Biomedical subjects

Solvig Ekblad

Publications and source records attributed to Solvig Ekblad.

13 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

A longitudinal study of PTSD in a sample of adult mass-evacuated Kosovars, some of whom returned to their home country.

PTSD among a sample of mass-evacuated adults from Kosovo was studied using a prospective design with a baseline study and follow-ups at 3 and 6 months in Sweden, and with an additional follow-up after 1.5 years in both Sweden and Kosovo. Trauma events and PTSD-related symptoms were measured by the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ). At the additional follow-up after 1.5 years the same measure (HTQ) was used as well as clinical diagnostic interviews with the SCID instrument and measurement of saliva cortisol levels. Thirty-seven percent had PTSD-related symptoms at baseline. Morbidity increased at the three follow-ups. About 80% of the participants had PTSD at the additional follow-up after 1.5 years. The HTQ results were confirmed by clinical diagnoses and the participants diagnosed with PTSD also had low saliva cortisol levels. The results are discussed in terms of trauma, time needed to develop PTSD, post-migration stress and selection mechanisms.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

A longitudinal perspective on depression and sense of coherence in a sample of mass-evacuated adults from Kosovo.

Symptoms of depression and Sense of Coherence (SOC) in a sample of mass-evacuated adults from Kosovo were studied using a prospective design with a baseline study and follow-ups at 3 months and 6 months in Sweden, with an additional follow-up after 1.5 years in both Sweden and Kosovo. The 12-item version of the SOC, depression subscales of the General Health Questionnaire, and the Hopkins Symptom Check List-25 were used. At the additional follow-up after 1.5 years, the same measures were used together with clinical diagnostic assessment. Depression scores increased and SOC decreased over time. There was a significant negative correlation between SOC and symptoms of depression on all occasions, and SOC scores could not predict the diagnosis or symptoms of depression. Those who remained in Sweden became significantly more depressed than those who repatriated. The results are discussed in terms of postmigration stress and breakdown of SOC.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed2006

Lay concepts of depression among the Baganda of Uganda: a pilot study.

The literature indicates that although depression is highly prevalent, it is rarely recognized as such. The aim was to test the use of case vignettes in exploring the explanatory models of various subtypes of depression, in six individual interviews, and four focus-group discussions. Depressive symptoms presented in these vignettes seem to be conceptualized as a problem related to cognition (thinking too much) rather than emotion (sadness) and the resulting condition is referred to as 'illness of thoughts.' Worrisome thoughts resulting from various socioeconomic problems are seen as important aetiological factors for the illness of thoughts and require no medication as it is believed that there is no medication for thoughts. There are culturally accepted ways of dealing with and healing the condition. Once illness becomes recurrent or chronic, other explanations about causes and a different course of action have to be considered. Further exploration of the relationship between thoughts and emotions among the Baganda may be an important avenue for further research.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Mental health, employment and gender. Cross-sectional evidence in a sample of refugees from Bosnia-Herzegovina living in two Swedish regions.

Large regional differences regarding access to employment have been observed amongst persons from Bosnia-Herzegovina coming to Sweden in 1993-1994. This has led to questions about the role of mental health. To explore this further, postal survey questionnaires were distributed to a community sample (N = 650) that was stratified and, within strata, randomly selected from a sampling frame of persons coming to Sweden from Bosnia-Herzegovina in 1993-1994. Four hundred and thirteen persons returned the questionnaire providing a response rate of 63.5%. The aim was to increase knowledge about the relationship between mental health and employment in the chosen population. The main mental health outcome measure was the Göteborg Quality of Life instrument from which 360 respondents were grouped according to low or high symptom levels. Data were cross tabulated (chi2-tested) against background variables such as age, gender and occupational status, and then tested using binary logistic regression. Binary logistic regression revealed unemployed men but not women, and women who had been working for longer periods during 1993-1999, to be associated with high levels of symptoms of poor mental health. Women living in the urban region were also overrepresented in the high symptom group. These findings indicate that, job occupancy is important to the health of men in the study. However, for the women, further understanding is needed, as job occupancy at some level as well as living in the urban region appear to be associated with poor mental health.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Historical reflections on mental health care in Sweden: the welfare state and cultural diversity.

This article discusses historical reflections on the response of Swedish mental health care to cultural diversity and immigration and our views regarding future directions for clinical care, research and training. Sweden has become increasingly multicultural through immigration. Mental health care in Sweden faces the challenges of encountering cultural diversity and the mental health consequences of forced immigration, acculturation, and refugee trauma. In our view, Swedish mental health care is at a crossroads: either it takes up the challenge raised by immigration of an increasing cultural diversity or it satisfies itself with rhetoric, thus leaving reality at the margins. Equity regarding access to mental health care in Sweden today must include an acceptance of, and interest for, the diversity of the population.

Acculturation↗

PubMed2004

Cognitive-behavioral treatment of tortured asylum seekers: a case study.

The present study examined results of cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT) in a 22-year-old, male, tortured asylum-seeker living in Sweden. The patient received 16 sessions of CBT involving mainly self-exposure to trauma-related cues. Clinical measures (assessor- and self-rated) were completed at pre-treatment, weeks 6, 8, 12, and 16, post-treatment and at follow-up (1-, 3-, and 6-month). Treatment led to significant improvement across all measures of post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression. The improvement was maintained at 6-month follow-up. The results suggest that CBT could be useful in treating tortured asylum-seekers and refugees despite the additional stressors experienced by asylum-seekers and refugees.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

The use of international videoconferencing as a strategy for teaching medical students about transcultural psychiatry.

Videoconferencing is an innovative method that potentially allows medical students exposure to international teachers in refugee mental health who would otherwise be inaccessible. This article reports a pilot study using videoconferencing with international teachers from Australia, Sweden and the USA participating in the training of ten senior Swedish medical students. Interviews with an actual and a simulated patient were conducted at the U.S. and Australian sites respectively, followed by discussions involving those two sites with students and their supervisors in Sweden. Students evaluated the method favourably, as did the teachers, although the brevity of the program was seen as a limitation. Teachers noted the importance of preparing students and patients and ensuring that the technology operates smoothly to ensure success. Although cost-effective in teaching medical students in developed countries, videoconferencing may still be out of the reach of training programs in many developing countries where it is most needed.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Screening for post-traumatic stress disorder among refugees in Stockholm.

UNLABELLED: A screening procedure (The Health Leaflet; HL) to assist social workers in finding subjects with possible post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in recently resettled refugees is presented. It is compared with two established self-rating instruments, the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ) and Impact of Event Scale-22 (IES-22), as well as structured clinical interview. AIM: To validate the screening interview and the rating scales in comparison to a clinical assessment for PTSD, and examine the feasibility of lay screening for PTSD. FINDINGS: The Health Screening Interview with a cut-off value of 10 points identified cases with fully developed PTSD with both sensitivity and specificity about 0.7. Only two items--difficulties concentrating and having been exposed to torture--contributed to the discriminatory performance of the HL interview. In the HTQ symptom subscale, emotional detachment and a feeling of going mad contributed to the discriminatory performance. In the IES-22, recurring strong affects about the events, as well as intrusive memories, were the items with the highest canonical correlation coefficients. In the HL, the single screening question about difficulties concentrating identified 31/32 individuals diagnosed with PTSD in this group, with a relative risk of 24. CONCLUSIONS: A mental health screening procedure during refugee reception performed by lay persons is clearly feasible and can assist in identifying subjects with trauma-related healthcare needs, thus leading to more realistic demands in refugee reception.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2002