Psychiatry Congress

Psychiatry Congress

The Royal Australian and New Zealand Collage of Psychiatrists' Congress runs until 6 May 2010 at SkyCity Convention Centre in Auckland. The Congress brings together mental health experts in a diverse range of areas; from children and adolescents to old age, mental health across the lifespan will be discussed. Here are some highlights from today's program, the full program is available at http://www.ranzcp2010.co.nz/program/.

The relationship between depression and coronary heart disease

There is a significant link between depression and coronary heart disease. Depression is linked with a higher rate of heart disease than in otherwise healthy people and also increases the risk of recurrent heart attacks. Likewise, depression occurs more often in people who have coronary heart disease, than in the general population. A review has investigated the mechanisms underlying the relationship between depression and coronary heart disease. "No single comprehensive model has yet accounted for all the causal mechanisms connecting major depression and coronary heart disease. The many pathways by which depression can cause coronary heart disease (and vice versa) are interlinked and form a network, similar to the way in which telephones are connected to each other in a telephone network. Understanding this network may help researchers find better ways to prevent or even treat both depression and coronary heart disease," said presenter Dr Chris Stapelberg. (1.30pm)

The mental health of doctors

This symposium will discuss the mental health of doctors including addicted doctors, the experiences of psychiatrists engaging with doctors as patients and the impact of medico-legal matters on doctors:

The Victorian Doctors Health Program is the only fully funded comprehensive independent health program for doctors and medical students in Australia with approximately half the presentations related to substance use disorder or significant mental illness. "We will present a review of findings of data recorded on 90 VDHP participants with significant substance use disorder. This data includes information on type of doctor, substance used, nature of referral, response to treatment and participant outcomes," said presenter Dr Matthew Frei.

A study of psychiatrists engaged in treating doctors as patients has found that psychiatrists both enjoy and struggle when treating doctors. Use of the Mental Health Act and depriving a doctor of the ability to work were described as particularly challenging. "Common threads include a commitment to treating doctors as ordinary people, strong commitment to confidentiality, identification with doctors and wanting to do a specially good job," said presenter Dr Josephine Stanton.

A survey of Australian doctors who experienced medico-legal matters such as compensation claims, inquiries or complaints to a healthcare body has found that they were mostly male, worked long hours and worked in high intervention areas of medicine. When asked to recall the impact of a medico-legal matters on their health, 73% or respondents reported becoming more anxious than usual, 44% became more depressed than usual, 14% reported drinking more alcohol than usual and 13% reported more medical problems during the medico-legal process. "Doctors need to be mindful of their own mental health when they are subject to a medico-legal matter, and avoid negative coping such as increased alcohol use," said presenter Dr Louise Nash. (9am)

Responding to the mental health needs of young people after the Samoan tsunami

Following last year's Samoan tsunami a trauma counselling team was established to respond to the mental health needs of villagers severely affected by the tsunami. A trauma counselling program informed by Samoan research and consisting of cultural and spiritual practices familiar to Samoan young people, was delivered to over 1500 children in nine villages. This program included body centred therapeutic techniques and a therapeutic exercise known as the 'Tree of life'. "There was a high degree of acceptance of the program by village elders and the young people and families who attended. It is likely that this related to culturally relevant content and observance of Samoan cultural protocols that were intrinsic to the program," said presenter Dr Allister Bush. (1.30pm)

Factors associated with not seeking help prior to suicide

A study of Coroner records in Canada has found that males were five times more likely to suicide than females and that the mean and median ages at death were 44.73 and 44 years respectively. Medical examiners records were used to compare people who sought help prior to suicide with those who did not. The forties was the decade of life with the highest number of suicides and this group was the least likely to disclose suicidal intent. Otherwise there was no significant differences between those who sought help, or disclosed intent prior to suicide and those who did not. "People in their forties were the age group with the highest number of suicides, but the least likely to disclose suicidal intent which may suggest that there is a need for more targeted efforts in this age group," said presenter Dr Stephen Kisely. (9am)

Today’s keynote speaker:

Professor Richard Faull, Professor of Anatomy at the University of Auckland, founder of the internationally recognised Human Brain Bank to support worldwide research on neurodegenerative diseases and specialist on Huntington's, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease and Epilepsy.
Stem Cells and Neurogenesis in the Human Brain - Fact and Fantasy (11am)

ENDS

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