14 results on '"Shields-Zeeman, Laura"'
Search Results
2. How does income affect mental health and health behaviours? A quasi-experimental study of the earned income tax credit.
- Author
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Shields-Zeeman L, Collin DF, Batra A, and Hamad R
- Subjects
- Child, Health Behavior, Humans, Income, Poverty, Income Tax, Mental Health
- Abstract
Background: Although research has repeatedly demonstrated the association between poverty, mental health, and health behaviours, there is limited evidence on the effects of interventions to improve these outcomes by addressing poverty directly. Moreover, most prior studies are often confounded by unobserved characteristics of individuals, making it difficult to inform possible interventions. We addressed this gap in the literature by leveraging quasi-random variation in the earned income tax credit (EITC)-the largest US poverty alleviation programme for families with children-to examine the effects on overall health, psychological distress, smoking, and alcohol consumption., Methods: We used a large diverse national sample drawn from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (N=34 824). We first conducted ordinary least squares (OLS) models to estimate the association of income and the EITC with the outcomes of interest. We subsequently employed a quasi-experimental instrumental variables (IV) analysis-in which EITC refund size was the instrument-to estimate the effect of income itself., Results: In OLS models, higher income was associated with reductions in psychological distress, increased drinking, increased smoking, and more cigarettes per day, and larger EITC refunds were associated with reductions in psychological distress. In IV models, higher income was associated with decreased psychological distress., Conclusion: These results suggest that typical correlational studies of the health effects of income may be confounded, although results may not generalise to income distributed in different ways than the EITC. The findings also provide valuable information for policymakers and researchers seeking to address socioeconomic disparities in mental health., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2021. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)
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- 2021
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- View/download PDF
3. The Bittersweet Effects of COVID-19 on Mental Health: Results of an Online Survey among a Sample of the Dutch Population Five Weeks after Relaxation of Lockdown Restrictions.
- Author
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Gijzen M, Shields-Zeeman L, Kleinjan M, Kroon H, van der Roest H, Bolier L, Smit F, and de Beurs D
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- Adult, Aged, Female, Humans, Loneliness, Male, Middle Aged, Netherlands, Pandemics, Surveys and Questionnaires, COVID-19 psychology, Communicable Disease Control, Mental Health
- Abstract
Previous research shows that crises can have both negative and positive mental health effects on the population. The current study explored these effects in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic after relaxation of governmental measures. An online survey was administered among a representative sample of the Dutch population ( n = 1519) in June 2020, ten weeks after the peak of COVID-19 had passed, and five weeks after restrictions were relaxed. Participants were asked about mental health, adverse events during COVID-19, and about any positive effects of the pandemic. Most participants (80%, n = 1207) reported no change in mental health since the COVID-19 pandemic. This was also the case among respondents who had experienced an adverse event. Protective factors of mental health were being male and high levels of positive mental well-being. Risk factors were emotional loneliness and the experience of adverse life events. Social loneliness was positively associated with stable mental health, stressing the importance of meaningful relationships. Note that 58% of participants reported positive effects of the pandemic, the most common of which were rest, working from home, and feeling more socially connected. In summary, 10 weeks after the start of the crisis, and 5 weeks after relaxation of the restrictions, most people remained stable during the crisis, and were even able to report positive effects.
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
4. Short-term effects of the earned income tax credit on mental health and health behaviors.
- Author
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Collin DF, Shields-Zeeman LS, Batra A, Vable AM, Rehkopf DH, Machen L, and Hamad R
- Subjects
- Health Behavior, Humans, Income, Smoking, Income Tax, Mental Health
- Abstract
Poverty has consistently been linked to poor mental health and risky health behaviors, yet few studies evaluate the effectiveness of programs and policies to address these outcomes by targeting poverty itself. We test the hypothesis that the earned income tax credit (EITC)-the largest U.S. poverty alleviation program-improves short-term mental health and health behaviors in the months immediately after income receipt. We conducted parallel analyses in two large longitudinal national data sets: the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS, 1997-2016, N = 379,603) and the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID, 1985-2015, N = 29,808). Outcomes included self-rated health, psychological distress, tobacco use, and alcohol consumption. We employed difference-in-differences analysis, a quasi-experimental technique. We exploited seasonal variation in disbursement of the EITC, which is distributed as a tax refund every spring: we compared outcomes among EITC-eligible individuals interviewed immediately after refund receipt (Feb-Apr) with those interviewed in other months more distant from refund receipt (May-Jan), "differencing out" seasonal trends among non-eligible individuals. For most outcomes, we were unable to rule out the null hypothesis that there was no short-term effect of the EITC. Findings were cross-validated in both data sets. The exception was an increase in smoking in PSID, although this finding was not robust to sensitivity analyses. While we found no short-term "check effect" of the EITC on mental health and health behaviors, others have found long-term effects on these outcomes. This may be because recipients anticipate EITC receipt and smooth their income accordingly., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest No financial disclosures were reported by the authors of this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)
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- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
5. Feasibility and acceptability of a novel community-based mental health intervention delivered by community volunteers in Maharashtra, India: the Atmiyata programme.
- Author
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Joag K, Shields-Zeeman L, Kapadia-Kundu N, Kawade R, Balaji M, and Pathare S
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- Adult, Feasibility Studies, Female, Helping Behavior, Humans, India epidemiology, Male, Rural Population statistics & numerical data, Community Mental Health Services methods, Community Mental Health Services trends, Mental Disorders epidemiology, Mental Disorders psychology, Mental Disorders therapy, Mental Health trends, Volunteers psychology, Volunteers statistics & numerical data
- Abstract
Background: Many community-based intervention models for mental health and wellbeing have undergone robust experimental evaluation; however, there are limited accounts of the implementation of these evidence-based interventions in practice. Atmiyata piloted the implementation of a community-led intervention to identify and understand the challenges of delivering such an intervention. The goal of the pilot evaluation is to identify factors important for larger-scale implementation across an entire district in India. This paper presents the results of a feasibility and acceptability study of the Atmiyata intervention piloted in Nashik district, Maharashtra, India between 2013 and 2015., Methods: A mixed methods approach was used to evaluate the Atmiyata intervention. First, a pre-post survey conducted with 215 cases identified with a GHQ cut-off 6 using a 3-month interval. Cases enrolled into the study in one randomly selected month (May-June 2015). Secondly, a quasi-experimental, pre-post design was used to conduct a population-based survey in the intervention and control areas. A randomly selected sample (panel) of 827 women and 843 men age between 18 to 65 years were interviewed to assess the impact of the Atmiyata intervention on common mental disorders. Finally, using qualitative methods, 16 Champions interviewed to understand an implementation processes, barriers and facilitators., Results: Of the 215 participants identified by the Champions as being distressed or having a common mental disorder (CMD), n = 202 (94.4%) had a GHQ score at either sub-threshold level for CMD or above at baseline. Champions accurately identified people with emotional distress and in need of psychological support. After a 6-session counselling provided by the Champions, the percentage of participants with a case-level GHQ score dropped from 63.8 to 36.8%. The second sub-intervention consisted of showing films on Champions' mobile phones to raise community awareness regarding mental health. Films consisted of short scenario-based depictions of problems commonly experienced in villages (alcohol use and domestic violence). Champions facilitated access to social benefits for people with disability. Retention of Atmiyata Champions was high; 90.7% of the initial selected champions continued to work till the end of the project. Champions stated that they enjoyed their work and found it fulfilling to help others. This made them willing to work voluntarily, without pay. The semi-structured interviews with champions indicated that persons in the community experienced reduced symptoms and improved social, occupational and family functioning for problems such as depression, domestic violence, alcohol use, and severe mental illness., Conclusions: This study shows that community-led interventions using volunteers from rural neighbourhoods can serve as a locally feasible and acceptable approach to facilitating access social welfare benefits, as well as reducing distress and symptoms of depression and anxiety in a low and middle-income country context. The intervention draws upon social capital in a community to engage and empower community members to address mental health problems. A robust evaluation methodology is needed to test the efficacy of such a model when it is implemented at scale.
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
6. The effects of state earned income tax credits on mental health and health behaviors: A quasi-experimental study
- Author
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Collin, Daniel F, Shields-Zeeman, Laura S, Batra, Akansha, White, Justin S, Tong, Michelle, and Hamad, Rita
- Subjects
Public Health ,Health Sciences ,Human Society ,Mental Health ,Clinical Research ,Behavioral and Social Science ,Basic Behavioral and Social Science ,Mental health ,Good Health and Well Being ,No Poverty ,COVID-19 ,Child ,Cohort Studies ,Health Behavior ,Humans ,Income ,Income Tax ,Pandemics ,SARS-CoV-2 ,United States ,Earned income tax credit ,Poverty alleviation ,Health behaviors ,Policy evaluation ,Difference-in-differences ,Medical and Health Sciences ,Economics ,Studies in Human Society ,Health sciences ,Human society - Abstract
The earned income tax credit (EITC) is the largest U.S. poverty alleviation program for families with children, and state EITC policies provide a modest supplement to the federal program. Yet there are few studies of the effects of state EITC policies on population health. We examined whether state EITC policies affect mental health and health behaviors. Participants were drawn from the 1995-2015 waves of the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, a diverse national cohort study (N = 10,567). We used a quasi-experimental difference-in-differences analysis to examine the effects of state EITC programs among eligible individuals, accounting for secular trends among similar individuals in non-EITC states. Outcomes included self-reported general health, psychological distress, alcohol use, and smoking. The mean size of state EITC refunds in our sample was $265 for eligible individuals. In the overall sample, state EITC programs were not associated with any health outcomes of interest. This finding was robust to alternative specifications, and similar in subgroup analyses by gender and marital status. This study suggests that state EITC programs, which tend to provide smaller refunds than the federal program, may not be large enough to have a positive impact on mental health and health behaviors. These findings may inform policymaking related to the generosity of state EITC programs, especially as states seek to address the socioeconomic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Published
- 2021
7. Short-term effects of the earned income tax credit on mental health and health behaviors.
- Author
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Collin, Daniel F, Shields-Zeeman, Laura S, Batra, Akansha, Vable, Anusha M, Rehkopf, David H, Machen, Leah, and Hamad, Rita
- Subjects
Humans ,Smoking ,Health Behavior ,Mental Health ,Income ,Income Tax ,Difference-in-differences ,Earned income tax credit ,Health behaviors ,Mental health ,Poverty alleviation ,Behavioral and Social Science ,Substance Misuse ,Good Health and Well Being ,No Poverty ,Human Movement and Sports Sciences ,Public Health and Health Services ,Public Health - Abstract
Poverty has consistently been linked to poor mental health and risky health behaviors, yet few studies evaluate the effectiveness of programs and policies to address these outcomes by targeting poverty itself. We test the hypothesis that the earned income tax credit (EITC)-the largest U.S. poverty alleviation program-improves short-term mental health and health behaviors in the months immediately after income receipt. We conducted parallel analyses in two large longitudinal national data sets: the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS, 1997-2016, N = 379,603) and the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID, 1985-2015, N = 29,808). Outcomes included self-rated health, psychological distress, tobacco use, and alcohol consumption. We employed difference-in-differences analysis, a quasi-experimental technique. We exploited seasonal variation in disbursement of the EITC, which is distributed as a tax refund every spring: we compared outcomes among EITC-eligible individuals interviewed immediately after refund receipt (Feb-Apr) with those interviewed in other months more distant from refund receipt (May-Jan), "differencing out" seasonal trends among non-eligible individuals. For most outcomes, we were unable to rule out the null hypothesis that there was no short-term effect of the EITC. Findings were cross-validated in both data sets. The exception was an increase in smoking in PSID, although this finding was not robust to sensitivity analyses. While we found no short-term "check effect" of the EITC on mental health and health behaviors, others have found long-term effects on these outcomes. This may be because recipients anticipate EITC receipt and smooth their income accordingly.
- Published
- 2020
8. Assessing the need for a mental health services reform in Moldova: a situation analysis
- Author
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de Vetten-Mc Mahon, Marjonneke, Shields-Zeeman, Laura S., Petrea, Ionela, and Klazinga, Niek S.
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- 2019
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- View/download PDF
9. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and earthquake on mental health of persons with severe mental illness: A survey study among people receiving community mental health care versus treatment as usual in Croatia.
- Author
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Levaj, Sarah, Medved, Sara, Grubišin, Jasmina, Tomašić, Lea, Brozić, Kristina, Shields-Zeeman, Laura, Bolinski, Felix, and Rojnic Kuzman, Martina
- Subjects
MENTAL illness treatment ,MEDICAL care use ,PSYCHOTHERAPY patients ,CROSS-sectional method ,LIFE change events ,MENTAL health ,RESEARCH funding ,SEVERITY of illness index ,DESCRIPTIVE statistics ,SURVEYS ,SOCIAL support ,COMPARATIVE studies ,COVID-19 pandemic ,NATURAL disasters ,PATIENTS' attitudes ,PSYCHOSOCIAL factors - Abstract
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic led to the disruption of mental health services in most countries. Croatia has been developing and strengthening its mental health system, including the introduction of community mental health teams (CMHT) for persons with severe mental illness (SMI), whose implementation was ongoing during the pandemic through the RECOVER-E project. Aims: The aim of this study was to assess the differences in mental health outcomes, perceived social support and healthcare utilization in the group of participants receiving treatment as usual (TAU group) compared to the group receiving TAU and additional care by the CMHT (CMHT group) during the COVID-19 pandemic and two earthquakes. Method: This is a cross-sectional survey administered among 90 participants with SMI at two time points: in May/June 2020 (first COVID-19 wave, earthquake) and in December 2020/January 2021 (second COVID-19 wave, earthquake). Results: A significantly larger proportion of participants from the CMHT group visited the general practitioners in both waves of COVID-19 (first wave: CMHT 72.1%, TAU 44.2%, p =.009; second wave: CMHT 91.1%, TAU 64.1%, p =.003), as well as psychiatric services in the second wave (CMHT 95.3%, TAU 79.5%, p =.028). The use of long-acting injectables was also more frequent in the CMHT group (p =.039). Furthermore, analysis of the first wave showed higher perceived support of significant others (p =.004) in the CMHT group. We did not identify any differences in mental health outcomes between groups in either wave. Conclusions: While mental health outcomes did not differ between TAU and CMHT group, people in CMHT used services and treatments more frequently than those in TAU during the pandemic, which may indicate that CMHT services enable the continuity and accessibility of care for people with SMI under the circumstances where standard care is interruped (for example pandemic, disaster conditions). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
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- View/download PDF
10. Sustainability of Community-Based Specialized Mental Health Services in Five European Countries: Protocol for Five Randomized Controlled Trial-Based Health-Economic Evaluations Embedded in the RECOVER-E Program
- Author
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Wijnen, Ben F M, Smit, Filip, Uhernik, Ana Ivičević, Istvanovic, Ana, Dedovic, Jovo, Dinolova, Roumyana, Nica, Raluca, Velickovski, Robert, Wensing, Michel, Petrea, Ionela, Shields-Zeeman, Laura, Epidemiology and Data Science, APH - Mental Health, MUMC+: KIO Kemta (9), and RS: CAPHRI - R2 - Creating Value-Based Health Care
- Subjects
medicine.medical_specialty ,economic evaluation ,Vascular damage Radboud Institute for Health Sciences [Radboudumc 16] ,Computer applications to medicine. Medical informatics ,R858-859.7 ,law.invention ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Randomized controlled trial ,EQ-5D ,Multidisciplinary approach ,law ,Health care ,Protocol ,Medicine ,030212 general & internal medicine ,Cost–utility analysis ,community-based mental health care ,business.industry ,030503 health policy & services ,cost-effectiveness analysis ,cost-utility analysis ,General Medicine ,Cost-effectiveness analysis ,Mental health ,3. Good health ,Family medicine ,Economic evaluation ,0305 other medical science ,business ,COSTS ,mental health - Abstract
BackgroundCommunity-based recovery-oriented mental health services for people with severe mental disorders have not been fully implemented in Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Romania. The RECOVER-E project facilitates the implementation of specialized mental health care delivered by setting up services, implementing the services, and evaluating multidisciplinary community mental health teams. The outcomes of the RECOVER-E project are assessed in a trial-based outcome evaluation in each of the participating countries with a health-economic evaluation linked to these trials.ObjectiveThe aim of this protocol paper is to describe the methodology that will be used for the health-economic evaluation alongside the trials.MethodsImplementation sites have been selected in each of the five countries where hospital-based mental health services are available (care as usual [CAU]) for patients with severe mental disorders (severe depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and other psychotic disorders). The newly implemented health care system will involve community-based recovery-oriented mental health care (CMHC). At each site, 180 consenting patients will be randomized to either CAU or CMHC. Patient-level outcomes are personal and social functioning and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). Data on participants’ health care use will be collected and corresponding health care costs will be computed. This enables evaluation of health care costs of CMHC as compared with CAU, and these costs can be related to patient-level outcomes (functioning and QALY gains) in health-economic evaluation.ResultsData collection was started in December 2018 (Croatia), February 2019 (Montenegro), April 2019 (Romania), June 2019 (North Macedonia), and October 2019 (Bulgaria). The findings of the outcome evaluations will be reported for each of the five countries separately, and the five trials will be pooled for multilevel analysis on a combined dataset.ConclusionsThe results of the health-economic evaluation of the RECOVER-E project will contribute to the growing evidence base on the health and economic benefits of recovery-oriented and community-based service models for health systems in transition.Trial Registration(1) ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03922425 (Bulgaria); https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03922425 (2) ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03862209 (Croatia); https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03862209 (3) ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03892473 (Macedonia); https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03892473 (4) ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03837340 (Montenegro); https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03837340 (5) ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03884933 (Romania); https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03884933International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/17454
- Published
- 2020
11. Perceived Support for Recovery and Level of Functioning Among People With Severe Mental Illness in Central and Eastern Europe: An Observational Study.
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Roth, Catharina, Wensing, Michel, Koetsenruijter, Jan, Istvanovic, Ana, Novotni, Antoni, Tomcuk, Aleksandr, Dedovic, Jovo, Djurisic, Tatijana, Milutinovic, Milos, Kuzman, Martina Rojnic, Nica, Raluca, Bjedov, Sarah, Medved, Sara, Rotaru, Tiberiu, Hipple Walters, Bethany, Petrea, Ionela, and Shields-Zeeman, Laura
- Subjects
COMMUNITY mental health services ,MENTAL illness ,MENTAL health services ,MEDICAL personnel ,FUNCTIONAL status ,FUNCTIONAL assessment - Abstract
Background: Many people with severe mental illness experience limitations in personal and social functioning. Care delivered in a person's community that addresses needs and preferences and focuses on clinical and personal recovery can contribute to addressing the adverse impacts of severe mental illness. In Central and Eastern Europe, mental health care systems are transitioning from institutional-based care toward community-based care. The aim of this study is to document the level of functioning and perceived support for recovery in a large population of service users with severe mental illness in Central and Eastern Europe, and to explore associations between perceived support for recovery and the degree of functional limitations. Methods: The implementation of community mental health teams was conducted in five mental health centers in five countries in Central and Eastern Europe. The present study is based on trial data at baseline among service users across the five centers. Baseline data included sociodemographic, the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS 2.0) for functional limitations, and the Recovery Support (INSPIRE) tool for perceived staff support toward recovery. We hypothesized that service users reporting higher levels of perceived support for their recovery would indicate lower levels of functional limitation. Results: Across all centers, the greatest functional limitations were related to participation in society (43.8%), followed by daily life activities (33.3%), and in education or work (35.6%). Service users (N = 931) indicated that they were satisfied overall with the support received from their mental health care provider for their social recovery (72.5%) and that they valued their relationship with their providers (80.3%). Service users who perceived the support they received from their provider as valuable (b = −0.10, p = 0.001) and who reported to have a meaningful relationship with them (b = −0.13, p = 0.003) had a lower degree of functional limitation. Conclusion: As hypothesized, the higher the degree of perceived mental health support from providers, the lower the score in functional limitations. The introduction of the community-based care services that increase contact with service users and consider needs and which incorporate recovery-oriented principles, may improve clinical recovery and functional outcomes of service users with severe mental illness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2021
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12. Towards community-based and recovery-oriented care for severe mental disorders in Southern and Eastern Europe: aims and design of a multi-country implementation and evaluation study (RECOVER-E).
- Author
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Shields-Zeeman, Laura, Petrea, Ionela, Smit, Filip, Walters, Bethany Hipple, Dedovic, Jovo, Kuzman, Martina Rojnic, Nakov, Vladimir, Nica, Raluca, Novotni, Antoni, Roth, Catharina, Tomcuk, Aleksandar, Wijnen, Ben F. M., and Wensing, Michel
- Subjects
- *
COMMUNITY mental health services , *MENTAL health services , *MENTAL illness , *HEALTH care reform , *MENTAL health , *CARE of people - Abstract
Background: Substantial strides have been made around the world in reforming mental health systems by shifting away from institutional care towards community-based services. Despite an extensive evidence base on what constitutes effective care for people with severe mental ill-health, many people in Europe do not have access to optimal mental health care. In an effort to consolidate previous efforts to improve community mental health care and support the complex transition from hospital-based to community-based care delivery, the RECOVER-E (LaRge-scalE implementation of COmmunity based mental health care for people with seVere and Enduring mental ill health in EuRopE) project aims to implement and evaluate multidisciplinary community mental health teams in five countries in Central and Eastern Europe. This paper provides a brief overview of the RECOVER-E project and its methods. Methods: Five implementation sites were selected (Sofia, Bulgaria; Zagreb, Croatia; Skopje, North Macedonia; Kotor, Montenegro; Siret-Suceava, Romania) where hospital-based mental health services are available (care as usual, CAU) for patients with severe mental disorders (severe depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia). The intervention consists of the introduction of a new service delivery model in each site, consisting of community-based recovery-oriented care delivered by trained multidisciplinary community mental health teams (including a peer worker with lived experience of a severe mental disorder). The implementation outcomes of the teams and the effect of the team's approach on patient and service utilisation outcomes will be evaluated using a mix of research methods. The study includes five planned hybrid implementation-effectiveness trials (1 per site) with patient-level randomization (n = 180, with patients randomised to either care as usual or intervention condition). Effectiveness is evaluated using a pragmatic non-blinded design with patients randomised into two parallel groups: receiving new community-based care or receiving usual care in the form of institutional, hospital-based mental health care. Trial-based health economic evaluation will be conducted; implementation outcomes will be evaluated, with data aligned with dimensions from the RE-AIM framework. Pathways to sustaining project results will be developed through policy dialogue sessions, which will be carried out in each country and through ongoing policy engagement activities at the European level. Discussion: The RECOVER-E project has been developed and conducted to demonstrate the impact of implementing an evidence-based service delivery model for people with severe mental illness in different contexts in middle-income countries in Central and Eastern Europe. It is expected that the results will contribute to the growing evidence-base on the health and economic benefits of recovery-oriented and community-based service models for health systems in transition. Trial registration Each trial was registered before participant enrolment in the clinicaltrials.gov database: Site—Croatia, Zagreb (Trial Reg. No. NCT03862209); Montenegro, Kotor (Trial Reg. No. NCT03837340); Romania, Suceava (Trial Reg. No. NCT03884933); Macedonia, Skopje (Trial Reg. No. NCT03892473); Bulgaria, Sofia (Trial Reg. No. NCT03922425) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
13. The effects of state earned income tax credits on mental health and health behaviors: A quasi-experimental study.
- Author
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Collin, Daniel F., Shields-Zeeman, Laura S., Batra, Akansha, White, Justin S., Tong, Michelle, and Hamad, Rita
- Subjects
- *
TAXATION , *RESEARCH methodology , *MENTAL health , *INCOME , *HEALTH behavior , *GOVERNMENT policy , *ALCOHOL drinking , *DESCRIPTIVE statistics , *POPULATION health , *PUBLIC welfare , *SMOKING , *POLICY sciences , *PSYCHOLOGICAL stress - Abstract
The earned income tax credit (EITC) is the largest U.S. poverty alleviation program for families with children, and state EITC policies provide a modest supplement to the federal program. Yet there are few studies of the effects of state EITC policies on population health. We examined whether state EITC policies affect mental health and health behaviors. Participants were drawn from the 1995–2015 waves of the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, a diverse national cohort study (N = 10,567). We used a quasi-experimental difference-in-differences analysis to examine the effects of state EITC programs among eligible individuals, accounting for secular trends among similar individuals in non-EITC states. Outcomes included self-reported general health, psychological distress, alcohol use, and smoking. The mean size of state EITC refunds in our sample was $265 for eligible individuals. In the overall sample, state EITC programs were not associated with any health outcomes of interest. This finding was robust to alternative specifications, and similar in subgroup analyses by gender and marital status. This study suggests that state EITC programs, which tend to provide smaller refunds than the federal program, may not be large enough to have a positive impact on mental health and health behaviors. These findings may inform policymaking related to the generosity of state EITC programs, especially as states seek to address the socioeconomic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
14. Identifying challenges and recommendations for advancing global mental health implementation research: A key informant study of the National Institute of Mental Health Scale-Up Hubs.
- Author
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Naslund, John A., Kalha, Jasmine, Restivo, Juliana L., Amarreh, Ishmael, Callands, Tamora, Chen, Hongtu, Gomez-Restrepo, Carlos, Hamoda, Hesham M., Kapoor, Arjun, Levkoff, Sue, Masiye, Jones, Oquendo, Maria A., Patel, Vikram, Petersen, Inge, Sensoy Bahar, Ozge, Shields-Zeeman, Laura, Ssewamala, Fred M., Tugnawat, Deepak, Uribe-Restrepo, José Miguel, and Vijayakumar, Lakshmi
- Abstract
• This key informant study of the NIMH Scale-Up Hubs produced five recommendations for advancing global mental health implementation research. • Building capacity of early career researchers in LMICs emerged as a priority, with the need for mentorship, collaboration, effective supervision, and attracting quality talent and leadership. • The Scale-Up Hubs can draw from their networks to adapt evidence-based interventions to local contexts and cultures, while developing implementation strategies specific to each setting. • The Scale-Up Hubs can form a collaborative network to advance the science of implementing and sustaining evidence-based mental health services in LMICs. • Continued efforts needed to involve researchers and key stakeholders from LMICs throughout development, evaluation, and implementation of mental health services interventions. This study explored perspectives of researchers working with the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Scale-Up Hubs, consisting of research partnerships for scaling up mental health interventions in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), to: 1) identify common barriers to conducting impactful research on the implementation of evidence-based mental health services; and 2) provide recommendations to overcome these implementation challenges. A sequential qualitative approach was employed. First, an open-ended survey was distributed to the 10 Scale-Up Hubs and NIMH program staff asking informants to identify challenges in conducting mental health implementation research in LMICs. Second, survey findings guided an in-person workshop to generate implementation recommendations to inform the field. In total, 46 respondents completed surveys, and 101 researchers attended the workshop. The workshop produced implementation recommendations for low-resource settings: 1) identifying impact of research on policy and practice; 2) sustaining careers of early researchers in global mental health; 3) engaging policymakers and donors to value mental health research; 4) supporting the workforce for delivering evidence-based treatments for mental disorders; and 5) promoting sustainability of programs. These findings can strengthen collaboration between researchers and key stakeholders, and highlight important targets for improving mental health implementation research in LMICs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
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