The impact of COVID ‐19 on emergency department presentations for mental health disorders in Queensland, Australia: A time series analysis
ConclusionsOverall weekly mental health-related presentations across Queensland public EDs were lower than expected for the first 16  months of the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings underline the limitations of emergency department provision of mental health care and the importance of alternate care modalities in the pandemic context. (Source: Asia-Pacific Psychiatry)
Source: Asia-Pacific Psychiatry - March 12, 2024 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Philip M. Jones, Amy Sweeny, Grace Branjerdporn, Gerben Keijzers, Andrea P. Marshall, Ya ‐Ling Huang, Emma J. Hall, Jamie Ranse, Dinesh Palipana, Yang D. Teng, Julia Crilly, on behalf of the COVERED COVID study investigators, Jaimi Greenslade Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLE Source Type: research

Ghrelin and depressive symptoms in patients with first ‐episode drug‐naïve major depressive disorder: The mediating role of hypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenal axis
ConclusionsThese findings revealed that plasma ghrelin provides a pivotal link to depressive symptoms in first-episode drug-naive MDD patients. CRH mediated the relationship between ghrelin and HAMD total score. It might provide new insights into understanding the pathogenesis of MDD, contributing to intervention and treatment from this approach. (Source: Asia-Pacific Psychiatry)
Source: Asia-Pacific Psychiatry - February 13, 2024 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Chuhao Zhang, Yeqing Dong, ShuHua Li, Meijuan Li, Ying Gao, Yuan Liu, Xueying Liu, Chi Zhou, Jie Li Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLE Source Type: research

Issue Information
(Source: Asia-Pacific Psychiatry)
Source: Asia-Pacific Psychiatry - January 3, 2024 Category: Psychiatry Tags: ISSUE INFORMATION Source Type: research

Establishing an esketamine clinic in Australia: Practical recommendations and clinical guidance from an expert panel
ConclusionsGuidance presented in this paper should assist Australian clinicians to set up an esketamine clinic, and provide practical advice on the infrastructure and clinical requirements for treatment of patients with this agent. (Source: Asia-Pacific Psychiatry)
Source: Asia-Pacific Psychiatry - November 7, 2023 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Nicollette L. R. Thornton, Warwick Black, Adrian Bognar, Daniel Dagge, Teresia Gitau, Bruce Hua, Gero Joks, Jarrad King, Andrew Lord, Elizabeth M. Scott, Jelena Smit Callander, Serena Ting, Dennis Liu Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLE Source Type: research

From the Editor in Chief
(Source: Asia-Pacific Psychiatry)
Source: Asia-Pacific Psychiatry - November 3, 2023 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Allan Tasman Tags: EDITORIAL Source Type: research

Efficacy and safety of esketamine nasal spray in addition to standard of care in patients with major depressive disorder who have active suicidal ideation with intent: A subgroup analysis of the Asian cohort of ASPIRE I (a randomized, double ‐blind, placebo‐controlled study)
AbstractThis post-hoc analysis evaluated the efficacy and safety of intranasal esketamine in the Asian subgroup from ASPIRE I. Patients with major depressive disorder and suicidal ideation with intent received intranasal esketamine (n = 26) or placebo (n = 27), plus standard of care for 25 days. The primary endpoint was the change in Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) total score from baseline to Day 2. The MADRS score improved in favor of esketamine (least squares mean difference: −3.8). No unexpected safety concerns were n oted. The Asian subgroup showed a similar efficacy and safety profile a...
Source: Asia-Pacific Psychiatry - September 29, 2023 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Jin Pyo Hong, Akramul Zikri Abd Malek, Cheng ‐Ta Li, Jong‐Woo Paik, Ahmad Hatim Sulaiman, Gilbert Madriaga, Jianmin Zhuo, Sarah Siggins, Dong‐Jing Fu, Po‐Chung Ju Tags: BRIEF REPORT Source Type: research

Barriers and enablers to access and utilization of mental health care services across Southeast Asia: A preliminary scoping review
AbstractWhile the importance of mental health and its impact on overall health and well-being has been widely recognized, there continue to be ongoing barriers to accessing mental health services. This is particularly poignant in countries in Southeast Asia (SEA) where there may be further stigma in accessing mental health services. As no reviews have been undertaken on this topic, this review aims to outline the barriers and enablers to access and utilization of mental health care services in SEA. Searches were undertaken in commercially produced and gray literature sources. Two independent reviewers screened the results....
Source: Asia-Pacific Psychiatry - September 22, 2023 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Sleiman Andary, Jason Bassani, Gus Burrell, Eliza Cole, Rhiannon Evans, Emily Redman, Saravana Kumar Tags: REVIEW Source Type: research

Alexithymia in Chinese patients with chronic schizophrenia: Prevalence, clinical correlates, and relationship with neurocognition and empathy
DiscussionOur findings demonstrate a high prevalence of alexithymia and its strong association with clinical symptoms, neurocognition, and empathy, which calls for timely screening and intervention for alexithymia in patients with schizophrenia. Targeting impaired language function, negative symptoms, and impaired affective empathy might help reduce alexithymia and its related negative consequences. (Source: Asia-Pacific Psychiatry)
Source: Asia-Pacific Psychiatry - August 29, 2023 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Pu Peng, Dongmei Wang, Qianjin Wang, Yanan Zhou, Yuzhu Hao, Shubao Chen, Qiuxia Wu, Tieqiao Liu, Xiangyang Zhang Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLE Source Type: research

Issue Information
(Source: Asia-Pacific Psychiatry)
Source: Asia-Pacific Psychiatry - August 23, 2023 Category: Psychiatry Tags: ISSUE INFORMATION Source Type: research

Addressing the Adverse Impact of Social Determinants of Mental Health: Yet Another Call to Action
(Source: Asia-Pacific Psychiatry)
Source: Asia-Pacific Psychiatry - August 23, 2023 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Allan Tasman Tags: COMMENTARY Source Type: research

Association of suicide with psychiatric hospitalization in Taiwan
This study investigated inpatient service utilization before suicide and suicide risk at different periods of hospitalization in Taiwan.MethodsUsing the National Health Insurance Research Database, we applied a nested case –control design with controls being alive on the date each case died by suicide.ResultsA total of 56  939 suicide cases and 1 138 780 controls were included (2:1 male-to-female ratio). Only 5.7% of suicide cases had a history of psychiatric hospitalization in the preceding year. Patients with a history of psychiatric hospitalization were associated with a higher risk of inpatient and postdisc har...
Source: Asia-Pacific Psychiatry - August 22, 2023 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Jia ‐Chi Shan, Mei‐Chih Meg Tseng, Chin‐Hao Chang Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLE Source Type: research

Association between postictal suppression and the therapeutic effects of electroconvulsive therapy: A systematic review
AbstractElectroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is an effective and safe medical treatment for patients with severe mood and neuropsychiatric disorders. Since the advent of ECT, extensive research has been performed to identify the predictive factors for response to ECT. In recent decades, postictal suppression on an electroencephalogram (EEG) has been considered a potential predictor of response to ECT. We aimed to investigate the direct association between postictal suppression and the therapeutic effects of ECT. In this systematic review, all articles in the field of the association between postictal suppression and the therape...
Source: Asia-Pacific Psychiatry - August 17, 2023 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Mahdie Ershad Langroudi, Narges Shams ‐Alizadeh, Azad Maroufi, Khaled Rahmani, Maryam Rahchamani Tags: REVIEW Source Type: research

Loneliness in older Chinese adults amid the COVID ‐19 pandemic: Prevalence and associated factors
This study aimed to examine the prevalence of loneliness and identify its associated factors among older Chinese adults during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, 1268 older Chinese adults (aged 50+ years) were recruited through snowball sampling. The Chinese version of the validated six-item De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale was used to assess participants' recent feelings of loneliness, and a cut-off score of two or more was used to indicate the presence of loneliness.ResultsLoneliness was experienced by 37.9% of the participants in recent days. Factors significantly associated with loneliness incl...
Source: Asia-Pacific Psychiatry - August 11, 2023 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Juan Ruan, Yan ‐Min Xu, Bao‐Liang Zhong Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLE Source Type: research

Dialectical behavior therapy in Chinese suicidal patients with borderline personality disorder: A pilot randomized controlled trial
(Source: Asia-Pacific Psychiatry)
Source: Asia-Pacific Psychiatry - August 11, 2023 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Shu ‐I Wu, Hui‐Chun Huang, Shu‐Chin Chen, Kathryn Korslund, Chen‐Ju Lin, Ying Lin, Yi‐Hung Chang, Hsiao‐Mei Yeh, I‐Chieh Lin, Yu‐Wen Lin, Fang‐Ju Sun, Ching‐Hu Chung, Shen‐Ing Liu Tags: LETTER TO THE EDITOR Source Type: research