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Objective Adults with serious mental illness are at increased risk for diabetes mellitus and diabetes-related complications. This article classifies subgroups among people with serious mental illness and comorbid diabetes with respect to functional status and examines differences among those groups. Methods This analysis used a baseline sample of 157 adults with serious mental illness and diabetes mellitus enrolled in a National Institute of Health-funded research study. Latent profile analysis was used to distinguish health status profiles and investigate how these subgroups differed across assessment domains. Results Participants with depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder (n = 157) were included in the study. Mean age was 52.9 years (standard deviation = 9.8), and 62 (40%) were African American. From the latent profile analysis, a three-class model appeared to provide the best fit. Class 1 (34.9%) had a very low functional health status approximately two standard deviations below the general population mean. Class 2 (43.7%) had a low functional status approximately one standard deviation below the general mean. Class 3 (21.4%) had moderate functional status with scores near population mean. Groups differed on measures of personal characteristics, clinical status and symptom severity, self-care behaviors, and environmental characteristics. Conclusions Although individuals with schizophrenia generally have poor prognosis once they develop diabetes, latent profile analysis identified distinct health status subgroups. Although all three groups demonstrated illness burden, the pattern of differences between these groups across measures may suggest the need for different interventions for highly diverse adults who received care within safety-net primary care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Serious mental illness and type II diabetes mellitus have a high comorbidity, and both have a higher prevalence of anxiety disorders compared to the general population. Targeted Training in Illness Management is a group-based self-management training approach which targets serious mental illness and type II diabetes mellitus concurrently. This analysis examines data from a randomized controlled trial of Targeted Training in Illness Management intervention to examine the impact of comorbid anxiety on baseline psychiatric symptomatology and diabetic control, and on longitudinal treatment outcomes. Methods We conducted secondary analyses on data from a prospective, 60-week, randomized controlled trial testing Targeted Training in Illness Management versus treatment as usual in 200 individuals with serious mental illness and diabetes. Primary outcomes included measures related to serious mental illness symptoms, functional status, general health status, and diabetes control. Measures were compared between those participants with anxiety disorders versus those without anxiety at baseline as well as over time using linear mixed effects analyses. Results Forty seven percent of the participants had one or more anxiety disorders. At baseline, those with an anxiety diagnosis had higher illness severity, depressive, and other psychiatric symptomatology and disability. Diabetic control (HbA1c) was not significantly different at baseline. In the longitudinal analyses, no significant mean slope differences over time (group-by-time interaction effect) between those with anxiety diagnoses and those without in treatment as usual group were found for primary outcomes. Within the Targeted Training in Illness Management arm, those with anxiety disorders had significantly greater improvement in mental health functioning. Those with anxiety comorbidity in the Targeted Training in Illness Management group demonstrated significantly lower HbA1c levels compared to no anxiety comorbidity and also demonstrated a greater improvement in HbA1c over the first 30 weeks compared to those without anxiety comorbidity. Conclusion Comorbid anxiety in serious mental illness and type II diabetes mellitus population is associated with increased psychiatric symptomatology and greater disability. Individuals from this population appear to experience greater improvement in functioning from baseline with the Targeted Training in Illness Management intervention. Anxiety comorbidity in the serious mental illness and type II diabetes mellitus population does not appear to have a negative impact on diabetic control. These complex relationships need further study. Clinical Trials Registration ClinicalTrials.gov: Improving outcomes for individuals with serious mental illness and diabetes (NCT01410357). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective While previous work has demonstrated elevation of both comorbid anxiety disorders and diabetes mellitus type II in individuals with serious mental illness, little is known regarding the impact of comorbid anxiety on diabetes mellitus type II outcomes in serious mental illness populations. We analyzed baseline data from patients with serious mental illness and diabetes mellitus type II to examine relationships between comorbid anxiety, glucose control as measured by hemoglobin A1c score, and overall illness burden. Methods Using baseline data from an ongoing prospective treatment study involving 157 individuals with serious mental illness and diabetes mellitus type II, we compared individuals with and without a comorbid anxiety disorder and compared hemoglobin A1c levels between these groups to assess the relationship between anxiety and management of diabetes mellitus type II. We conducted a similar analysis using cumulative number of anxiety diagnoses as a proxy for anxiety load. Finally, we searched for associations between anxiety and overall medical illness burden as measured by Charlson score. Results Anxiety disorders were seen in 33.1% (N = 52) of individuals with serious mental illness and diabetes mellitus type II and were associated with increased severity of depressive symptoms and decreased function. Hemoglobin A1c levels were not significantly different in those with or without anxiety, and having multiple anxiety disorders was not associated with differences in diabetes mellitus type II control. However, depressive symptoms were significantly associated with higher hemoglobin A1c levels. Neither comorbid anxiety nor anxiety load was significantly associated with overall medical burden. Conclusion One in three people with serious mental illness and diabetes mellitus type II had anxiety. Depressive symptoms were significantly associated with Hb1Ac levels while anxiety symptoms had no relation to hemoglobin A1c; this is consistent with previously published work. More studies are needed to better understand the relationship between depression, anxiety, and health management in people with serious mental illness and diabetes mellitus type II. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most studies of decisions to curtail alcohol consumption reflect experiences of abusing drinkers. An exploratory sequential research design is used to explore the applicability of this research to the experience of nonabusing drinkers advised to curtail alcohol consumption after a hepatitis C diagnosis. A qualitative component identified 17 new decision factors not reflected in an inventory of factors based on synthesis of existing scales. Qualitative data were triangulated by supplementing semistructured interviews with Internet postings. A quantitative component estimated prevalence and association with current drinking of these new decision factors. Patients who quit drinking tended to attribute postdiagnosis drinking to occasional triggers, whereas patients who were still drinking were more likely to endorse rationales not tied to specific triggers. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Presents an overview of moral theology from 1940 to 1989. Theologians who contributed to moral theology; Perspectives and cultural context of pre-Vatican II moral theology; Significant developments in moral theology; Present status of moral theology.

Reports on developments on issues concerning moral theology in the United States, as of 1986. Dissent in moral theology and its implications; Sanctity of life, quality of life and social justice; Virtue, American culture and moral issues; U.S. bishops' pastoral letter on the economy.

Discusses several moral theological literature dealing with four general areas. Fundamental moral theology; Use of Scripture in moral theology; Ethics of sexuality and the theology of marriage; Morality of nuclear deterrence.

Presents articles on moral theology-related developments in the United States, as of 1984. Cardinal Joseph Bernardin's proposal for a consistent ethic of respect for life; Policies that should direct the protection of human life in its earliest development; Preservation of peace and freedom against the threat of nuclear holocaust; Maintenance of life and dignity in the operations of the economy.

Reviews early journalistic, episcopal and scholarly reactions to the papal encyclical `Veritatis Splendor.' Critical issues concerning the encyclical; Positive value of the encyclical; Meaning of the object; Ecclesiology.

Discusses the theological and pastoral importance of the case of Agnes Mary Mansour, who favored Medicaid payments for abortion. Germain Grisez's assertion that support for Medicaid payments necessarily involves wanting the abortions; Invalidation of the distinction between formal and material cooperation; Questions regarding the argument that the Church's teaching on abortion is infallibly proposed.

Focuses on topics most often discussed in moral theology. Distinction between premoral and moral evil; Essential points of the argument against proportionalists; Functions of the community that have an immediate and irreplaceable contribution to practical moral reasoning.

Presents notes on moral theology. Methodology in moral theology; Development of encyclical laborem exercens and social morality; Different pastoral problems.

Presents notes on moral theology. Methodological implications of moral formulations in the Catholic community; Discussion on liturgy, character formation and decision-making; Dilemma between the preservation of life and euthanasia; Discussion concerning the family in the fifth Synods of Bishops from September 26 to October 26, 1980.

Focuses on the religious aspects of critical care medicine in relation to life preservation and self-determination among Christians. Case background of Brother Joseph Charles Fox of the Society of Mary who was comatosed due to hernia surgery complications and his relatives' approval to a do-not-rescitate order; Explanation on the court ruling on the petition to terminate extraordinary life support systems.

Discusses Pope John Paul II's presentations during his pastoral visit to the United States in 1979. Pope's emphasis on the uniqueness and dignity of the person; Pastoral problem of divorce and remarriage; Nuclear energy and nuclear disarmament.

Examines moral theology issues in the Catholic Church as of 1978, such as ordination of women, married priests, divorce, remarriage and birth control. Andreas Laun's summary of German literature on the understanding of moral norms; Principles that can solve moral cases; L. Cornerotte's analysis of contraception; Analysis of moral theology issues by several Catholic theologians.

Focuses on the influence of faith on morality. Distinctions between direct and indirect killing; Thought-patterns produced by the analysis of individual acts in moral theology; Difference between instrumental actions and expressive actions; Examination of the Thomistic doctrine of sexual acts.

Discusses several issues concerning moral theology. Relationship between moral theology and moral philosophy; Relation of moral norms to conscience; Influence of the relationship between theologians and bishops on how Christian morality is conceived, implemented and received in the Church.

Discusses influences responsible for a pluralism of sterilization practice in Catholic hospitals. Use of sterilization as a method of birth regulation in America; Division in the Church on the formulations of Humanae vitae on contraception and sterilization; Pluralistic make-up of Catholic hospital personnel.

Presents notes on moral theology from April to September 1975. Meaning and limits of behavioral moral norms; Conflict between care for the dying and euthanasia; Formulation of the Church's mission in the sphere of the defense and promotion of human rights.

Focuses on the book 'The Patient As Person,' in which Paul Ramsey deals with the problem of the transplantation of organs from living donors. Formulation of the ethics of mutilation within the perspectives of the principle of totality; Justification of organ donation in the principle of totality; Expansion of the notion of the total person.

Focuses on moral theology. Examples of areas of moral theology which have been the subject of discussion over the past years; Moral crisis faced by Christians in the present; Overview on criticisms of moral theology.

To explore the use of normal personality measures in clinical populations, we investigated the usefulness of the Five-Factor personality domains measured by the NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI) in identifying subtypes among a cohort of 3,256 substance abusers. Three groups were reliably identified across clustering methods and the groups differed in reported coping style, psychopathological symptoms, and pattern of substance choice. The largest differences between group members' personality dimensions were found for measures of neuroticism, agreeableness, and conscientiousness. Members of groups characterized by elevated levels of neuroticism demonstrated low levels of conscientiousness and agreeableness. The more extreme the group members' levels on these personality dimensions, the higher their reported levels of depressive symptoms, aggressive/hostile cognitions, impulsiveness, maladaptive coping styles, and likelihood of abusing more than one substance. Results support the use of measures of normal domains of personality in identifying meaningful subtypes of substance abusers. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]