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At least 1,027 records · Page 57Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Perceptions of a medical microbiology service: a survey of laboratory users.

AIM: To ascertain the perception of laboratory users regarding the quality of the medical microbiology services in a district general hospital. METHODS: Detailed questionnaires were circulated to all clinicians in the locality, with headings covering the quality of medical advice provided, the availability of information on specimen collection, format of request forms, specimen transport arrangements, turnaround times, the quality and need for interpretative advice, and the overall impression of the quality of the services provided. RESULTS: Two hundred and thirty five replies were received, giving a response rate of 69%. Transportation of specimens and communication of reports were identified as priority areas for improvement. The overall quality of the service was perceived as satisfactory, although areas were identified where substantial improvements could be made, some at little or no cost to the laboratory. CONCLUSIONS: The survey focused clinicians' attention on the service, raised the profile of the laboratory, and resulted in improved communications and a better understanding of customer needs. Overall, the exercise was felt to be extremely useful, and worthwhile repeating to gauge the effect of the changes instituted as a result.

Forecasting↗
PubMed2005

Comparison of users and non-users of mental health services among depressed, older, urban African Americans.

OBJECTIVE: The authors sought to determine differences between depressed older black residents in an urban community who do and do not use formal mental health services. METHODS: The Treatment Group (TG) consisted of 106 black patients age >or=55 with a diagnosis of depression who were recruited from outpatient psychiatric programs in Brooklyn, NY. The Untreated Community Group (UCG) consisted of 101 cognitively intact black subjects age >or=55 from randomly selected block groups in Brooklyn who met symptom criteria for major or minor depression and had no previous history of psychiatric treatment. RESULTS: In logistic regression analysis, TG persons were significantly more likely than the UCG persons to be female, younger, born in the United States, to have impaired daily functioning, have a family history of mental illness, and believe that environmental factors and religious activities could influence mental illness. TG persons were significantly less likely to have social network members who provided advice, to use spiritualists or their products, to have vision or hearing impairments, and to have depressive symptoms. Although most UCG persons visited their doctor at least three times annually, only 11% reported using these physicians for help with mental health problems. CONCLUSIONS: A combination of demographic and attitudinal factors, family psychiatric history, social supports, and functional impairments were associated with the use of mental health services. Despite reluctance of persons in the UCG to use primary-care physicians for mental health reasons, the latter remain the most feasible intervention point within the existing service system.

Black or African American↗
PubMed1997

The impact of welfare reform as perceived by users of mental health services in New York City.

A total of 118 psychiatric outpatients, 43 percent of whom were foreign born, completed a 12-item questionnaire about the impact of the new federal welfare legislation. A majority of respondents were worried about the new law and believed that it would worsen their mental symptoms, their well-being, and the quality of life in their neighborhood. Nearly half felt that the law had already affected their mental symptoms. Foreign-born patients were significantly more worried about the law than U.S.-born patients. The results suggest that organized psychiatry and individual psychiatrists should become more involved in activities to diminish the impact of the welfare legislation on patients and their families.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

The rate of public shelter admission among Medicaid-reimbursed users of behavioral health services.

This study examined the rate of admission to public shelters between 1990 and 1992 among persons who received Medicaid-reimbursed inpatient and outpatient psychiatric services and inpatient substance abuse services in Philadelphia between 1985 and 1993. Results show that 7.5 percent of such persons were admitted to public shelters during the three-year period, nearly 2.7 times the rate of shelter use by the general population (2.8 percent). Medicaid recipients treated for serious mental disorders had a three-year rate of shelter use of 8.4 percent. Those receiving inpatient treatment for substance use disorders, including detoxification services, had a three-year rate of shelter admission of 10.2 percent.

Cross-Sectional Studies↗
PubMed1997

A consumer-constructed scale to measure empowerment among users of mental health services.

OBJECTIVE: A scale to measure the personal construct of empowerment as defined by consumers of mental health services was developed and field tested. METHODS: After extensive development, pilot testing, and analyses, a 28-item scale to measure empowerment was tested on 271 members of six self-help programs in six states. Factor analyses were used to identify the underlying dimensions of empowerment. To establish the scale's reliability and validity, responses were factor analyzed, and other analyses were conducted. RESULTS: Analyses revealed five factors: self-efficacy-self-esteem, power-powerlessness, community activism, righteous anger, and optimism-control over the future. Empowerment was related to quality of life and income but not to the demographic variables of age, gender, ethnicity, marital status, education level, or employment status. Empowerment was inversely related to use of traditional mental health services and positively related to community activism. CONCLUSIONS: The findings set a framework for a clearer understanding of the imprecise and overused concept of empowerment. The scale demonstrated adequate internal consistency and some evidence for validity. Further testing must be done to establish whether it has discriminant validity and is sensitive to change.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

The relationship of causal beliefs and contact with users of mental health services to attitudes to the 'mentally ill'.

Programmes to destigmatise 'mental illness' have traditionally been based on the 'mental illness is an illness like any other' metaphor and have been largely unsuccessful. By measuring attitudes towards, and etiology beliefs about, 'mental illness' before and after a series of four undergraduate lectures presenting the psychosocial causes of, and solutions to, severe mental health problems, this study (a) replicated previous studies demonstrating a relationship between biogenetic causal beliefs and negative attitudes towards 'mental patients'; (b) found that following the lectures attitudes improved, particularly around the key variables of dangerousness and unpredictability; and (c) demonstrated that amount of contact with people who had received psychiatric treatment was an even stronger predictor of positive attitudes than acceptance of a psychosocial perspective.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

User satisfaction with rehabilitation services delivered using Internet video.

Rehabilitation services to four remote sites in New Brunswick were delivered via PC-based videoconferencing equipment, using ADSL connections to the Internet. Approximately 40 people used the equipment over 18 months. There were 32 videoconference sessions. A total of 60 questionnaires were returned (a 94% response rate). In 31 of the 32 videoconferences, a connection was successfully established between the computers. The videoconferences lasted on average 20 min. The most frequent applications were viewing of rehabilitative equipment and video communication. The technology was found to be useful and provided an enhanced form of communication from the video component. There were some problems with the stability and reliability of the equipment.

Humans↗