Psychiatry and Psychology Commons^™

Prevalence And Correlates Of Depressive Symptoms Among Adults Living With Hiv In Rural Kilifi, Kenya, Moses K. Nyongesa, Paul Mwangi, Stanley W. Wanjala, Agnes M. Mutua, Charles R. J. C. Newton, Amina Abubakar

Institute for Human Development

Background: Published research on depression among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) from Africa is increasing, but data from Kenya remains scarce. This cross-sectional study measured the prevalence and correlates of depressive symptoms among PLWHA in rural Kilifi, on the Kenyan coast.

Methods: Between February and April 2018, we consecutively recruited and interviewed 450 adults living with HIV and on combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). Depressive symptoms were assessed with the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), with a positive depression screen defined as PHQ-9 score ≥ 10. Measures of psychosocial, health, and treatment characteristics were also administered.

Results: The overall prevalence of …

Using Heart Rate Profiles During Sleep As A Biomarker Of Depression, Mysa Saad, Laura B. Ray, Brad Bujaki, Amir Parvaresh, Iryna Palamarchuk, Joseph De Koninck, Alan Douglass, Elliott K. Lee, Louis J. Soucy, Zul Merali

Brain and Mind Institute

Background: Abnormalities in heart rate during sleep linked to impaired neuro-cardiac modulation may provide new information about physiological sleep signatures of depression. This study assessed the validity of an algorithm using patterns of heart rate changes during sleep to discriminate between individuals with depression and healthy controls.

Methods: A heart rate profiling algorithm was modeled using machine-learning based on 1203 polysomnograms from individuals with depression referred to a sleep clinic for the assessment of sleep abnormalities, including insomnia, excessive daytime fatigue, and sleep-related breathing disturbances (n = 664) and mentally healthy controls (n = 529). The final algorithm …

Khat Use And Psychotic Symptoms In A Rural Khat Growing Population In Kenya: A Household Survey, Linnet Ongeri, Fredrick Kirui, Erastus Muniu, Veronica Manduku, Leah Kirumbi, Lukoye Atwoli, Safari Agure, Peter Wanzala, Lydia Kaduka, Mercy Karimi, Richard Mutisya, Elizabeth Echoka, Joseph Mutai, David Mathu, Charles Mbakaya

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Background:Khat is an amphetamine like psychostimulant chewed by over 10 million people globally. Khat use is thought to increase the risk of psychosis among its chewers. The evidence around this however remains inconclusive stemming from the scanty number of studies in this area and small study sample sizes. We undertook a large household survey to determine the association between psychotic symptoms and khat chewing in a rural khat growing and chewing population in Kenya.

Methods:For this cross-sectional household survey, we randomly selected 831 participants aged 10 years and above residing in the Eastern region of Kenya. We used …

Liaison Psychiatry Services In Wales, Tayyeb Tahir, Adam Watkins, Philip Slack

Brain and Mind Institute

Aims and method: Recent funding from Welsh Government for mental health has helped to develop liaison psychiatry services in Wales. Systematic data collection was undertaken to map the liaison psychiatry services in Wales in collaboration with the Royal College of Psychiatrists in Wales and Public Health Wales 1000 Lives Improvement. A questionnaire was designed and circulated to all the health boards in Wales to gather information to map liaison psychiatry services in Wales. Up-to-date information was confirmed in January 2018, via email.

Results: Over the past 2 years, liaison psychiatry services have been set up in six out of …