Many women in fertile period of their lives experience some mental and physical symptoms that begin on 7–10 days before menses and cease after bleeding. Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) are the terms to indicate these symptoms. The prevalence of PMS has been estimated to be about40% to70%, PMDD has lower prevalence.

This study has evaluated the frequencies of PMS and PMDD along with related factors in students of girls’ high schools in Kermanshah.

In this descriptive-analytic study, 800 students of girls’ high schools were chosen by incidentally and clustery sampling. Everyone who was volunteer included in the study. Excluding criteria were: history of depression; medical illnesses like epilepsy, meningitis, encephalitis, heart diseases…; history of consumption of β-blockers or other drugs of heart diseases, Phenobarbitals, and anticonvulsants. The diagnosis was made according to DSM.IV.TR. The data was processed using SPSS software, version 11.5, and by descriptive and analytic statistical methods.

Results

1. 1. The frequencies of PMS and PMDD were 41.5% and 9.4% respectively.

2. 2. The disorder was more frequent in students older than 16 years-old.

3. 3. Mood symptoms were the most frequent, followed by physical and behavioral symptoms respectively.

4. 4. There was lower frequency of the disorder in students whose mothers were high educated.

5. 5. The frequency of PMS was higher in those with positive family history.

The high frequencies of PMS and PMDD which result to problems in education of students need serious considerations to elevate mental health of students and to refer the severe cases to specialized centers.

The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) has been used successfully across diverse cultural settings. However, a recent study found poor validity in detecting postnatal common mental disorders (CMD) in rural Ethiopia. Using similar methodology, the study was replicated in the capital, Addis Ababa.

Semantic, content and criterion validity of EPDS, Kessler scale-6 (K6) and Kessler scale-10 (K10) were assessed in postnatal women attending vaccination clinics. Criterion validation was undertaken on 100 postnatal women, with local psychiatrist diagnosis of CMD using the Comprehensive Psychopathological Rating Scale (CPRS) as the criterion measure.

The areas under the Receiver Operating Characteristic (AUROC) curve for the EPDS, K6 and K10 were 0.85 (95%CI 0.77–0.92), 0.86 (95%CI 0.76–0.97) and 0.87 (95%CI 0.78–0.97), respectively. The EPDS generated sensitivity, specificity and misclassification rates of 78.9%, 75.3% and 24.0%, respectively at an optimal cut-off point of 6/7. The corresponding values for the K6 were 84.2%, 82.7% and 17.0% at a cut-off point of 4/5, and for K10 were 84.2%, 77.8% and 21.0% at a cut-off point of 6/7, respectively. The internal reliability Cronbach's alpha for the EPDS, K6 and K10 were 0.71, 0.86 and 0.90, respectively.

Not all postnatal women bring their infants to vaccination clinics which may limit generalisability.

The EPDS, K6 and K10 all demonstrated acceptable clinical utility as screening scales for postnatal CMD in an urban setting in Ethiopia. The marked urban-rural difference in EPDS performance within Ethiopia highlights the difficulty of applying urban-validated instruments to rural settings in LAMIC.

Breast Cancer is the most frequent cause of death by cancer in Women. Therefore Breast Cancer is a priority of the Portuguese Health Ministry. Mental illness, as Depression, is also a priority of that Ministry and breast cancer presents higher psychopathology comorbidity than general population. These both facts emphasize the relevance of the studies about interventions to promote mental health of Portuguese breast cancer women. Simultaneously, there are little studies about the applicability and efficiency of Cognitive Behavior Group Therapy in the European context and in Portugal in particular.

We purpose to develop a group cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) program to breast cancer survivors and implement it in a Portuguese group.

After a proper review of cognitive behavior group therapy programs to oncologic patients, we will adapt them to the Portuguese population. Then, a study will be made with a group of breast cancer survivors. We intent to assess them before and after the therapy in respect to the following psychological variables: self-concept, optimism, coping, quality of life and psychopathology.

We expect to improve the knowledge about the applicability of Cognitive Behavior Group Therapy in Portuguese (and European) context.

In sum, we expect to contribute with efficient psychological interventions to Breast Cancer Women survivors, in respect to self-concept, optimism, coping, quality of life and psychopathology.

The inability to gestate is considered a difficult experience for women. It is impossible to distinguish whether the cause of greatest suffering is the absence of the desired child or the feeling of failure. According to Freudian theory, this inability could reopen the narcissistic wound, arisen in the castration complex, once the woman is inserted as an incomplete being again. Sublimation is a mechanism for dealing with the deprivation, used by Frida Kahlo, a famous Mexican artist. The aim of this study was to understand the sublimation in the life of Frida by her inability to gestate.

Biographical research about Frida Kahlo articulated with the Freudian theory.

Frida sublimated her deprivation through the painting: “Painting completed my life. I lost three children…painting substituted for all this. I believe that works is the best thing. Through the emptiness, Frida reinvented herself, recognized her absence and enabled the emergence of other objects “I paint self-portraits because I am so often alone, because I am the person I know best”.

Although she managed to sublimate her pain through painting, Frida did not have a happy life: “I hope the exit is joyful - and I hope never to return”. Sublimation helped her to overcome the lack of children, but not healed her narcissistic wound. Her paintings were a manifestation of her symptoms, the revelation of the discovered behind the repression necessary to sublimation: “I never painted dreams, I painted my own reality”.

To show the presence of alcohol consumption in women and factors (age, sex, marital status, school ready, mid-life) that have an impact on the very spread of disease.

Data were used from the medical records of patients treated at the Clinic for Psychiatry. As a source of data used are dedicated questionnaires designed for adults.

From total of 185 patients hospitalized women occasionally drink 45% (81 patients), not drinking response was 31%(57), tried alcohol was 18.4% (34) and 5.6% of them (10) gave a response to daily consume alcoholic beverages.

The ratio of men and women who consume alcohol is 1:5.

Many epidemiological studies of alcohol-induced problems, saying in principle that women drink less than men. Knowledge of alcoholism fifty years ago saying that the ratio of men to women alcoholics was 1:10, and twenty years ago 1:7, to the last ten years, epidemiological studies have shown that women are increasingly drinking and that the ratio is 1:3,5.

The biggest group treated alcoholic women which was occasionally consumed alcohol at the age of 30 to 45 years, about 31.57%, 39.32% of single women and highly educated women 48.92%.The largest percentage had elderly women 1.84%, low educated 1.2% and widow 1.12%.

Certain studies in 1986 & 2004 reported that recording of physical examination carried out on admission by psychiatric trainees to be ‘uniformly poor’ to variable’.1

The aim was to re-audit the recording of performing a physical examination on psychiatric inpatients at the time of admission.

To identify the reasons for the inability to physically examine psychiatric patients on admission.

We reviewed 30 case notes retrospectively each time, following admission, data was collected in December 2008 and June 2009. Ten patients from each ward (3 wards) were selected randomly.

The percentage of patients having a physical examination on admission rose from 67% in December 2008 to 83% in July 2009. 13% of patients each were examined the next day, leaving 20% and 4% of the patients respectively, who were not examined within 72 hours of admission. The general trend (full & partial examination) in July 2009 was improving when compared to December 2009, with general inspection being done in 66% as compared to 56%, cardio-vascular examination 94% as compared to 77%, Respiratory examination 83% from 76%and central nervous system in 83% as compared to 63%. The rate of abdominal examination and baseline blood tests dropped from 73% to 67% and 93% to 73% respectively. 73% had baseline ECG in 2009 compared to 60% in 2008.

We are also looking at the availability of staff and examination equipments on the wards and suggest this should be the aim of future studies.

The study aims to explore the views of consultant psychiatrists in Ireland on shared care between specialist psychiatric services and primary care.

A self-administered questionnaire was posted to all 470 consultant psychiatrists working in Ireland. Self addressed envelopes were included for the return of completed questionnaires. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics and ANOVA

213 questionnaires were returned giving a response rate of 45%. 47.9% of the respondents were male and 52.1% were female. Over all, 91% of respondents reported that they would support a general policy on shared care between primary care and specialised psychiatric services for patients who are stable on their treatment. However, 85% reported that they foresaw difficulties for patients in implementing such a policy, including: increased financial burden on some patients (66%), lack of adequate allied health professionals resources in primary care (60%) and GP's not adequately trained to provide psychiatric care (52%). Most psychiatrists did not feel comfortable to transfer the care of patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder to their GP's and Child psychiatrists were significantly less comfortable than other psychiatrists to discharge patients with Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Anxiety Disorder, Alcohol Dependency Syndrome and Personality Disorder into the care of GP's after they have been stabilised in their medication.

Although most psychiatrists in Ireland would support a policy of shared care, they identify several constraints which would currently hamper the effective implementation of a policy of active collaboration between primary care and specialised psychiatric services in Ireland.

The study aims to explore the views of primary care physicians in Ireland on shared care of psychiatric patients between primary and secondary services.

A self-administered questionnaire was posted to a random cross-section primary care physicians working in Ireland. Data were compiled and analyzed using descriptive statistics and analysis of variance.

145 out of 300 questionnaires were returned giving a response rate of 48%. Overall, 77.9% of respondents reported that they completed a psychiatric rotation as part of their general practice training. Most General Practitioners expressed confidence in their ability to recognize and manage psychiatric disorders in primary care (on a confidence scale of 1 to 5, mean was 3.97, SD 0.699). There was a statistically, significant difference in confidence scores between those who had took a rotation in psychiatry as part of their GP training and those who did not, with the former reporting higher scores (4.04 vs. 3.72, F = 1.801, t = 2.363, p = 0.02)Regarding shared care, 95.8% of GPs were in favour of a formal shared care policy; however 42.8% expressed reservations regarding the implications of implementing such a policy. The most frequently expressed concerns related to the lack of resources in primary care for psychiatric patients (55.9%), financial implications for some patients (48.3%), and concern over communication with psychiatric services (42%).

The majority of Primary Care physicians in Ireland would support a policy of shared care of psychiatric patients’; however they raise some concerns regarding practical implications of such a policy.

To investigate the preferences of psychiatric patients regarding attendance for their continued mental health care once stable from a primary care setting as opposed to a specialized psychiatric service setting.

150 consecutive psychiatric patients attending outpatient review in a community mental health centre in Dublin were approached and asked to complete a semi-structures questionnaire designed to assess the objectives of the study.

145 patients completed the questionnaire giving a response rate of 97%. The majority of patients had a general practitioner (GP, 132, 94.3%) and most attended their GP every 3 months (68, 48.6%). Ninety-eight patients (70.0%) preferred attending a specialized psychiatry service even when stabilised on their treatment. The common reason was fear of substandard quality of psychiatric care from their GPs (68.4%), followed by inability to afford a GP appointment (23, 23.5%) and not having a GP (9, 9.2%). Thirty two patients (22.9%) preferred to attend their GP. Reasons for this included confidence in GPs providing same level of care as psychiatrist for mental illness (18, 56.3%), the advantage of managing both mental and physical health by GPs (13, 40.6%) and less stigma (28.1%).

Although most patients attended their GP more frequently than the psychiatry clinic, they preferred attending specialized psychiatric services once mentally stable than primary care with most reasons revolving around fears of inadequate psychiatric care from GPs.

Recent studies indicate that the glutamatergic and Dopaminergic systems are also involved in morphine tolerance and dependence on morphine and in morphine withdrawal syndrome. Ascorbic acid (ascorbate) which is an antioxidant vitamin released from glutamatergic neurons and modulate the synaptic action of dopamine and glutamate as well as behavior. Since Ascorbate modulate the synaptic action of dopamine and glutamate, in this study the effect of Ascorbate on morphine withdrawal syndrome in rats has been investigated.

to determine the effects of Ascorbic acid on morphine withdrawal syndrome.

30 Male rats (250–300 gr) were tested in this study in two group, The first group as the control group received 3% sucrose in tap water(n = 6) and the second group as the dependent group received morphine (0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 mg/ml each one for 48 h, and 0.4 mg/ml remaining days to 21st days) and 3% sucrose in tap water (n = 24) , this group divided in to 4 sub groups: ((1) morphine group, [2,3,4] morphine-Ascorbic acid groups which received AA (100,500,1000 mg/kg I.P) every 48h and in the end (21st day) 30 min before naloxone administration for evaluation effects of AA on withdrawal signs.

Our results show that: Ascorbate (100, 500, 1000 mg/kg I.P) can greatly attenuates most of morphine withdrawal syndrome(but not all) dose dependently.

31 patients with MS according to McDonald's criteria, and followed in neurology department took part in the study. All patients were evaluated using a protocol to collect the epidemiological, clinical and evolution of the disease. We used versions of Arabized-Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) to assess the mood state and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) for alexithymia.

Participants were divided on 18 women and 13 men with a mean age of 39 years. The prevalence of depression and anxiety were 42% and 52% respectively. The prevalence of alexithymia was 43%. The anxiety was correlated with the degree of disability and age of disease onset. Similarly, depression was more frequently observed in patients with higher EDSS, a long period of evolution. A positive correlation was found between alexithymia, depression and anxiety.

Our study showed that half of all MS patients have mood disorders. However, depression is the most common and most disabling psychiatric disorder in MS. The place of anxiety should not be neglected because in case of comorbidity with depression, can be an aggravating factor. The frequency of alexitymia is high and appears to be positively correlated with depression and anxiety.

Frequent attendance in general practice is known for being associated with certain socio-demographical characteristics (female sex and middle-old age) and with important medical-psychiatric morbidity. Moreover, it has a high impact on workload of GPs. However, we have poor literature about long-term studies on Frequent Attenders (FAs) and persistent FAs.

To re-evaluate a group of patients of FAs after nine years since first assessment; to determine the existence of others FAs and possible differences between persistent and occasional FAs.

Consultation of computerized data on 168 patients between 2001 and 2009; interwiew to the GP and the assistant.

A primary health care center in Fiorano Modenese (Modena, Northern Italy).

56 persistent FAs, 56 occasional FAs, 56 non FAs.

Main outcome results: Twenty-eight of 40 patients (70%) evaluated in 2001 were found to be persistent FAs, most frequently older women. Medical morbidity was frequent among persistent FAs, and intermediate among occasional FAs, while psychiatric morbidity does not show important differences between the two groups; however, depression was present in 46% of persistent FAs and in 41% of occasional FAs, while somatization only in occasional FAs (10%), and not among persistent FAs. Persistent FAs received more prescriptions for all types of drugs, while among the occasional FAs the requests for a psychiatric treatment were higher.

The phenomenon of frequent attendance has a large amount and claims for further studies. Psychiatric morbidity between persistent and occasional FAs might have different expressions, requiring different clinical approaches to be specifically tailored.

The aim of the study was to examine the prevalence of religious coping among persons with schizophrenia, their first-degree relatives and control subjects and to gain a preliminary understanding of the relationship between religious coping, symptom severity, QOL, level of functioning, internalized stigma and depression. We also examine associations between psychopathology and religiosity in the group of patients.

A total of 120 outpatinets with diagnosis of schizophrenia, 120 their first-degree relatives who also were key caregivers, and 120 control subjects completed a survey consisting of the Religious Coping Index, Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire-Short Form, Beck Depression Inventory, Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness scale, Positive and Negative Symptom Scale and Global Assessment of Functioning scale.

The results showed that patients and their relatives were more religious than controls but patients went to church less. Positive religious coping was not associated with illness outcomes, but negative religious coping was associated with worse quality of life, more depression, worse functioning and more internalized stigma. Higher religiosity was associated with higher values of altogether PANSS and positive and general subscales.

Our results suggest that religious activities and beliefs are particularly important for the persons with schizophrenia and their caring relatives. Negative religious coping is associated with worse illness outcomes.

Service users’ satisfaction survey adds an important consumer perspective to the evaluation of various services and treatment progression. In fact survey may be the only means for clients to express their views about the improvement required in the existing services and the new services that are needed or developed.

To ascertain the service users’ views admitted to a large acute adult psychiatric care unit.

We conducted a qualitative survey of service users’ views by using a questionnaire specifically designed to assess their views of the service they received from the Acute in patient care team in a secondary care hospital. The questionnaire was distributed to all service users in the unit prior to their discharge during the period from 1st November to 31st December 2009.

Results show that the majority of service users have overall satisfaction with the performance of the acute inpatient care team.

Some of the positive comments made were about the team members being extremely helpful, understanding, committed, highly trained and safe environment. Service users’ responses suggested some improvements to the service such as shorter gaps between reviews, quicker liaison with other agencies, awareness among the nursing and allied staff regarding confidentiality and provision of information leaflets.

These findings could be further strengthened by conducting a validated questionnaire on larger sample and can be extremely helpful in planning future services

Assessment of the cerebral blood perfusion among patients with eating (ED), anxiety (AD) and depressive disorders (DD), diagnosed according to ICD-10.

57 female and 22 male, aged 17–50 were examined using the Single Photon Emission Computer Tomography (SPECT) and the neuropsychological tests, Benton and Bender. We also used the Beck Depression Inventory, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and the Spielberger Self-Evaluation Questionnaire. Electroencephalography was also performed.

In ED, hypoperfusion occurred in 84.21%, and impairment of the central nervous system (CNS), was found in 27.77%, abnormalities in the electroencephalography - in 33.33% of the patients. In AD, hypoperfusion occurred in 72.72%, impairment of CNS - in 40%, abnormalities in EEG - in 48% of patients. In DD, hypoperfusion occurred in 81.48%, impairment of CNS - in 34.61%, abnormalities in EEG - in 38.46% of patients.

Hypoperfusion was observed mostly among patients with ED, mainly in the frontal, parietal areas, and in the thalamus, on the left hand side, similar to DD group. Among patients with AD, hypoperfusion at the left hand side occurred almost three times more frequently than among patients with DD (Chi2 = 6.54, p < .025). Anxiety as a trait was the highest in ED, but not significant. Among patients with AD, anxiety as a trait and as a state were almost at the same level.

This research was carried out in order to determine the beliefs of nurses working in eight Mental Health and Illnesses Hospitals related to Ministry of Health in Turkey toward mental illnesses.

This descriptive research was carried out by 650 participant nurses working in eight hospitals between the dates January-March 2009. Data were collected by “Descriptive Information Form” and “Beliefs Toward Mental Illness Scale(BMIS)” based on self-report. In evaluation of data, number-percentage distribution was done and the relationship between the variables was examined by t-test and variance analysis.

Average age of the nurses, most of whom were women (79.8%), was 34.48 ± 7.54. 86.3% of the nurses stated that they didn’t have any extensive course about psychiatry during their education, while 74.2% of the nurses, 33.4% of whom were Health Vocational High School graduates, stated that they had courses about phychiatry. BMIS point average of the nurses was found as 60.16 ± 14.83(Min:0- Max:105). A statistically meaningful relationship was found between the nurses’ hospitals they worked in, positions they worked, being satisfied from working for psychiatry, feeling safe while working for psychiatry, finding the working enviroment safe, having course about psychiatry during their education, having education about psychiatry after graduation and BMIS point average(p < 0.05).

The research results showed that the nurses working in Mental Health and Illnesses Hospital in Turkey and giving care to individuals with mental disorders had negative attitudes toward mental illnesses. It was determined that the nurses, who had education about pyschiatry during their education or after their graduation, had more positive attitudes toward mental illnesses.

All participants, 270 students, were selected from different universities in Turkey between March 2010 and January 2010. Twenty-five students (9.2%) were excluded because of missing information. One hundred fourty-five (59.2%) of the participants were female, 100 (40.8%) were male and mean age was 22.02 ± 2.1.

All participants were assessed by Skin Picking Inventory, Skin Picking Impact Scale and Skin Picking Scale which were translated to Turkish by the authors.

Descriptive statistical methods were utilized for SP frequency and characteristics. Chi square analysis was utilized for distributional analyses.

Two hundred fifteen students (87.8% of total participants) endorsed engaging in SP. One hundred seven participants (43.6%) reported recurrent SP episodes defined as one or more daily SP episodes, with an estimated daily SP time of more than 5 minutes. Thirty (12.2%) students engaged in SP despite lack of any dermatological problems and felt significantly distressed, functionally impaired and had tissue damage. There was no significant difference between females and males regarding the frequency of SP (Women n = 16, 11.0%; Men n = 14, 14.0%; X2 = 0.484, p > 0.05).

Our study showed that SP is a common behavior in Turkish student population. The literature on SP behavior in student populations is limited and there is need for further research on this topic.

This study aims to investigate Internet addiction among young adult university students and to examine the correlation between excessive Internet use, dissociative symptoms, and socio-demographic features. University student Internet use patterns are also investigated.

The study was conducted among 1034 students, aged between 18 and 27 years, from the Duzce University. Internet Addiction Scale (IAS), Dissociative Experiences Scale, and a sociodemographic query form was employed in the collection of data. Pearson correlation analysis, the t-test, one-way analysis of variance, and chi-square test were used for data analysis.

According to the IAS, 9.7% of the study sample was addicted to the Internet. The Internet addicts were more likely to use alcohol (p < 0.001). The pearson correlation analysis results revealed a significan positive correlation between dissociative experiences and Internet addiction (r = 0.220, p < 0.001) and weekly internet use (r = 0.227, p < 0.001). Levels of internet addiction were significantly higher among male students than females (p < 0.001). The internet use pattern also differed significantly between genders.

According to the results of this study, Internet addiction is a relatively frequent phenomenon among young adult college students in Turkey. Excessive internet use is associated with higher levels of dissociative symptoms and alcohol use.

The aim of this study is to investigate how the patients perceive the hospital environment and how they express their needs with their opinions.

This study was planned as a qualitative descriptive study. The sampling of the study is constituted by the acute-period patients hospitalized in the clinic of the Psychiatric Department for at least three days that can achieve an interview with the researcher and being voluntary to be included into the study. An “interview guidance” was formed by eleven questions to collect data. The interview guidance form contains the questions about how he or she spent one day in the clinical environment, what helps them in the clinical environment and what the needs are. The interviews were conducted by the researcher by making an explanation to the patients after signing their informed consents. During the interviews, voice records were taken with the permission of the patients and then these records were transcribed.

It has been seen that the patients need rather safe areas where they will live their loneliness but where they will stay lonely, the people and the environments in which and by which they will be listened without being judged.

Psychiatric nurse can provide care specific to individual for the acute-period patients by taking into account the expressions of patients. By this means, she can provide the hospitalization to be more favorable experience and she can prevent resistances and negative attitudes that can reveal in the following periods related with the hospitalization.