The history of general hospital psychiatry

Article Abstract:

In England, general hospital psychiatry began in the early 18th century. Guy's Hospital in London was the first to admit 'lunatics'. Shortly thereafter, several general hospitals began to admit the mentally ill, although no voluntary hospital mental wards survived the 19th century. Admission records during the 18th and 19th centuries show that many patients were admitted for hypochondriasis and neurasthenia (unexplained physical symptoms, such as exhaustion and weakness, that are now know to usually be secondary to an underlying disorder, such as depression) were treated by physicians and neurologists who suspected an underlying organic cause. Work-houses and infirmaries provided the bulk of institutional care for the elderly and the poor. By the end of the century, out-patient and in-patient units began to provide voluntary psychiatric treatment. When soldiers in World War I began to report symptoms of 'shell shock', neurologists and psychologists influenced by psychoanalysis began to study the emotional aspects of mental illness. Psychiatric inpatient care during the early 20th century developed in observation wards, teaching wards, medical wards, and out-patient clinics. Until the Mental Health Act of 1959, certifiably insane patients in general hospital units were usually placed in asylums without receiving psychiatric intervention. After World War II, psychiatric consultation became more common, particularly among general and child psychiatrists. By 1960, there were 82 general hospital psychiatric units. A 1962 hospital plan placed short-term patients in small units attached to general hospitals, which allowed for the closure of a large number of mental hospitals. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

History, Psychiatric services, Mental health services, England, Psychiatric hospital care, Psychiatric hospitals, Great Britain

---

The attitude of parents to the use of computer-assisted interviewing in a child psychiatry service

Article Abstract:

To investigate parent satisfaction with a computer-assisted interview for assessing children referred to a child psychiatry service, comparisons were made with a clinical interview as well as a written questionnaire. All parents and their children saw a psychiatrist or psychologist who conducted a clinical interview. Then, parents were randomly assigned to either a computer-assisted interview group (56 parents) or a written questionnaire group (55 parents). Before and after the study interview, they ranked their preferences for each of four alternative assessment methods: clinical interview, written questionnaire, computer terminal, or combination of clinician and computer. A significant number of parents who completed the computer-assisted interview reported a preference for both computer-assisted assessment and assessment using both a clinician and a computer over assessment by written questionnaire. No significant changes in preference were reported by parents who had been assigned to the written questionnaire group. Although parents took longer to complete the computer-assisted interview than the written questionnaire, when the time taken to score both procedures was taken into account, the total time required for the hand-scored written questionnaire was significantly longer than for the computer-assisted interview. Computer-interviewing offers easy access to, and availability of information. However, since parents tended to view the clinical interview as more friendly and personal than the computer-assisted interview, it is suggested that it may be most productive to develop computer interviews which support information requirements of clinicians. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Surveys, Computer-assisted instruction, Computer assisted instruction, Child psychiatry, Psychiatric interviewing, Interviewing in child psychiatry

---

Psychiatry and the new magnetic resonance era

Article Abstract:

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measures the behavior of protons influenced by a magnetic field. MRI has the ability to demonstrate soft-tissue structural abnormalities in living patients, and has led to an increasing interest in the organic changes associated with major psychiatric disorders. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) - the study of the chemical bonds within molecules - is the only technique available which provides a non-surgical means for evaluating tissue chemistry. When combined, MRI and MRS provide a non-invasive means of evaluating anatomical structure, pathological function and biochemistry. Because MRI-MRS combined studies are relatively new, it is not yet known how information accessed by these studies will facilitate either the diagnosis or management of psychiatric disorders. Problems inherent in MRI-MRS studies of psychiatric patients include: the high cost of MRS-MRI equipment; the normal biochemical variation between individuals; the fact that such studies require patients to be quiet and remain still for prolonged periods of time; differences in data processing techniques between studies; and biological reactions to various psychiatric medications, particularly antipsychotic medications. Despite such difficulties, it is believed that MRI-MRS discoveries will lead to an increased understanding of the biological factors in Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease, and AIDS dementia. In turn, such gains in understanding may lead to more effective treatment protocols. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Innovations, Brain, Magnetic resonance imaging, Nuclear magnetic resonance, Psychiatry

Similar abstracts:

• Abstracts: The legal implications of clinical practice guidelines. The management of Sjogren?s syndrome in dental practice
• Abstracts: The biology of developmental dyslexia. The biology of the immune system
• Abstracts: Molecular mimicry in HLA-B27-related arthritis. The cost-effectiveness of cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors for treating chronic arthritis
• Abstracts: Exercise capacity in patients 3 days after acute, uncomplicated myocardial infarction. Anxiety transmission in the patient with myocardial infarction
• Abstracts: Effects of parental divorce on children. Maternal employment. Winnicott: an introduction

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