(Aug. 29, 2017) Research Roundup is a monthly public service of the Office of Research and Public Affairs. Each edition describes a striking new data point about serious mental illness and summarizes recently published research reports or developments.
DATAPOINT of the Month
- Individuals with serious mental illness in prison spend an average of 5.75 years in solitary confinement.
A 2017 US Department of Justice inspector general report states that individuals with serious mental illness spend an average 69 months in restrictive housing, and one in eight of these individuals are released directly into the community after release.
RESEARCH of the Month
- Follow-up care after emergency department visits for mental health disorders among Medicaid beneficiaries
Follow-up rates after an emergency department (ED) visit for mental health disorders were found to be lower for African-Americans and low-income individuals than other Medicaid beneficiaries, according to a Psychiatric Services report. Lack of follow-up care is associated with worsening of symptoms and higher odds of a repeat ED visit. Sarah Croake and colleagues analyzed Medicaid claims to determine what characteristics were associated with odds of follow-up care after an ED visit for mental health or substance use disorders. The authors said recognition of such disparities can inform the development of recommendations to improve care quality in this population and reduce the high costs associated.
Croake, S. et al. (2017, June). "Follow-up care after emergency department visits for mental and substance use disorders among Medicaid beneficiaries." Psychiatric Services. - Assertive community treatment quality improvement in New York State
Utilizing data-driven strategies can decrease time in treatment and increase participant turnover without compromising the quality of treatment services, according to a report in Psychiatric Services. Dr. Steven Huz and colleagues from the New York State Office of Mental Health analyzed the effectiveness of using a transition readiness scale on improving assertive community treatment (ACT) throughout the state. The scale was an assessment tool to that helps administrators determine a participant's readiness to move to less intensive services, The authors concluded that using data-driven strategies such as the transition scale can increase access to ACT services to more individuals in need by increasing participant turnover without negatively affecting participant recovery.
Huz, S. et al. (2017, June). "Time in Assertive Community Treatment: A statewide quality improvement initiative to reduce length of participation." Psychiatric Services. - Brain white matter loss and cognitive deficits in schizophrenia
Brain matter loss in patients with schizophrenia may partially explain impaired working memory and slower brain processing, two cognitive deficits common in the disease, according to a report in JAMA Psychiatry. Peter Kochunov and authors analyzed white matter structure, processing speed and working memory in 166 patients and 213 healthy controls from 2004 to 2015. The authors concluded that cognitive impairments found in patients with schizophrenia were associated with altered connectivity of brain cells and brain matter loss.
Kochunov, P. (2017, August). "Association of white matter with core cognitive deficits in patients with schizophrenia." JAMA Psychiatry.
Elizabeth Sinclair
Research Associate
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Research Weekly is a summary published as a public service of the Treatment Advocacy Center and does not necessarily reflect the findings or positions of the organization or its staff. Full access to research summarized may require a fee or paid subscription to the publications.
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