Spiritism in Puerto Rico: results of an island-wide study

Article Abstract:

Spiritism is an institution of religious belief that still exists in some parts of the world. In areas where it is practiced, it would be interesting to know the relationship it has to mental health in the community. Unfortunately, due to such factors as the covert practice of spiritism, little is known about this relationship. Reincarnation is one of the basic beliefs of spiritism. Spiritists tell of fluids that surround the body. The fluids may be sick, leading to mental or physical illness. In Puerto Rico, where spiritism is thought to be practiced by somewhere between 30 and 60 percent of the population, there is a greater report of psychiatric symptoms than in other North American regions. It is also true that those who utilize the services of spiritists have a greater incidence of mild to moderate psychiatric disorders. Spiritists are used as an outlet and are consulted as mental health professionals. To better understand the relationship between spiritism and psychiatric symptomatology, an island-wide study of Puerto Ricans was conducted. Out of a random sample, 119 (18 percent) had consulted a spiritist and 534 never had. Subjects were rated with a psychiatric symptom scale and sociodemographic data were collected. It was found that, contrary to findings from previous studies, use of a spiritist did not correlate with higher incidence of risk for diagnosable psychiatric illness, but signs of depression were more likely in those subjects who reported that they had consulted a spiritist. It was also found that spiritists may play an important social-support role for Puerto Ricans. They do not appear to play a major role in mental health care, however. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Psychological aspects, Surveys, Mental health, Mental illness, Mental disorders, Religious aspects, Puerto Rico, Psychotherapy patients, Spiritualism, Puerto Ricans

---

Prescription of psychotropics to children in office-based practice

Article Abstract:

Close follow-up of children taking psychotropic drugs (drugs used to alter psychic functioning or behavior) is required because of the potential for addiction to these drugs, their possible interactions with other drugs, and the effects that these drugs may have on growth and cognitive development. The frequency or use of ongoing psychotherapy, an essential adjunct to psychotropic drug therapy, is uncertain. Using the results obtained from the 1985 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, the authors assessed the actual prescription of psychotropic drugs in office-based practices, the indications for their use, follow-up planning, concurrent psychotherapy and characteristics of patients and physicians. Mental health indicators included the psychiatric reason for the visit, psychiatric diagnosis and psychotherapy. Mental health indicators, socioeconomic characteristics, the type of physician providing the service and how well the provider knew the patient influenced the prescription of psychotropic drugs. The findings indicate that many children who are prescribed psychotropic drugs do not receive adequate follow-up care and are not receiving simultaneous psychotherapy and, hence, are not being managed as well as they should be. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Usage, Complications and side effects, Drug therapy, Dosage and administration, Psychotropic drugs, Child psychopathology, Child psychotherapy

---

Insurance status and recognition of psychosocial problems: a report from the Pediatric Research in Office Settings and the Ambulatory Sentinel Practice Networks

Article Abstract:

The type of insurance a family has appears to have no effect on the detection of psychological problems in the children but physician continuity does. Researchers evaluated 10,250 physician visits by children, including 1,100 who scored high on a checklist used to determine psychosocial problems. Only half of these children were diagnosed by the physicians. There was no difference in physician recognition of psychosocial problems between the groups insured by a fee-for-service plan and a managed care plan. However, physicians who were familiar with the child were more likely to recognize psychosocial problems.

Health aspects, Diagnosis, Health insurance, Continuum of care

Similar abstracts:

• Abstracts: Progress and challenges in psychosocial and behavioral research in cancer in the twentieth century. Psychosocial factors, curative therapies, and behavioral outcomes: a comparison of testis cancer survivors and a control group of healthy men
• Abstracts: Anergy in pediatric head trauma patients. Insurance coverage and residents' experience in a pediatric teaching clinic
• Abstracts: Fibrosarcoma of the mandible: a case report. Managing and treating the atrophic mandible. Asymptomatic expansion of the mandible
• Abstracts: Peripheral androgen blockade versus glandular androgen suppression in the treatment of hirsutism. Calcium channel blockade prevents postsurgical reformation of adnexal adhesions in rabbits
• Abstracts: Acute reversible hypoxemia in systemic lupus erythematosus. Targeted inspiratory muscle training improves respiratory muscle function and reduced dyspnea in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

This website is not affiliated with document authors or copyright owners. This page is provided for informational purposes only. Unintentional errors are possible.