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Schwartz RM, Shaam P, Williams MS, McCann-Pineo M, Ryniker L, Debnath S, Zanos TP. Understanding Mental Health Needs and Gathering Feedback on Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation as a Potential PTSD Treatment among 9/11 Responders Living with PTSD Symptoms 20 Years Later: A Qualitative Approach. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19084847. [PMID: 35457714 PMCID: PMC9029393 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19084847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Revised: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) remains one of the most prevalent diagnoses of World Trade Center (WTC) 9/11 responders. Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) is a potential treatment for PTSD, as it can downregulate activity in the brain, which is known to be related to stress responses and hyperarousal. To understand barriers and facilitators to engagement in mental health care and the feasibility and acceptability of using the taVNS device as a treatment for PTSD symptoms, a focus group was conducted among patients from the Queens WTC Health Program who had elevated symptoms of PTSD. The focus group discussion was recorded, transcribed, and analyzed. Three themes and subthemes emerged: (1) the continued prevalence of mental health difficulties and systematic challenges to accessing care; (2) positive reception toward the taVNS device as a potential treatment option, including a discussion of how to increase usability; and (3) feedback on increasing the feasibility and acceptance of the research methodology associated with testing the device in a pilot clinical trial. The findings highlight the need for additional treatment options to reduce PTSD symptoms in this population and provide key formative phase input for the pilot clinical trial of taVNS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca M. Schwartz
- Department of Occupational Medicine, Epidemiology and Prevention, Northwell Health, 175 Community Drive, Great Neck, NY 11021, USA; (R.M.S.); (M.M.-P.); (L.R.)
- Institute of Health System Science, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Northwell Health, 350 Community Drive, Manhasset, NY 11030, USA; (M.S.W.); (T.P.Z.)
- Center for Traumatic Stress, Resilience and Recovery, Northwell Health, 175 Community Drive, Great Neck, NY 11021, USA
- Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Northwell Health, 500 Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY 11549, USA
| | - Pooja Shaam
- Department of Occupational Medicine, Epidemiology and Prevention, Northwell Health, 175 Community Drive, Great Neck, NY 11021, USA; (R.M.S.); (M.M.-P.); (L.R.)
- Institute of Health System Science, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Northwell Health, 350 Community Drive, Manhasset, NY 11030, USA; (M.S.W.); (T.P.Z.)
- Center for Traumatic Stress, Resilience and Recovery, Northwell Health, 175 Community Drive, Great Neck, NY 11021, USA
- Correspondence:
| | - Myia S. Williams
- Institute of Health System Science, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Northwell Health, 350 Community Drive, Manhasset, NY 11030, USA; (M.S.W.); (T.P.Z.)
- Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Northwell Health, 500 Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY 11549, USA
- Department of Medicine, Northwell Health, 600 Community Drive, Manhasset, NY 11030, USA
| | - Molly McCann-Pineo
- Department of Occupational Medicine, Epidemiology and Prevention, Northwell Health, 175 Community Drive, Great Neck, NY 11021, USA; (R.M.S.); (M.M.-P.); (L.R.)
- Institute of Health System Science, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Northwell Health, 350 Community Drive, Manhasset, NY 11030, USA; (M.S.W.); (T.P.Z.)
- Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Northwell Health, 500 Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY 11549, USA
| | - Laura Ryniker
- Department of Occupational Medicine, Epidemiology and Prevention, Northwell Health, 175 Community Drive, Great Neck, NY 11021, USA; (R.M.S.); (M.M.-P.); (L.R.)
- Institute of Health System Science, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Northwell Health, 350 Community Drive, Manhasset, NY 11030, USA; (M.S.W.); (T.P.Z.)
- Center for Traumatic Stress, Resilience and Recovery, Northwell Health, 175 Community Drive, Great Neck, NY 11021, USA
| | - Shubham Debnath
- Institute of Bioelectronic Medicine, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Northwell Health, 350 Community Drive, Manhasset, NY 11030, USA;
| | - Theodoros P. Zanos
- Institute of Health System Science, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Northwell Health, 350 Community Drive, Manhasset, NY 11030, USA; (M.S.W.); (T.P.Z.)
- Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Northwell Health, 500 Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY 11549, USA
- Institute of Bioelectronic Medicine, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Northwell Health, 350 Community Drive, Manhasset, NY 11030, USA;
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Mental Healthcare Needs in World Trade Center Responders: Results from a Large, Population-Based Health Monitoring Cohort. ADMINISTRATION AND POLICY IN MENTAL HEALTH AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH 2021; 47:427-434. [PMID: 31776767 DOI: 10.1007/s10488-019-00998-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Nearly two decades after the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center (WTC), the prevalence of mental disorders remains elevated among traditional (e.g., police) and non-traditional (e.g., construction workers) responders who were involved in the WTC rescue, recovery, and clean-up efforts. To date, however, scarce research has examined factors associated with perceived need for mental health care, which is critical to promoting engagement in mental health treatment in this population. Data were analyzed from 16,170 WTC responders, including 8881 police responders and 7289 non-traditional responders, who completed their first annual health monitoring visit with the WTC Health Program an average of 6.5 years after September 11, 2001. Predisposing, enabling, and need-based factors associated with perceived need for mental health care were examined using multivariable logistic regression analyses. Nearly half (48.7%) of non-traditional responders and a fifth (20.6%) of police responders reported a need for mental health care. The most common perceived needs were for psychotropic medication, individual psychotherapy, and stress management counseling. Predisposing (e.g., female gender) and need-based factors (e.g., WTC-related posttraumatic stress disorder) predicted perceived need for mental health care in both groups. Among non-traditional responders, Hispanic ethnicity and current suicidal ideation were additionally associated with this outcome. Non-traditional WTC responders are substantially more likely than police WTC responders to perceive a need for mental health treatment. Characterization of factors associated with perceived need for treatment can help inform population-based outreach and monitoring efforts designed to promote engagement in mental health treatment in WTC responders.
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Samartzis L, Talias MA. Assessing and Improving the Quality in Mental Health Services. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 17:ijerph17010249. [PMID: 31905840 PMCID: PMC6982221 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17010249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2019] [Revised: 12/21/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Background: The mental health of the population consists of the three essential pillars of quality of life, economy, and society. Mental health services take care of the prevention and treatment of mental disorders and through them maintain, improve, and restore the mental health of the population. The purpose of this study is to describe the methodology for qualitative and quantitative evaluation and improvement of the mental health service system. Methods: This is a narrative review study that searches the literature to provide criteria, indicators, and methodology for evaluating and improving the quality of mental health services and the related qualitative and quantitative indicators. The bibliography was searched in popular databases PubMed, Google Scholar, CINAHL, using the keywords “mental”, “health”, “quality”, “indicators”, alone or in combinations thereof. Results: Important quality indicators of mental health services have been collected and presented, and modified where appropriate. The definition of each indicator is presented here, alongside its method of calculation and importance. Each indicator belongs to one of the eight dimensions of quality assessment: (1) Suitability of services, (2) Accessibility of patients to services, (3) Acceptance of services by patients, (4) Ability of healthcare professionals to provide services, (5) Efficiency of health professionals and providers, (6) Continuity of service over time (ensuring therapeutic continuity), (7) Efficiency of health professionals and services, (8) Safety (for patients and for health professionals). Discussion/Conclusions: Accessibility and acceptability of service indicators are important for the attractiveness of services related to their use by the population. Profitability indicators are important economic indicators that affect the viability and sustainability of services, factors that are now taken into account in any health policy. All of the indicators mentioned are related to public health, affecting the quality of life, morbidity, mortality, and life expectancy, directly or indirectly. The systematic measurement and monitoring of indicators and the measurement and quantification of quality through them, are the basis for evidence-based health policy for improvement of the quality of mental health services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lampros Samartzis
- Faculty of Economics and Management, Open University of Cyprus, Latsia, Nicosia, Cyprus
- Department of Psychiatry, Medical School, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
- Mental Health Services, Athalassa Psychiatric Hospital, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Michael A. Talias
- Faculty of Economics and Management, Open University of Cyprus, Latsia, Nicosia, Cyprus
- Correspondence:
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