicates that cost assessment by means of cross sectional data involves the danger of errors due to random dispersion.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMed2003

[A mental health education program: the school project "Crazy? So What!" initiated by "Irrsinnig Menschlich (Madly Human) e.V. Leipzig"].

The school project "Crazy? So What!" aims to educate young people about mental disorders and to raise their tolerance of the mentally sick. Personal encounters between the students and the mental ill is a major aspect of the scheme. To date, 820 students from 27 schools in Saxony, Thuringia and Saxony-Anhalt have participated in the program. The evaluation of the project within the framework of a case-control study revealed that negative stereotypes and the reserve shown towards the mentally handicapped actually can be reduced. The long-term goal is to integrate mental health/illness into the school curriculum.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

[Wishes of nursing home residents concerning their life situation--results of a qualitative study].

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the wishes of nursing home residents concerning their life situation in the nursing home. METHODS: Using a qualitative study design, a representative sample of nursing home residents (n = 1656) of 24 nursing homes in a city situated in the eastern part of Germany were interviewed. RESULTS: The analyses of residents' wishes lead to major domains such as the quality of care, interpersonal contact, architecture and organization of the house, diversification, financial support, as well as themes like health and death and the wish to leave the nursing home. Residents focus on an individualized approach to care. CONCLUSIONS: Nursing home residents' views support the need to improve the psychological and social aspects of the quality of care. Implications of and consequences for the organization of care and concepts of nursing are discussed.

Aged↗

PubMed2003

Subclassifications for mild cognitive impairment: prevalence and predictive validity.

BACKGROUND: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is associated with an increased risk of developing dementia. Recently published results of the Current Concepts in MCI Conference suggested subclassifications for MCI (MCI-amnestic, MCI-multiple domains slightly impaired, MCI-single nonmemory domain) based on the recognized heterogeneity in the use of the term. These subclassifications have not been empirically validated to date. METHOD: A community sample of 1045 dementia-free individuals aged 75 years and over was examined by neuropsychological testing in a three-wave longitudinal study. The prevalences and the predictive validities for the subclassifications of MCI and their modifications (original criteria except for the report of subjective decline in cognitive function) were determined. RESULTS: The prevalence was 1 to 15% depending on the subset employed. Subjects with a diagnosis of MCI progressed to dementia at a rate of 10 to 55% over 2.6 years, depending on the subset employed. MCI-amnestic achieved the highest positive predictive power (PPP). ROC curves of the subclassifications for MCI indicate that all but one subset for MCI failed to predict dementia (MCI-multiple domains slightly impaired-modified: AUC=0.585, P<0.01, 95% CI, 0.517-0.653). The use of modified criteria for MCI (original criteria except for the report of subjective decline in cognitive function) is associated with a higher diagnostic sensitivity but also with a reduction in diagnostic specificity and PPP. CONCLUSIONS: Modified criteria should be applied if a concept for MCI with a high sensitivity is required and the original criteria (including subjective cognitive complaint) if a concept with high specificity and high PPP is required.

Aged↗

PubMed2003

Mild cognitive impairment: prevalence and predictive validity according to current approaches.

OBJECTIVES: Mild cognitive impairment is associated with an increased risk of developing dementia. However, there is no consensus on diagnostic criteria and different concepts have rarely been evaluated in population-based samples. This paper compares the prevalences and predictive validities for different concepts in a population-based study. The aim was to identify a concept with the best relation of sensitivity and specificity in the prediction of dementia. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A community sample of 1045 dementia-free individuals aged 75 years and over was examined by neuropsychological testing in a three-wave longitudinal study. RESULTS: Prevalence rates ranged from 3 to 36% according to the concept applied. Conversion rates to dementia over 2.6 years ranged from 23 to 47%. In addition, receiver operating characteristic curves indicated that all but one concept for mild cognitive impairment could predict dementia. CONCLUSION: Mild cognitive impairment is very frequent in older people. Prevalences and predictive validities are highly dependent on the diagnostic criteria applied.

Aged↗

PubMed2003

A longitudinal analysis of the impact of social and clinical characteristics on the costs of schizophrenia treatment.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was the longitudinal analysis of the influence of social and clinical factors on the mid-term costs of schizophrenia treatment. METHOD: Treatment costs as well as clinical and social characteristics of 307 patients with the ICD-10 diagnosis of schizophrenia were assessed at five follow-ups over 2.5 years. Between and within effects of clinical and social characteristics on treatment costs were estimated by error component regression models. RESULTS: Effects caused by differences between individuals were found for age, partnership, in-patient history, objective and subjective role functioning, life-events and psychotic relapse. Effects of idiosyncratic transitory changes of social and clinical characteristics were found for symptoms, psychotic relapse, and for social role-functioning. CONCLUSION: Treatment costs can be reduced to a limited extent not only by the prevention of psychotic symptoms and relapse but also by the improvement of role-functioning capacities.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

The stigma of mental illness: effects of labelling on public attitudes towards people with mental disorder.

OBJECTIVE: Aim of the study is to examine the impact of labelling on public attitudes towards people with schizophrenia and major depression. METHOD: In Spring 2001, a representative survey was carried out in Germany involving adults of German nationality (n = 5025). RESULTS: Labelling as mental illness has an impact on public attitudes towards people with schizophrenia, with negative effects clearly outweighing positive effects. Endorsing the stereotype of dangerousness has a strong negative effect on the way people react emotionally to someone with schizophrenia and increases the preference for social distance. By contrast, perceiving someone with schizophrenia as being in need for help evokes mixed feelings and affects people's desire for social distance both positively and negatively. Labelling has practically no effect on public attitudes towards people with major depression. CONCLUSION: Our findings illustrate the need for differentiation, differentiation between the different components of stigma as well as differentiation between the various mental disorders.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Crazy? So what! Effects of a school project on students' attitudes towards people with schizophrenia.

OBJECTIVE: Aiming at promoting young people's mental health and reducing stigma towards people with schizophrenia, project weeks were carried out with secondary school students aged 14-18 years (n=90). Key to the project week is meeting a (young) person with schizophrenia. METHOD: Students' attitudes and behavioural intentions towards people with schizophrenia were assessed before and after the project. Parallelly, a control group of students were questioned (n=60). Assessment was repeated after 1 month. RESULTS: Despite expected ceiling effects, the project led to a significant reduction of negative stereotypes. For social distance, a positive trend could be observed. These developments were not present with the controls. Attitude changes were still evident at the 1-month follow-up. CONCLUSION: Results support the hypothesis that young people's attitudes about schizophrenia are susceptible to change. Antistigma projects at school level could thus be a promising approach to improving public attitudes and to preventing stereotypes from becoming reinforced.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

[Longitudinal analysis of factors influencing direct costs of schizophrenia treatment].

In a prospective longitudinal study with 5 points of measurement the direct service costs as well as the clinical and social characteristics of 307 outpatients with the diagnosis of schizophrenia (ICD 10 F 20.0) were assessed over a period of 2.5 years. A random-effect regression model was computed for the assessment of the impact of clinical and social variables on cost variance. Within-effect and between-effect of independent variables on the cost variance were identified by comparing of within and between effect models. Results of the study show that 10 % of the within variance and 32 % of the between variance were explained by the random effect model. Significant within effects were found for a deterioration of emotional health status and for general level of functioning. Significant between effects were found for living situation, partnership, number of inpatient episodes, psychopathological symptoms, depression, alcohol abuse and number of life events. The study results suggest that interventions aiming at the reduction of direct costs should not be restricted to medical treatment but must also include psychosocial interventions for the enhancement of general functioning. However, the explained proportions of within and between variance reveal that the possibilities of manipulating direct treatment costs by means of patient-related interventions may be limited.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Schizophrenic patients' subjective reasons for compliance and noncompliance with neuroleptic treatment.

Although several factors influencing schizophrenic patients' compliance with neuroleptic treatment have been investigated, the subjective reasons that patients are willing or reluctant to take medication have rarely been examined. In a follow-up study of a sample of schizophrenic patients currently undergoing psychiatric treatment in the city of Leipzig, 307 patients were asked about their subjective reasons for medication compliance or noncompliance by administering the Rating of Medication Influences (ROMI) Scale. The perceived benefit from medication proved to be the main reason for patients' compliance with neuroleptic treatment. Respectively, patient-reported noncompliance was mainly explained by negative side effects of medication. However, there were no statistically significant differences in responses between the patients receiving conventional versus second-generation antipsychotics. A positive relationship with the therapist and a positive attitude of significant others toward neuroleptic treatment contributed to patients' medication compliance. Reasons for noncompliance with neuroleptic treatment were lack of acceptance of the necessity of pharmacological treatment and lack of insight into the disease. The results emphasize the importance of psychoeducation in enhancing patient compliance with neuroleptic treatment.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

[Development of a screening instrument for heavy users of psychiatric inpatient services].

Patients who show an above-average utilization of medical care are described as "heavy users". Heavy utilization of psychiatric inpatient care could be reduced by well directed community based services. Heavy users should, therefore, be identified at the beginning of a period of heavy service consumption. For this reason, a screening instrument (SPSI) was developed. Six predictors of heavy utilization of inpatient care were included as items in the SPSI. Weighting of items and examination of the instrument were carried out with a sample of 184 schizophrenia patients, whose utilization of inpatient care was recorded prospectively over a period of 30 months. 83 percent of heavy users and 85 percent of ordinary users were correctly identified with the SPSI test at a cutoff score of - 6.7. The SPSI is a short questionnaire which could be used without special rater training in psychiatric care in order to offer identified heavy users well directed community based services, which are less costly than inpatient care, but at least just as appropriate for the special needs of these patients.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

[Prevalence and incidence of dementia among nursing home residents and residents in homes for the aged in comparison to private homes].

Based on a representative epidemiological study on dementia, prevalence and incidence rates of institutionalized individuals aged 75 years and older in comparison to those living in private homes are presented. The study was conducted between 1997 and 1999. Core component assessing cognitive function was the SIDAM (Structured Interview for the diagnosis of Dementia of the Alzheimer type, Multi-infarct dementia and dementias of other etiology according to ICD-10 and DSM-III-R, DSM-IV). If cognitive testing with study participants was not possible (e.g., due to fragility, death before examination) proxy interviews were performed with relatives or staff using the CDR (Clinical Dementia Rating). Prevalence and incidence rates in institutions were four times higher than in private homes. A prevalence rate of dementia for institutionalized individuals 75+ according to DSM-III-R of 47.6% was found; the annual incidence rate was 17.2%. This high proportion of people with dementia in institutions requires the development of new concepts of care to meet the demands of this changing situation in residential and nursing homes.

Aged↗