The Primary Care Health System as a Core Resource in Response to Terrorism

Abstract

Living through a terrorist event or under threat of attack affects both mental and physical health. A nation's primary care system plays a critical role under such circumstances. This article reviews the American experience after September 11, 2001 and advocates for integration of mental and physical health services in primary care settings as a key counter-terrorism strategy. Americans put their trust in primary care providers. The nation's healthcare system must develop and implement a strategy that informs and supports primary care providers in meeting the mental health needs of a nation confronted by terrorism.     

Community Mental Health in Emergencies and Mass Disasters

Summary

Mass disasters are widespread and intensive, affecting individuals, families, communities, society, and culture. Mental health services must play a crucial role in order to meet non-routine challenges that put basic professional issues to the test both in theory and in practice. In the Tel Aviv Model, responsible planning is based on a broad system of mediators and activities during normal times, supplemented by intervention personnel and techniques set in motion during emergencies. This operation is coordinated with municipal and governmental support systems, which must be aware of the importance of comprehensive and flexible emergency systems for treating the population.     

Impact of Workplace Bullying on Emotional and Physical Well-Being: A Longitudinal Collective Case Study

Bullying and mobbing are occupational safety hazards pervasive in developed and developing countries. Our study aim was to determine whether bullying and mobbing caused poor health for a victim and a witness from the same workplace in western Canada. Longitudinal semistructured interviews were conducted in 2007 and 2008 with both parties. The interviews were transcribed, analyzed, and arranged into arrays using chronological ordering and time sequencing. The victim felt targeted because she represented a threat to the bully, with victim and witness experiencing negative health outcomes. The authors suggest that wellness programs should place greater emphasis on mental health promotion to discourage workplace bullying.     

Social Responsibility and the Mental Health Professions

Summary

While mental health professionals tend to primarily focus on their professional responsibilities toward the specific members of the public whom they serve, many are also concerned about positively impacting the broader society or culture in which they live and work. This notion of social responsibility is addressed in the ethics codes of both psychologists and social workers. This article reviews how this notion is addressed for these two mental health professions and also examines the changes that have occurred for psychologists between the 1992 and 2002 ethics codes. Finally, some general issues regarding the role of mental health professionals in changing society are considered.     

Exploring Gender Differences in the Association Between Childhood Physical Abuse and Thyroid Disorders

This study used a regional subsample (n = 13,070) from the 2005 Canadian Community Health Survey to explore the independent contribution of childhood physical abuse to thyroid conditions in adulthood. Gender-specific logistic regression analyses controlled for age and race, in addition to 5 clusters of variables: childhood stressors, health behaviors, general stress levels, mental health, and socioeconomic status. No significant relationship between childhood abuse and thyroid conditions was found in men; however, childhood physical abuse was associated with higher odds of thyroid conditions among women, independent of a wide range of factors. In a fully adjusted model, abused women had 40% higher odds of thyroid conditions compared to their non abused peers, 95% CI [1.05, 1.87]. Future research on gender differences in the abuse–thyroid relationship is warranted.     

The role of Christian commitment in predicting drug use amongst church affiliated young people

This research set out to establish which of four statements reflecting Christian commitment ('usually go to church on Sunday', 'have given my life to Jesus', 'read the Bible every week' and 'pray most days') were the most important predictors of never having smoked, drunk alcohol or tried drugs amongst a group of church affiliated young people. A self-report questionnaire was completed by 7661 participants aged 12-30. Agreement with the Christian commitment statements was generally associated with a lesser likelihood of having smoked, drunk alcohol or tried drugs, though different factors were found to be important in predicting lifetime substance use in the two age groups surveyed (12-16 years and age 17-30). Church attendance was the only factor which predicted each behaviour for the younger age group (12-16 years), but for older participants (age 17-30), statements suggesting a greater level of commitment were most important ('have given my life to Jesus', 'read the Bible every week'). The findings suggest that for church affiliated young people it is initially the socialization of religion that acts as a prohibitor against substance use, though, as age increases, a greater internalization of Christian commitment becomes more important.     

Representation of mental illness in Christian self-help bestsellers

The present study examined messages about mental illness in 14 contemporary Christian self-help bestsellers. Content analysis revealed that most texts focused upon depression. Categories of textual units included Underlying Assumptions Regarding Depression, Representations of Depression, Roots/Causes/Reasons for Depression, and Christian Responses to Depression. Demonic influence was the most frequently cited reason for depression. Other reasons included negative cognitions, failure as a Christian, and negative emotions. Christian responses to depression included trusting God, religious activity, and individual willpower. Discussion of these results focused upon the problematic impact of these messages upon individuals with depression, and upon suggestions for reducing mental illness stigma in religious communities.     

Baptist senior pastors’ knowledge and perceptions of mental illness

Senior pastors at churches affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas (BGCT) were anonymously surveyed using an online questionnaire to ascertain their knowledge and perceptions of the causes and potential treatments of mental illness. BGCT senior pastors reported a moderate level of contact with the mentally ill and populations known to have higher than average rates of mental illness (e.g., homeless). They also reported that the individuals with whom they counsel are rarely diagnosed with mental illness. While Baptist senior pastors embraced biological causes and treatments for mental illness as most important and effective, they varied greatly across disorders as to the perceived contribution of psychosocial and spiritual factors. Senior pastors in the present study reported being open to referring their congregants to mental health care professionals with whom they shared common values. Overall, the results of the study point to a need for greater mental health education for Baptist clergy as well as opportunities for the development of increased collaboration between the mental health and faith communities.     

“The Lord is my Shepherd”: examining spirituality as a protection against mental health problems in youth exposed to violence in Brazil

Intrinsic and institutional spirituality or religiosity may each provide unique protective effects against the negative impacts of stress on mental health. Whether this extends to adolescents exposed to high levels of community violence is unknown. Three hundred twenty-five incarcerated adolescents from São Paulo City, Brazil responded to questions about spirituality and violence exposure drawn from the Social and Health Assessment, and mental health problems drawn from the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. There was some evidence that intrinsic and institutional spirituality/religiosity may buffer the relation between violence exposure and certain mental health problems, and that intrinsic spirituality may mediate the relationship between institutional activities and certain mental well-being outcomes. These findings extend a degree of support to the multi-dimensional nature of spirituality to high-risk youth populations, suggesting a small differential and interactive role that intrinsic and institutional spirituality may play in protecting against some mental health problems.