Healthcare Utilization and Symptom Variation Among Veterans Using Behavioral Telehealth Center Services.

Healthcare Utilization and Symptom Variation Among Veterans Using Behavioral Telehealth Center Services.

J Behav Health Serv Res. 2013 Apr 25;
Possemato K, Bishop TM, Willis MA, Lantinga LJ

Substance use and mental health problems are often underdiagnosed and undertreated in primary care. Veterans affairs facilities are using the Behavioral Telehealth Center (BTC) to provide evidence-based assessments for primary care patients via telephone. Whether participation in BTC services is associated with (1) increases in healthcare utilization and (2) decreases in symptoms based on behavioral health screening instruments, post-BTC services compared with pre-BTC services were investigated. Retrospective data were extracted for 1,820 patients who were referred to the BTC. Differences in utilization rates and symptom scores pre- and post-BTC services were tested using repeated measures analysis of covariance while controlling for relevant sociodemographic variables. Participants (1) utilized significantly more substance use and mental health treatment services and (2) had significantly lower alcohol and depression screening scores post-BTC services compared with pre-BTC services. This initial evaluation provides support that BTC services are associated with increased healthcare utilization and decreased alcohol and depressive symptoms. HubMed – depression

Fatigue in multiple sclerosis: relationship with disease duration, physical disability, disease pattern, age and sex.

Acta Neurol Belg. 2013 Apr 25;
Ghajarzadeh M, Jalilian R, Eskandari G, Sahraian MA, Azimi A, Mohammadifar M

To evaluate the relationship between disease duration, disability, disease pattern, age and sex with fatigue in MS patients. One hundred and seventy-three clinically definite MS patients and 87 age-matched healthy controls enrolled in this cross sectional study. Demographic data (sex, age), duration of the disease and disease pattern extracted from patient’s files and Kurtzke Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) were recorded for each patient by an expert neurologist. Participants were asked to answer the validated and reliable Persian version of beck depression inventory (BDI) and FSS (fatigue severity score) questionnaires. Mean FSS and BDI scores were significantly different between patients and controls (p < 0.001). Patients with longer disease duration, higher EDSS and progressive type of disease had significantly higher FSS and BDI scores. Although men had higher EDSS, FSS and BDI scores were similar in both sex groups. FSS was significantly correlated with age, disease duration, BDI and EDSS. The analysis of covariance revealed that there is no difference in the covariance-adjusted means for fatigue among two disease groups (relapsing remitting and secondary progressive) except for EDSS. MS patients with longer disease duration, higher EDSS and progressive type of disease suffer from fatigue more than cases with lower EDSS, duration of disease and relapsing type of the disease. HubMed – depression

Incidence and prevalence of treated epilepsy among poor health and low-income Americans.

Neurology. 2013 Apr 24;
Kaiboriboon K, Bakaki PM, Lhatoo SD, Koroukian S

OBJECTIVES: To determine the incidence and prevalence of treated epilepsy in an adult Medicaid population. METHODS: We performed a retrospective, dynamic cohort analysis using Ohio Medicaid claims data between 1992 and 2006. Individuals aged 18-64 years were identified as prevalent cases if they had ?2 claims of epilepsy (ICD-9-CM: 345.xx) or ?3 claims of convulsion (ICD-9-CM: 780.3 or 780.39) and ?2 claims of antiepileptic drugs. Incident cases were required to have no epilepsy or convulsion claims for ?5 years before epilepsy diagnosis. Subjects were determined as having preexisting disability and/or comorbid conditions, including brain tumor, depression, developmental disorders, migraine, schizophrenia, stroke, and traumatic brain injury, when at least one of these conditions occurred before epilepsy onset. RESULTS: There were 9,056 prevalent cases of treated epilepsy in 1992-2006 and 1,608 incident cases in 1997-2006. The prevalence was 13.2/1,000 (95% confidence interval, 13.0-13.5/1,000). The incidence was 362/100,000 person-years (95% confidence interval, 344-379/100,000 person-years). The incidence and prevalence were significantly higher in men, in older people, in blacks, and in people with preexisting disability and/or comorbid conditions. The most common preexisting conditions in epilepsy subjects were depression, developmental disorders, and stroke, whereas people with brain tumor, traumatic brain injury, and stroke had the higher risk of developing epilepsy. CONCLUSIONS: The Medicaid population has a high incidence and prevalence of epilepsy, in an order of magnitude greater than that reported in the US general population. This indigent population carries a disproportionate amount of the epilepsy burden and deserves more attention for its health care needs and support services. HubMed – depression

Dimensions of Religiousness and Spirituality as Predictors of Well-Being in Advanced Chronic Heart Failure Patients.

J Relig Health. 2013 Apr 25;
Park CL, Lim H, Newlon M, Suresh DP, Bliss DE

We examined relationships between seven dimensions of religion/spirituality (RS) (forgiveness, daily spiritual experiences, belief in afterlife, religious identity, religious support, public practices, and positive RS coping) and three dimensions of well-being (physical, mental, and existential) in a sample of 111 patients with advanced chronic heart failure. Participants completed questionnaires at baseline and 3 months later. Results showed that fairly high levels of RS were reported on all seven dimensions. Furthermore, RS dimensions were differentially related to well-being. No aspect of RS was related to physical well-being, and only a few aspects were related to mental well-being. Forgiveness was related to less subsequent depression, while belief in afterlife was related to poorer mental health. All aspects of RS were related to at least one aspect of existential well-being. In particularly, daily spiritual experiences were linked with higher existential well-being and predicted less subsequent spiritual strain. These results are consistent with the view that in advanced disease, RS may not affect physical well-being but may have potent influences on other aspects of well-being, particularly existential aspects. HubMed – depression

How to step out of bad feelings – Dr David Purves When you acknowledge you are in a ‘negative feeling zone’ you will probably be motivated to seek out a depression treatment or an anxiety the…