The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry

In Canada, treatment of children and adolescents with antipsychotics is almost always off label. A single atypical agent, aripiprazole, only recently received regulatory authorization for use in the group aged 15 to 17 years. This regulatory approval was restricted to treatment of schizophrenia. The objective of this review was to summarize pharmacoepidemiologic reports examining the frequency of use of these medications.

A literature search was used to identify English-language studies examining the pharmacoepidemiology of antipsychotics in children and adolescents. The results of identified studies were summarized using narrative review methods.

In countries where longitudinal data are available, increased antipsychotic use has been consistently observed. Generally, most or all of this increase can be attributed to second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs). Major international differences are evident in the literature. European studies describe lower overall frequencies of use than North American studies (most of which were conducted in the United States). SGAs in children and adolescents are used more often in boys than in girls, and are increasingly used for treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and conduct disorder (CD).

Determining the most appropriate frequency of SGA use in children and adolescents will ultimately depend on decisive clarification of risks and benefits. The currently available literature highlights large international differences in the frequency of use. These differences may reflect fundamental dissimilarities in the therapeutic stance adopted toward ADHD and CD by physicians practicing in different countries.

The use of second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) in youth has increased considerably. Increases are mainly attributable to treatment of disruptive behaviour disorders (DBDs). Our objective was to review the evidence regarding the efficacy of SGAs for DBDs in youth.

We performed a systematic review of all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of SGAs and placebo for the treatment of DBDs in youth, focusing on efficacy data.

Eight RCTs in youth with DBDs were included. Five RCTs evaluated the use of risperidone in youth with the combination of subaverage-borderline IQ and disruptive behaviour-aggression. Single RCTs evaluated the use of risperidone for treatment-resistant aggression in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and for the treatment of conduct disorder (CD), and a single RCT evaluated the use of quetiapine for adolescent CD. The efficacy results of each of these studies are described.

Four placebo-controlled studies support the short-term efficacy of low-dose risperidone in youth with a subaverage IQ. Placebo-controlled evidence is weak or nonexistent for SGAs other than risperidone, and is weak in youth with an average IQ. Multiple factors likely account for the disconnect between this limited evidence base and the frequent use of SGAs for DBDs in clinical practice. These include extrapolation from studies in youth with autism or a subaverage IQ to normally developing youth; ease of SGA titration and the mistaken perception that little monitoring is required; unavailability of psychosocial treatments; limited familiarity with other pharmacological options; clinical and cultural norms; and the influence of the pharmaceutical industry.

Electronic media use is highly prevalent among today's youth, and its overuse in the general population has been consistently associated with the presence of psychiatric symptoms. In contrast, little information exists about electronic media use among youth with psychiatric disorders. Our study aims to compare patterns of television and computer and gaming station use among youth in psychiatric clinic and community-based school populations.

Surveys were completed by 210 youth and parents, from school (n = 110) and psychiatric clinic (n = 100) populations. Duration and frequency of television, video gaming, and nongaming computer activities were ascertained, along with addictive features of use. Descriptive and comparative analyses were conducted, with a statistical threshold of P < 0.05.

Quantitative and qualitative differences were identified between the patterns of use reported by the 2 groups. The mean reported daily duration of exposure to electronic media use was 6.6 hours (SD 4.1) for the clinic sample and 4.6 hours (SD 2.6) for the school sample (P < 0.01). Self-reported rates of addictive patterns related to computer and gaming station use were similar between the 2 populations. However, the clinically based sample favoured more violent games, with 29% reporting playing mature-rated games, compared with 13% reported by the school-based sample (P = 0.02). Youth with externalizing disorders expended greater time video gaming, compared with youth with internalizing disorders (P = 0.01).

Clinically based samples of youth with mental illnesses spend more time engaged in electronic media activities and are more likely to play violent video games, compared with youth in the general population. Further research is needed to determine the long-term implications of these differences.

The deployed environment poses special challenges to the delivery of effective in-theatre mental health care. Our study sought to identify the prevalence and impact of symptoms of mental health problems in Canadian Forces (CF) personnel serving in Task Force Afghanistan; and, to determine the use of, and perceived need for, mental health services in CF personnel while deployed.

Our study consisted of a cross-sectional survey of all 2779 CF personnel deployed to the province of Kandahar, Afghanistan, from February 15, 2010, to March 15,2010.

An important minority (8.5%) of the 1572 respondents (response rate = 57%) exceeded civilian criteria for symptoms of acute traumatic stress, major depression, or generalized anxiety. Prevalence of these 3 mental health problems increased with higher combat exposure and location in more isolated posts. A much larger fraction (31 %) reported suffering a stress, emotional, alcohol, or family problem during the deployment. Only a minority of respondents with a mental health problem (26%) were currently interested in getting help. Almost one-half of respondents with a mental health problem perceived occupational dysfunction as a result, though two-thirds of respondents with occupational dysfunction were in the group without the 3 mental health problems assessed.

The needs base for psychosocial support extends beyond personnel who meet conventional questionnaire criteria for traumatic stress, depression, or generalized anxiety. Future research is needed to understand what precise problems are driving this larger needs base and what precise supports (clinical or nonclinical) would be most appropriate.

To present epidemiologic information on adolescent use of prescription drugs to get high, and not for medical purposes, in Canada.

Data were obtained from 44 344 adolescents in grades 7 to 12 living across Canada's 10 provinces who completed the Youth Smoking Survey in 2008/2009.

Nationally, 5.9% of adolescents in grades 7 to 12 reported the use of prescription drugs to get high in the past 12 months in 2008/2009. Females were more likely to report use of pain relievers, sedatives, or tranquilizers to get high, while males were more likely to report the use of prescription stimulants for this purpose. The use of prescription drugs to get high was elevated among older youth, those living in British Columbia, and those who identified as First Nations, Métis, or Inuit. School connectedness was associated with a reduction in this form of prescription drug misuse for all adolescents; however, this protective effect was particularly strong for Aboriginal youth, and may be an important preventative factor for this population.

Use of prescription drugs to get high was prevalent among adolescents in Canada in 2008/2009. Findings highlight the need for clinicians to include questions about prescription drugs when screening adolescents for substance abuse in Canada. Findings also highlight the need for evidence-informed strategies to reduce prescription drug misuse among Aboriginal youth living outside First Nations communities in Canada. The results of this study suggest school connectedness may be a particularly important target for these interventions.

The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) has been used more than any other self-report questionnaire in research on depression in cardiovascular disease. However, no studies have examined whether BDI scores may be influenced by somatic symptoms common after myocardial infarction (Ml) that may overlap with symptoms of depression. The objective of this study was to examine whether BDI scores of post-MI patients may be influenced by somatic symptoms that commonly occur after MI, but may not be related to depression.

Post-MI patients and psychiatric outpatients were matched on BDI cognitive-affective symptom scores, sex, and age, and their BDI somatic symptom scores were compared using independent samples t tests.

Somatic symptoms accounted for 57% of BDI total scores for 296 post-MI patients (mean total BDI = 8.8), compared with 50% for 296 matched psychiatric outpatients (mean total BDI = 7.6). Overall, BDI somatic scores of post-MI patients were 1.3 points higher than for psychiatric outpatients (95% CI 0.68 to 1.82; P < 0.001), equivalent to 14% of total scores of post-MI patients.

The relative influence of somatic symptoms on BDI total scores was higher for post-MI patients than for psychiatric outpatients matched on cognitive-affective scores, sex, and age. This finding stands in contrast to that from a previous study that used similar methods and sample comparisons and found that post-MI and psychiatric outpatients did not differ in their endorsement of somatic symptoms on the BDI-II. The BDI-II may be preferable to the BDI in post-MI patients.

To determine whether school connectedness demonstrated an independent protective association with risk of depression in students in grades 10 to 12 attending a high school in a rural community in southwestern Nova Scotia.

Students at a high school in rural Nova Scotia participated in a self-completion survey in May 2009. Students were asked about a wide range of health-related factors to determine their needs for health services and promotion. Examining girls and boys separately, we used logistic regression to examine associations of an established measure of school connectedness with risk of depression as measured by the 12-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) Scale, while including numerous potential confounding variables in our models.

The response rate was 95.2% among registered students present in class during the survey. Four hundred eight students (216 girls and 192 boys) completed both the CES-D12 and the School Connectedness Scale. Higher school connectedness was independently protective of risk of depression in girls (OR 0.85; 95% CI 0.78 to 0.93, P < 0.01) and in boys (OR 0.81; 95% CI 0.71 to 0.91, P < 0.01).

Among adolescents in rural Nova Scotia, higher school connectedness has protective associations with risk of depression in both girls and boys, independent of a wide range of factors known to be associated with depression in adolescents. School may be a key place for helping adolescents to develop positive mental health.

Prevalence estimates for mood and anxiety disorders in Canada are available, but various methodological approaches have produced inconsistent results. Simulation studies involve careful examination of available data by an expert modelling team working together with subject matter experts. Simulation can integrate datasets and literature-based estimates from various sources into a coherent mathematical representation of the underlying total population epidemiology.

Supported by the Mental Health Commission of Canada, a simulation modelling project for mental disorders in Canada was recently undertaken. The modelling was carried out by RiskAnalytica using their Life at Risk platform. Specification and calibration of the model occurred in consultation with national and international experts.

To reconcile estimates of incidence and prevalence, recall bias needed to be represented in the model. This suggests that the population prevalence of mood and anxiety disorders has been underestimated by population surveys and may explain a discrepancy observed in the age-specific prevalence in population surveys as compared with studies using administrative data. The number of Canadians with mood and anxiety disorders is projected to increase in upcoming decades as a result of population growth, but, based on conservative assumptions, an increased prevalence proportion is not anticipated.

Simulation models can act as a platform for economic analyses and epidemiologic projections and can support the rapid exploration of what-if scenarios, thereby informing policy decisions. This first national-level simulation provides a high level overview of mood and anxiety disorder epidemiology in Canada.

Comparer la prévalence des troubles de l'humeur (TH) au Québec en 2006 et, chez les patients souffrant de TH, comparer l'utilisation des services de santé et des médicaments, la mortalité et morbidité selon le sexe et le niveau de défavorisation matérielle et sociale du quartier de résidence. Identifier les sous-groupes de personnes utilisant en plus grande proportion les services de santé et étant plus à risque de morbidité et mortalité.

Analyse secondaire des données médico-administratives gérées par la Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec. La cohorte est constituée des personnes adultes ayant reçu un diagnostic de TH et résidant au Québec en 2006. Les variables sont: consultation d'un médecin, réclamation d'un médicament, consultation pour abus de substances ou d'alcool, consultation à l'urgence, hospitalisation pour trouble mental et décès. Les types de quartiers de résidence sont définis par le croisement des quintiles de défavorisation matérielle et sociale de Pampalon.

La prévalence de TH en 2006 était de 3,06 % (177 850 patients), celle des femmes étant 1,7 fois celle des hommes. Les résultats démontrent une prévalence de TH ainsi qu'une mortalité et morbidité plus importantes dans les quartiers matériellement et socialement défavorisés. Les jeunes hommes représentent également un sous-groupe particulièrement vulnérable pour plusieurs des variables étudiées.

Les politiques publiques visant à améliorer les conditions matérielles (revenu, instruction, chômage) et à briser l'isolement social exerceraient une influence importante sur la santé mentale de la population. Une attention particulière devrait être portée à la population des jeunes hommes dans l'élaboration de programmes de santé publique.

Antidepressants (ADs) are the mainstay of treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD). Despite their widespread usage, a consensus does not exist as to the timing of clinically significant symptomatic improvement during an AD trial. The objective of this review is to provide practitioners with empirically based recommendations pertaining to the optimal duration of index (initial) AD therapy before a clinical intervention is warranted.

We conducted a nonsystematic review, using a combination of a MeSH key word search, Google Scholar, and the Scopus database. Our search strategy focused on research papers reporting on the early symptomatic response to AD therapy.

Available evidence suggests that there are several subpopulations that exist within whole-group data assigned to an AD treatment. Among the responder subgroups, an early responder group (that is, less than 3 weeks) and later responder group (that is, 3 weeks or more) are identified. People who exhibit early partial symptomatic improvement are more likely to respond to therapy thereafter. However, the interpretability of extant evidence is complicated by the use of disparate statistical approaches with differing computational complexity and sample heterogeneity.

Response outcomes in MDD are heterogeneous. Available data suggest that people may respond early, late, and (or) continuously over time, and may represent distinct subpopulations that provide a proximate indication for treatment response outcomes. Notwithstanding, a pragmatic recommendation would be to consider a treatment intervention (for example, dosage optimization and [or] augmentation) if, after 3 to 4 weeks, symptomatic improvement is insufficient.