The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry

Little research has focused on the relation of immigration and suicidal behaviour in youth. Nevertheless, the impact of migration on the mental health of youth is an issue of increasing societal importance. This review aimed to present studies on the prevalence of suicidal behaviour in immigrant youth in various countries and to provide possible explanations for suicidal behaviour in immigrant youth, especially regarding acculturation.

The review included a literature search to locate articles on the subject of suicidal behaviour in immigrant youth in the context of acculturation.

Studies on suicidal behaviour in culturally diverse youth are few and most of the existing research does not differentiate ethnic minorities from immigrants. Studies on epidemiology and on specific risk factors were found regarding various immigrant youth including Hispanics in the United States, Asians in North America and Europe, as well as comparative studies between different immigrant groups in specific countries.

The relation between immigration status and suicidal behaviours in youth appears to vary by ethnicity and country of settlement. Time spent in the new country as well as intergenerational communication and conflicts with parents have, in many of the studies, been related to suicidality in immigrant youth. Summing up, there is a clear and urgent need to further pursue the work in this field, to develop targeted public health interventions as well as psychosocial treatment for preventing suicide in these youth.

To review the research addressing the association of suicide and bullying, from childhood to young adulthood, including cross-sectional and longitudinal research findings.

Relevant publications were identified via electronic searches of PsycNet and MEDLINE without date specification, in addition to perusing the reference lists of relevant articles.

Cross-sectional findings indicate that there is an increased risk of suicidal ideation and (or) suicide attempts associated with bullying behaviour and cyberbullying. The few longitudinal findings available indicate that bullying and peer victimization lead tosuicidality but that this association varies by sex. Discrepancies between the studies available may be due to differences in the studies' participants and methods.

Bullying and peer victimization constitute more than correlates of suicidality. Future research with long-term follow-up should continue to identify specific causal paths between bullying and suicide.

To compare the 12-month prevalence of common mental disorders among francophones in Canada, France, and Belgium. This is the first article in a 2-part series comparing mental disorders and service use prevalence of French-speaking populations.

This is a secondary analysis of data from the Canadian Community Health Survey: Mental Health and Well-Being (CCHS 1.2) in 2002 and the European Study of Epidemiology of Mental Disorders-Mental Health Disability (ESEMeD) from 2001 to 2003, where comparable questionnaires were administered to representative samples of adults in Canada, France, and Belgium. In Canada, francophone respondents living in Quebec (n = 7571) and outside Quebec (n = 500) completed the French version of the CCHS 1.2 questionnaire. Francophone respondents in Belgium (n = 389) and in France (n = 1436) completed the French version of the ESEMeD population survey questionnaire. Major depressive episodes (MDEs), specific anxiety disorders (ADs), and alcohol abuse and (or) dependence disorders' rates were assessed.

The overall prevalence rate for the presence of any MDE, AD, or alcohol abuse and (or) dependence was similar in all francophone populations studied in Canada and Europe and averaged 8.5%.

Mental disorders were equally distributed in all francophone populations studied. Cross-national comparisons continue to be instrumental in providing information useful for the creation of appropriate policies and programs for specific subsets of populations.

To compare 12-month and lifetime service use for common mental disorders in 4 francophone subsamples using data from national mental health surveys in Canada, Quebec, France, and Belgium. This is the second article in a 2-part series comparing mental disorders and service use prevalence of French-speaking populations.

Comparable World Mental Health-Composite International Diagnostic Interviews (WMH-CIDI) were administered to representative samples of adults (aged 18 years and older) in Canada during 2002 and in France and Belgium from 2001 to 2003. Two groups of francophone adults in Canada, in Quebec (n = 7571) and outside Quebec (n = 500), and respondents in Belgium (n = 389) and France (n = 1436) completed the French version of the population survey. Prevalence rates of common mental health service use were examined for major depressive episodes and specific anxiety disorders (that is, agoraphobia, social phobia, and panic disorder).

Overall, most francophones with mental disorders do not seek treatment. Canadians consulted more mental health professionals than their European counterparts, with the exception of psychiatrists.

Patterns of service use are similar among francophone populations. Variations that exist may be accounted for by differences in health care resources, health care systems, and health insurance coverage.

To determine to what extent the clinical response to methylphenidate (MPH) is affected by psychiatric comorbidities in children diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Children (n = 267) aged 6 to 12 years diagnosed with ADHD participated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, 2-week medication trial of MPH. Children were assessed using parent and teacher ratings and laboratory measures. Clinical response to MPH was determined by integrating all obtained measures.

Meeting criteria for conduct disorder (CD) was 27.7% of children, 40.8% for oppositional defiant (ODD), 47.2% for anxiety, and 7.9% for depressive disorders. The presence of CD or ODD was associated with good response to MPH. In contrast, children diagnosed with only comorbid anxiety were more likely to receive poor response rating independent of age, sex, or socioeconomic status. Low family income was found to be predictive of good response to MPH.

The response to MPH in children with ADHD may be dependent on the type of comorbid disorder present.

NCT00483106

Cross-sectional epidemiologic studies have inconsistently reported associations between injuries and depressive symptoms. The significance of these findings remains unclear. Major depressive episodes (MDEs) may increase the risk of injury and injuries may increase the risk of MDEs. Longitudinal data are needed to distinguish between these possibilities.

Data from the Canadian National Population Health Survey (NPHS) were used in this analysis. The NPHS is a prospective study based on a representative sample of household residents in Canada. Injuries were evaluated using self-report items. MDE was assessed using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview-Short Form for major depression.

During each round of interviews, an association between MDE and injuries was evident. In longitudinal analyses a bidirectional association was found. MDEs increased the risk of injury (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 1.6, 95% CI 1.3 to 2.0) and injury increased the risk of MDEs (adjusted HR 1.4, 95% CI 1.1 to 1.8).

Injury prevention efforts may benefit from consideration of MDE as an injury determinant. For example, particular occupational or recreational activities may have a higher risk of injury during depressive episodes. Improved access to mental health resources in clinical settings where injuries are treated may also be valuable. However, additional studies are necessary to confirm these observations and to develop evidence-based interventions.

To determine whether students with self-reported needs for mental health support used school-based health centres (SBHCs) for this purpose.

A secondary analysis was conducted on self-reported data collected from 1629 high school students from Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analyses were employed to determine the influence of sex, grade, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status (SES), school performance, social involvement, and health risk-taking behaviours on need for mental health support and use of SBHC for that purpose.

One-half of surveyed students reported needs for mental health support. Risk for depression was the most commonly reported indicator of need. Only 13% of students visited a SBHC nurse for mental health support, and 4 times as many females than males used the SBHC for this purpose (20.4%, compared with 5.3%, P < 0.001). There was a significantly increased likelihood of use of SBHC for mental health support, given the presence of a greater number of need factors. Multivariate logistic regression determined that female sex (OR 5.57, 95% CI 3.07 to 10.09), lower SES factor (OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.11 to 1.28), sexual health risk-taking behaviours (OR 1.72, 95% CI 1.28 to 2.31), and suicidal behaviour (OR 1.83, 95% CI 1.48 to 2.27) were significantly associated with the use of SBHCs for mental health support.

Substantial need for mental health support and significant unmet need were observed. In particular, male students underused the services relative to their self-reported need. Implications for SBHCs and directions for future research are discussed.

L'objectif de l'étude était d'évaluer l'effet d'un module de pharmaco-éducation sur les durées d'hospitalisation ainsi que l'état clinique et fonctionnel d'une population française de patients souffrant de troubles schizophréniques et schizoaffectifs.

Après inclusion, 82 patients ont été répartis par tirage au sort en deux groupes, l'un recevant le module de pharmaco-éducation, l'autre un programme contrôle. Les durées d'hospitalisation, le nombre de recours aux urgences et de médicaments reçus ont été comptabilisés. Les patients ont été évalués à l'aide de l'échelle des syndromes positif et négatif (PANSS), de l'échelle d'Impression clinique globale (CGI), de l'échelle d'akathisie de Barnes (BAS), de l'échelle de Simpson-Angus (SAS), de l'échelle de qualité de vie (QOL), et et de l'échelle globale du fonctionnement (GAF); les données étaient recueillies initialement, puis chaque année pendant deux ans.

Parmi les 72 patients analysés, ceux bénéficiant de la pharmaco-éducation ont une durée totale d'hospitalisation, une durée d'hospitalisation forcée et un nombre de recours aux urgences significativement moindres que les patients du groupe contrôle, et une amélioration plus marquée de leur symptomatologie, de leur autonomie et de leur qualité de vie. Ils présentent également moins d'akathisie et ont une consommation inférieure de médicaments.

La pharmaco-éducation permet de réduire les durées d'hospitalisation des patients souffrant de troubles schizophréniques et schizoaffectifs ainsi que d'améliorer leur état clinique et fonctionnel, probablement par l'intermédiaire d'une meilleure observance.