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Homelessness is a global challenge.

The United Nations Human Settlements Program estimates that 1.1 billion people live in inadequate housing, and the best data available suggest that more than 100 million people have no housing at all.

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Street children and their helpers: An actor-oriented approach

Bernardo Turnbull

Raquel Hernández

Miguel Reyes

This article analyses the interaction between street children and youth and the people who try to help them. We seek to understand our outsiders' role in the children and youth's career on the streets and to provide ideas for programs and interventions. A group of volunteers in a Mexico City bus station gathered data in field diaries as observations and interviews with street children, youths and helpers, and...

Substance abuse patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD): Identifying specific triggers of substance use and their associations with PTSD symptoms

Abstract Although individuals with comorbid posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use diagnoses are at heightened risk for relapse after substance abuse treatment, little is known about the specific situations in which these individuals are likely to relapse. The present study was designed to test whether a PTSD diagnosis related to substance use in specific situations in which PTSD symptoms were likely to be...

Improving access to geriatric mental health services: A randomized trial comparing treatment engagement with integrated versus enhanced referral care for depression, anxiety, and at-risk alcohol use

Despite poor health outcomes and increased health care costs associated with psychiatric disorders in older adults, mental health services are underutilized, and access to assessment and treatment by specialty mental health providers is poor. Fewer than 3% of older adults report seeing a mental health professional for treatment, a rate lower than that of any other adult age group (5). Instead, older adults tend to seek mental...

Attitudes towards alcoholics anonymous by dually diagnosed psychiatric inpatients

Self-help programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) have been viewed as beneficial adjuncts to comprehensive treatment programs for the treatment of alcohol use disorders. The usefulness of such programs for individuals with dual psychiatric disorders has not been established. This study examined the alcohol and psychiatric treatment histories of 60 psychiatric inpatients with concomitant alcohol use or abuse with attention...

Hepatitis C virus and HIV co-infection in people with severe mental illness and substance use disorders

The 5-7% of adults in the United States with severe mental illness (SMI), especially the 50% who are 'dually diagnosed' with co-occurring substance use disorders (SUD), are at an elevated risk of HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV). However, little is known about HIV/HCV co-infection in this population. This paper examines the prevalence and correlates of HIV, hepatitis C, and HIV/HCV co-infection in a large, multisite...

Co-occurring Hepatitis C, substance use, and psychiatric illness: Treatment issues and developing integrated models of care

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is transmitted by injection drug use and associated with psychiatric conditions. Patients with drug use or significant psychiatric illness have typically been excluded from HCV treatment trials noting the 1997 National Institutes of Health Consensus Statement on HCV that indicated active drug use and major depressive illness were contraindications to treatment of HCV infection. However, the...

Co-morbid substance misuse and mental health problems: Policy and practice in Scotland

This article attempts to conceptualize the issues, problems, research, and policy solutions that have arisen in Scotland as a result of co-morbid substance misuse and mental health problems in treatment- and non-treatment-seeking populations. This approach also acknowledges the differences and similarities present when comparing the Scottish and national UK responses to co-morbidity. Finally, information and recommendations...

Physical health problems among patients seeking treatment for alcohol use disorders: A study in six European cities

The present study investigates physical health problems among patients with alcohol use disorders at alcohol treatment agencies in six European cities. The sample comprised 315 patients with a primary alcohol use disorder. Data were collected at admission to treatment using a structured research protocol, and ratings were made by a medically qualified physician subsequent to a physical examination of the patient. Physical...

Smoking and common mental disorders: A population-based survey in Santiago, Chile

Smoking and common mental disorders (CMD), anxiety and depression, tend to co-exist and are important public health challenges for countries at all levels of development. The two largest U.S. psychiatric surveys detected clear associations between smoking and psychiatric disorders. In the Epidemiologic Catchment Area study (ECA) major depression was more common among smokers (6.6%) than non-smokers (2.9%). In the National Co-...

Homeless Children: Problems and Needs

Panos Vostanis

Stuart Cumella

Through a critical evaluation of recent research the authors present a comprehensive review of the situation of homeless children and their families. Readers from all backgrounds will find this book of benefit as it reflects on the appropriateness of provision from different agencies, including education, health, housing, voluntary and social work services. By considering the complex pathways to homelessness, the association...

Children in especially difficult circumstances: The global and Philippine situation.

Perla D. Santos Ocampo

Children in especially difficult circumstances (CEDC) is a worldwide problem with a labyrinth of compartments. The causes of the escalation of this problem are multifactorial, but of great significance are the observations concerning a degradation of values and failing moral, spiritual, psychosocial, and other interpersonal development. It is a gargantuan global social concern that has attracted the attention and commitment...

PATH Data Tables 2000 - 2005