Migration is a well-established risk factor for psychotic disorders, and migrant language has been proposed as a novel factor that may improve our understanding of this relationship. Our objective was to explore the association between indicators of linguistic distance and the risk of psychotic disorders among first-generation migrant groups.

Using linked health administrative data, we constructed a retrospective cohort of first-generation migrants to Ontario over a 20-year period (1992–2011). Linguistic distance of the first language was categorized using several approaches, including language family classifications, estimated acquisition time, syntax-based distance scores, and lexical-based distance scores. Incident cases of non-affective psychotic disorder were identified over a 5- to 25-year period. We used Poisson regression to estimate incidence rate ratios (IRR) for each language variable, after adjustment for knowledge of English at arrival and other factors.

Our cohort included 1 863 803 first-generation migrants. Migrants whose first language was in a different language family than English had higher rates of psychotic disorders (IRR = 1.08, 95% CI 1.01–1.16), relative to those whose first language was English. Similarly, migrants in the highest quintile of linguistic distance based on lexical similarity had an elevated risk of psychotic disorder (IRR = 1.15, 95% CI 1.06–1.24). Adjustment for knowledge of English at arrival had minimal effect on observed estimates.

We found some evidence that linguistic factors that impair comprehension may play a role in the excess risk of psychosis among migrant groups; however, the magnitude of effect is small and unlikely to fully explain the elevated rates of psychotic disorder across migrant groups.

No significant relationships.

The first cases of COVID-19 in Switzerland were related to the Milan cluster in February 2020. Border crossing restrictions were imposed and economic support measures worth 40 billion Swiss francs were announced. By 24th September 2021 Switzerland achieved a fully vaccination rate of 54%, confirmed 836’000 cases and 11’060 deaths.

The objective was to describe and analyse the mental health of the general Swiss population under the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and it’s social changes: including a case description, transgenerational influence and psychosocial treatment opportunities

To answer the research question, I used deepened internet research, population interviews among different age gropus and colloquies with healthcare providers and federal authorities.

Different psychosocial phenomena lead to the transgenerational influence. Unfortunately, vaccination rate is slowed down by this pandemic’s impacts on public mental health. While during the first wave the positive feelings of cohesion and trust dominated, the mood changed afterwards to anxiousness and reactive individualism. Among all generations the fear of infection was shown to be a general booster of anxiety and distress. In fact, Swiss experts perceive the corona crisis as a catalysator for depression and anxiety disorders.

Specific psychosocial treatment has to address general and individual vulnerability factors. However, staying in touch with family members, pursuing meaningful activities and being physically active can all help to overcome COVID-19 related mental health issues.

No significant relationships.

Previous research has highlighted the need to promote help-seeking by men with mental health problems.

To investigate barbers’ views about offering mental health support for men in barbershops, with a specific focus on the psychosocial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

We used a sequential mixed-methods qualitative design with online data collection. In Phase 1, 30 barbers in Southern England completed surveys exploring perceptions of their clients’ mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, experiences of informal supportive roles and scope for providing formal mental health support in barbershops. Phase 2 involved member validation interviews and explored practice implications with three Phase 1 respondents.

Thematic analysis identified three overarching themes: ‘more than a haircut’ (describing how the physical and relational contexts of barbershops can offer a supportive environment for clients); ‘impacts of COVID-19’ (describing stressors related to the pandemic and implications for clients’ mental health and barber–client relationships); and ‘formal mental health strategies’ (describing opportunities for, and potential barriers to, formalising mental health support in barbershops).

Barbers were aware of their clients’ worsening mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Barbershops were generally considered to be a suitable setting in which to promote good mental health, monitor for signs of mental ill health and provide information about local mental health services. Future work is needed to co-produce and evaluate formal mental health promotion and prevention strategies in barbershops. Particular attention should be given to service innovations that preserve the credibility and trust that are fundamental to the barbershop experience for many males.

Family carers supporting an individual with psychosis often experience poorer mental health, however, little is known about specific risk factors among these carers. We investigated the associations between demographic, caregiving characteristics and mental health outcomes in family carers supporting an individual with psychosis and compared carers' outcomes with general population norms.

We analysed baseline data from the COPe-support randomised controlled trial of online psychoeducation and peer support for adult carers supporting an individual with psychosis between 2018 and 2020. We collected carers' demographic and health outcome data, including wellbeing using Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS as primary outcome), quality of life using EQ-5D-5L and caregiving experience assessed with Experience of Caregiving Inventory. We tested associations between carers' demographic and caregiving characteristics for each outcome in turn and meta-analysed carers' WEMWBS and EQ-5D-5L with Health Survey England (HSE) general population data from 2016 and 2017, respectively.

The 407 carers of people with psychosis had a mean WEMWBS score of 42.2 (s.d. 9.21) and their overall weighted pooled WEMWBS score was 7.3 (95% confidence interval (CI) −8.6 to −6.0, p < 0.01) lower than the HSE general population sample, indicating carers have poorer mental wellbeing by more than double the minimum clinically important difference of 3 points on WEMWBS. Among all caring relationships, partners had poorer wellbeing compared to parents with lower WEMWBS score (−6.8, −16.9 to 3.3, p = 0.03). Single carers had significantly poorer wellbeing (−3.6, −5.6 to −1.5, p < 0.01) and a more negative caregiving experience than those who were cohabiting. Spending more than 35 h per week caregiving increased carers' negative experience significantly (p = 0.01).

Carers of people with psychosis have poorer mental health than non-carers. Partners, lone carers and those spending more than 35 h per week on caring were found to be most at risk of poor mental health. Based on the results, we advocate that the details of carers for individuals with psychosis should be added to the existing carers or severe mental illness registers at all general practitioner surgeries and for their wellbeing screened routinely. Future large-scale prospective studies are needed to develop a predictive model to determine risk factors, hence to aid early identification of carers' support needs. Such understandings are also useful to inform tailored intervention development.

Late-life depression issues in developing countries are challenging because of understaffing in mental health. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is effective for treating depression.

This pilot trial examined the adherence and effectiveness of an eight-session adapted CBT delivered by trained lay health workers for older adults with depressive symptoms living in rural areas of China, compared with the usual care.

Fifty with screen-positive depression were randomly assigned to the CBT arm or the care as usual (CAU) arm. The primary outcomes were the session completion of older adults and changes in depressive symptoms, assessed using the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS).

The majority (19/24) of participants in the CBT arm completed all sessions. Mixed-effect linear regression showed that the CBT reduced more GDS scores over time compared with CAU.

Lay-delivered culturally adapted CBT is potentially effective for screen-positive late-life depression.

There has been a recent rise in antidepressant prescriptions. After the episode for which it was prescribed, the patient should ideally be supported in withdrawing the medication. There is increasing evidence for withdrawal symptoms (sometimes called discontinuation symptoms) occurring on ceasing treatment, sometimes having severe or prolonged effects.

To identify and compare current knowledge, attitudes and practices of general practitioners (GPs) and psychiatrists in Cornwall, UK, concerning antidepressant withdrawal symptoms.

Questions about withdrawal symptoms and management were asked of GPs and psychiatrists in a multiple-choice cross-sectional study co-designed with a lived experience expert.

Psychiatrists thought that withdrawal symptoms were more severe than GPs did (P = 0.003); 53% (22/42) of GPs and 69% (18/26) of psychiatrists thought that withdrawal symptoms typically last between 1 and 4 weeks, although there was a wide range of answers given; 35% (9/26) of psychiatrists but no GPs identified a pharmacist as someone they may use to help manage antidepressant withdrawal. About three-quarters of respondents claimed they usually or always informed patients of potential withdrawal symptoms when they started a patient on antidepressants, but patient surveys say only 1% are warned.

Psychiatrists and GPs need to effectively warn patients of potential withdrawal effects. Community pharmacists might be useful in supporting GP-managed antidepressant withdrawal. The wide variation in responses to most questions posed to participants reflects the variation in results of research on the topic. This highlights a need for more reproducible studies to be carried out on antidepressant withdrawal, which could inform future guidelines.