Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association

Substance users are among the most highly stigmatized individuals by both the public and health care providers. However, no multidimensional scale for measuring substance use stigma for substance use disorders (SUDs) currently exists in Turkey.

The aim of this study was to determine the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Substance Use Stigma Mechanism Scale (SU-SMS).

The study was conducted at the AMATEM (Alcohol and Substance Addiction Treatment Center Clinic). The sample group of this methodological study consisted of 156 participants with SUDs who met the inclusion criteria. “Social-demographics Questionnaire,” “The Substance Use Stigma Mechanism Scale,” and “Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Scale” were used for data collection. In the validity–reliability analysis of the scale, language and content validity, explanatory and confirmatory factor analysis, criterion-concurrent validity, Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, item–total score correlation, split-half reliability analysis, and test–retest reliability methods were used.

Using exploratory factor analysis, it was found that the SU-SMS has five factors. Its five-factor structure was confirmed using confirmatory factor analysis. Its Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was .828, and factor loading was between .402 and .971. Analyses indicated that each of the factors of the Turkish version of the scale had high internal consistency. The test–retest correlation value was .752, p = .000.

It was concluded that the Turkish version of the SU-SMS is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing substance use-related stigma in individuals with SUDs.

Increasing psychological stressors have posed challenges to the well-being of the people across the globe and greatly affected the functionality and economic output of the individuals and the society. Nigeria has no existing mental health registry. Data on the prevalence of mental disorders are not readily available owing to lack of mental health registry. Hence, this study assessed the prevalence of mental disorders in Abakaliki metropolis, Ebonyi State.

To determine the prevalence of mental disorders and associated factors among the residents of Abakaliki metropolis, Ebonyi State.

This cross-sectional descriptive research study involved 400 participants. Questionnaires adapted from world mental health diagnostic interview and General Health Questionnaire 12 were used for data collection. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and hypotheses tested using chi-square test at significance level of .05.

The prevalence of mental disorders among the respondents was 70% depressive disorders and 52.3% substance use disorders—tranquilizers (34.9%) and stimulants (15.8%) were the commonly used, while 85.3% suffered anxiety disorders. These were common among age range of 19 to 28 years—those with higher education and the unemployed. More females had mental disorders except substance use disorders, which was higher in males (53.4%). There was no significant relationship between mental disorders and the demographic variables, but significant relationship was found to exist between individuals’ age and anxiety disorder.

Mental disorders, such as depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders, are common among the respondents and, therefore, calls for urgent attention of the government to improve the mental health of the people.

Agencies and clinical practices are beginning to provide trauma-informed care (TIC) to their clients. However, there are no measures to assess clients’ perceptions of and satisfaction with the TIC care they have received. A 20-item questionnaire, the TIC Grade, was developed, based on the National Center for Trauma-Informed Care principles of TIC, to assess the patient or client perception of the TIC provided in settings that serve adolescents and emerging adults.

The goal of this project was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the TIC Grade instrument and to make recommendations for use of the full measure and its short form—an overall letter grade.

The TIC Grade questionnaire was administered to youth over the age of 18 years from four community partners providing care to vulnerable young adults. Potential participants were offered questionnaires at the end of their visit. Those interested in participating left their completed anonymous questionnaire in a locked box to maintain confidentiality. Questionnaires were collected from 100 respondents; 95 were complete enough to include in analyses for psychometric evaluation.

The findings of this project support the reliability and usability of the 20-item TIC Grade measure to assess youth’s perceptions of the quality of TIC they received.

This TIC-specific, behaviorally worded client report measure can assist service delivery organizations to assess their success at implementing TIC and to identify areas where further staff training and support are needed.

This practice improvement project sought to determine the prevalence of psychiatric diagnoses among patients admitted to a community hospital’s inpatient medical units and which diagnoses were serviced by the hospital’s psychiatric consultation service.

Electronic medical record data on adult patients of five medical units admitted with a psychiatric condition between October 1, 2019, and December 31, 2019, were used. Psychiatric ICD-10 (International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision) codes and diagnosis names extracted were categorized into seven major diagnostic groups. A total of 687 adult patients with 82 psychiatric ICD-10 codes were analyzed using descriptive statistics.

Substance-related and addictive disorders were the most prevalent psychiatric diagnoses. Ninety-six percent (n = 658) of patients residing on medical floors with psychiatric disorders were hospitalized for a principal medical problem. Seventy-three cases received psychiatric consultations during their stay. Sixty percent (n = 44) of those cases had psychiatric disorders from two or more diagnostic categories.

Multidisciplinary, team-based health care delivery models that include a psychiatric nurse can provide an effective approach to treat patients in community hospitals with multiple psychiatric and medical comorbidities. Hospitals could take a significant role in providing substance use disorder treatment and equipping medical nurses with training to competently care for patients with psychiatric disorders on medical units. Further research into the prevalence and impact of patients with co-occurring and multiple psychiatric diagnoses in community hospitals is needed to implement effective health care delivery models and provide appropriate treatment options in the community.

This discussion paper describes the intricacies of the strong Black woman (SBW) construct and how understanding this construct is significant and relevant within nursing.

This article is a discussion piece that provides a succinct conceptual and historical overview of the SBW construct. It then describes the impacts of this construct before presenting implications as they relate to nursing practice, education, policy, and research.

The SBW construct is exclusively and routinely applied to Black women. Typically, the SBW construct encompasses five components, which center on independence, caring, and strength. These five components include the obligation to (1) always maintain and present an image of strength, (2) suppress emotion, (3) be self-reliant, (4) succeed despite all odds, and (5) always place the needs [especially comfort] of others above those of oneself. Moreover, the SBW construct posits Black women as possessing superhuman capabilities. The nature of this construct is complex, with some Black women using it as a survival mechanism, and others finding empowerment through this image. Nevertheless, recent research has revealed the harms associated with this image including detriment to physical, mental, and spiritual well-being, with the implications extending to Black families and communities.

Understanding this topic is essential in providing support to all Black women in health care and within the Black community—including patients, nurses, faculty, staff, and students. Recognizing the implications of the SBW construct is essential toward ensuring that our care, practices, and policies are not only supportive but also antiracist.

The magnitude for potential burnout is enormous. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Center for Addiction and Mental Health, and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reported diagnoses of psychiatric and substance use disorders are at an all-time high for physicians, psychiatrists, nurses, social workers, and psychologists.

Reduce the potential for burnout among outpatient mental health clinicians and staff.

Develop an agency wellness protocol utilizing evidence-based interventions to reduce the potential for clinician and staff burnout.

Survey data indicated low to moderate levels of burnout and depersonalization. Staff and clinician recommendations provided during feedback sessions were incorporated with evidence-based interventions to establish a wellness protocol.

Implementing evidence-based interventions in a wellness protocol may reduce the potential for clinician and staff burnout.