PubMed HealthSearch

Biomedical subjects

T Fine

Publications and source records attributed to T Fine.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

The 'anatomy' of research funding of mental illness and addictive disorders.

To assess the level and sources of research funding for mental illness and substance abuse fields, we undertook a systematic survey of public and private funding entities. Applying standard definitions, we found that research support in these fields totaled approximately $859 million in fiscal 1988. This level of research support for mental illness and substance abuse is extremely limited and disproportionate to the overall costs to society by these disorders. Mental disorders and substance abuse accounted for $66.8 billion in health care costs in 1988; in the same year, research on these disorders represented only 4.7% of all health research support nationwide. The three institutes of the Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration (ADAMHA) (namely, the National Institute of Mental Health [NIMH], the National Institute of Drug Abuse [NIDA], and the National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse [NIAAA]) support 64% of all mental illness and substance abuse research; other federal agencies add little more than 7.5%, with the Department of Veterans Affairs the largest at 2%. The pharmaceutical and hospital industries account for another 17% of all support; state funding is 8%, which is particularly surprising in light of the states responsibility for the chronically mentally ill. While there has been recent significant growth in the research budgets of the NIMH, the NIDA, and the NIAAA, other sectors have not grown commensurately, leaving the field vulnerable to the funding vicissitudes of these institutes. Greater coalition building and advocacy are necessary to expand the breadth and depth of research resources for the field.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Behavior, Addictive

The presence or absence of light during flotation restricted environmental stimulation: effects on plasma cortisol, blood pressure, and mood.

This study examined the effect of light on relaxation associated with flotation restricted environmental stimulation therapy (REST), as measured by plasma cortisol, mean arterial pressure, and psychometric parameters. Twenty-one subjects were paired by baseline cortisol levels into two groups: one experiencing flotation REST in the presence of light (REST-L) and one experiencing flotation REST in the absence of light (REST-D). Subjects were 15 male and 6 female students aged 22-28 in normal health who had not experienced REST. Repeated flotation REST (8 sessions) either with light or without light was associated with a decrease in plasma cortisol and a decrease in mean arterial pressure, with no differences in effectiveness between groups. The psychometric assessment of mood, using the POMS scale, before and after sessions 1 and 8 revealed mood state improvement in both REST-L and REST-D groups. These data suggest that the presence of light did not compromise the flotation REST experience, as evidenced by the lack of difference between REST-L and REST-D groups.

Adult

Factors that influence state funding for mental health research.

A 50-state survey was conducted to identify the extent of and the factors associated with states' funding of mental health research. Of the 49 states responding, 28 funded mental health research. Funds for research represented about .3 percent of total state expenditures for mental health. More populous states were more likely to fund mental health research. A moderately high correlation was found between state funding for research and federal research funding, and a modest but statistically significant correlation was found between state funding for research and total state expenditures for mental health. No correlation was found between state mental health research funding and state per capita mental health expenditures. Political environments supportive of mental health research were characterized by budget stability, articulate and committed leaders, and active citizen advocacy.

Health Services Research

Models of state funding for mental health research.

Twenty-eight of 49 states that responded to a survey supported mental health or substance abuse research through at least one of four funding mechanisms--the joint state-university research unit, research grants, state in-house research, and contracts. The authors illustrate the use of these mechanisms with examples from the states. The events leading to the establishment of the new Oklahoma Mental Health Research Institute are described.

Academic Medical Centers

Foundation funding and psychiatric research.

Support for psychiatric research is limited to a relatively small number of funding sources. Foundations--nonprofit entities that support a variety of social, medical, educational, and other activities--are a potentially important source. The authors describe the role and structure of foundations, discuss historical trends in foundation support for research in mental illness, and present the results of a study of the extent to which foundations support mental health research. The results of this study confirm the paucity of foundation support for mental health research but show important differences and similarities among the foundations that support research in this field.

Foundations