Stress associated with medical education, correlated with symptoms of depression and anxiety, has been involved in generating academic performance problems and thus, long-term consequences, such as poor quality of medical care. If anxiety and depression are proved to influence quality of academic achievement, their prevention could lead to better outcomes also in the quality of medical care.

The objective of the study was to analyze if anxiety and depression decrease academic performance in first and second year medical students.

As a measure of anxiety and depression symptoms we used Zung Self-rating Anxiety score > 36, respectively Zung Self-rating Depression Scale score > 40, in the periods before the examination session, in the first semester (in no-stress conditions). As a measure of academic performance, we have obtained the average grade at the end of the academic year from 254 of the total population of 356 first and second year medical students. Statistical analyses were carried out with SPSS version 16 (Spearman correlations and logistic regression).

Academic performance decreases inversely in rapport of anxiety (rho = –0.144, P < 0.05) and depression (rho = –0.192, P < 0.05) scores in the period before the examination session. Also, depression in this period predicts low levels of academic performance with average grade in the inferior quarter (grades lower than 7.52) particularly in first year students, irrespective of gender (χ2 = 8.922, P < 0.01, OR = 0.928; IC 95% = 0.864–0.997).

These findings suggest the necessity of coming up with prophylactic methods to prevent anxiety and depression especially in first year medical students, as these prove to be factors that impend academic performance.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Individuals manage differently the experience of a romantic breakup [RB]. These differences may in part be related to the use of different cognitive-emotional regulation strategies [CERS]. Also, global negative beliefs and catastrophic misinterpretations regarding the RB may contribute to the emotional distress (Boelen and Reijntjes, 2009).

To explore the associations between CERS, grief cognitions related to RBs, and depression and suicidal ideation/behaviors in a sample of college students.

To conduct regression analyses to predict depression, anxiety, hostility, and suicide behaviors from CERS and grief cognitions (as independent variables).

Cross-sectional, self-report data was collected from 359 college students who experienced a RB. The assessments used were: Cognitive-Emotional Regulation Questionnaire- Short Form (Garnefski et al., 2002); the Grief Cognitions Questionnaire adjusted to grief after RBs (Boelen et al., 2003); the subscales of Depression, Anxiety, and Hostility of the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms-62; and the Suicide Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised, Osman et al., 2001).

Past suicide thoughts or attempts were predicted by Other-Blame; self-reported likelihood of future suicide attempt was predicted by Self-Blame, Other-Blame, and Positive Reappraisal, Grief Cognitions-Future, and Grief Cognitions-Appropriateness. Depression was predicted by all cognitive-emotional regulation subscales except Acceptance and Perspective, and by RB grief cognitions (self, future, self-blame, others, and perceived appropriateness of own grief reaction).

Clinical assessment to evaluate at-risk young adults after RBs could incorporate evaluations of cognitions regarding the RB and self-blaming, appropriateness of one's own grief reaction, and thoughts about the future.

The author has not supplied his/her declaration of competing interest.

Life expectancy of patients with severe mental illness (SMI) is two decades shorter than that of general population. The most important cause of death are cardiovascular diseases (CVD).

There is a need for CVD risk screening tools development and validation in the context of the Czech Republic.

Methodological approach to a CVD risk screening, risk stratification and specific life-style interventions development is presented. In a context of the psychiatric hospital with c. 7000 admissions per year.

There are no concise data on CVD risk of psychiatric patients in the Czech Republic so cross-sectional analysis of one day hospitalized patients was performed.

A sample of 1056 pts. was obtained. Database allowed extraction data on CVD risk factors (RF): diagnosis, age, sex, BMI and blood pressure (BP). The most common diagnosis were F20 and F10. Multicriterial analysis according to diagnosis (frequency of highest BMI and BP) showed the worst results in the F20 followed by F10 group. Would we define the CVD RF as BMI ≥ 30, age ≥ 65, sBP ≥ 140, dBP ≥ 90, then no RF is present in 368, one in 238, two in 191, three in 92 and four RF in 33 pts. Two step screening protocol was developed – SOMA score. Variables and cut-offs for positivity were set based on the results.

Methodological process of SOMA score screening is presented as well as consecutive health care interventions.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

The study was realized in a framework of SOMA project, Program CZ11 Initiatives in public health care, Norway grants, NF-CZ11-OV-2-030-2015.

Increased concentrations of kynurenine (KYN) pathway metabolites have been associated to several groups of psychiatric disorders. As for suicide risk literature is still inconclusive due to the limited evidence.

to test the hypothesis of Increased concentrations of kynurenine as related to suicide attempter.

We aim to investigate the association between kynurenine pathway metabolites blood levels and suicidal behaviour, in affective disorder patients, in order to explore if kynurenine pathway metabolites could be potential diagnostic biomarkers.

We enrolled a sample of affective disorder patients and perform detailed diagnoses, as well as detailed assessment of suicidal behaviour using validated questionnaires. We also aim to follow-up individuals included in the current study.

Plasma KYN was assayed by high performance liquid chromatography in three groups: healthy volunteers (n = 90), patients with mood disorders with a recent suicide attempt (n = 44) and without (n = 44) history of suicide attempt. Analysis of variance tested for group differences in KYN levels. Each was evaluated with psychometric scales. Patients were sampled for 10 cc of venous blood for assay. The preparation of blood samples and assay was processed by a specialist using high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS).

Preliminary results will be presented as to shed light if KYN levels differed across groups. According to preliminary calculations we expect that KYN is higher in suicide attempters compared with non-attempters, who did not differ from healthy volunteers.

Our work-in-progress study suggests that KYN and related molecular pathways may be implicated in the precipitation of suicidal behavior.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Recruitment of medical students and junior doctors in to psychiatry is a long-standing concern in many countries, with low proportions of medical graduates choosing it as a specialty and ongoing stigma from within the medical profession. In some countries the reverse problem is the case, with too many doctors wishing to enter psychiatry, and insufficient training places available.

To understand the current situation within Europe with regards to recruitment in to psychiatry and to identify existing recruitment initiatives.

The European Federation of Psychiatric Trainees conducts an annual survey of all member organisations. A delegate of each national association of psychiatric trainees is asked to identify if their country has a problem with recruitment and if so, whether there were too many or too few applicants for training places. Delegates from countries with recruitment initiatives were contacted to provide further details.

In 2014, a total of 31 countries completed the survey, with 17 stating that too few medical practitioners choose psychiatry. In total 8 countries with recruitment problems reported that initiatives exist to encourage doctors to enter psychiatric training. Of these, 7 responded to describe the initiatives, which included national recruitment strategies, financial incentives, careers fairs, mentoring schemes and a whole host of other projects.

Recruitment in to psychiatry remains a serious problem in a significant proportion of European countries, but a wide range of initiatives exist which aim to combat this shortfall. It will be important over the coming years to establish which initiatives are most effective at increasing recruitment.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Sexual dysfunction is a very important problem in western countries. One of the causes is the treatment with antidepressants; most of the currently available produce sexual dysfunction in men and women (lower libido, anorgasmia, etc.).

Comparing the nervous system of the animals we expect to find differences to explain the biological substratum of the sexual dysfunction that produce the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.

Twenty Wistar rats; approximate weight 150 g. It is divided into 4 groups: 2 experimental (paroxetine and agomelatina mouth) and 2 controls. There is a daily conduct. Weighing at the beginning of the study, 14 and 28 days. Is performed sacrifice by decapitation, is extracted from the brain and after fixing paraffin cuts are carried out for their subsequent staining (immunohistochemistry) with their corresponding murine antibody and viewing through optical microscope.

Lower immunoreactivity with the antibody anti-TH in the animals treated with paroxetine, at all levels of the dopaminergic activity (tracks mesolimbica, cortical circuit, nigrostriatal pathway and tubero-infundibular). This decrease is reaffirmed after the statistical treatment of data.

Treatment with paroxetine in animal models causes a depletion of the dopaminergic system that can be one of the biological bases of sexual dysfunction, altering the reward mechanisms as well as producing hyperprolactinemia.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Curcumin (CUR), a polyphenolic compound, extracted from Curcuma longa, is known for its neuroprotective, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.

To evaluate the effect of CUR on ambulatory activity, spatial working memory and on oxidative stress in rats induced by Diazepam (DZP) administration.

To analyze whether CUR may improve the cognitive performance and offer systemic protection from oxidative stress.

The effect of CUR on DZP-induced memory impairment and oxidative stress was studied on Wistar rats. Group I received a vehicle, group II – vehicle and CUR, group III – vehicle and DZP, group IV – vehicle, CUR and DZP. CUR (150 mg/kg bw) and vehicle were orally administered for five weeks long. DZP (2 mg/kg bw) was administered i.p. 20 minutes before the behavioral tests. Behavioral tests, i.e. Open Field and Y Maze Test, were performed. Malondialdehyde and reduced glutathione/oxidized glutathione ratio were determined in the serum and brain tissue homogenate. Hippocampal sections were histologically assessed. The data were statistically analyzed by one-way ANOVA, followed by Dunns post-test.

DZP decreased (P < 0.01) the number of spontaneous alternations, as compared to control group, thus suggesting an impairment of spatial working memory. Behavioral tests revealed no enhancing effect of CUR on spontaneous alternation behaviors in Y Maze. CUR reversed (P < 0.01) the inhibitory effect of diazepam (P < 0.05) on the ambulatory activity in OFT and decreased the lipid peroxidation in the serum (P < 0.05).

The results show that CUR may offer systemic protection from oxidative stress, thus improving the cognitive performance.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

The FMPS is a 35-item self-report questionnaire to measure perfectionism. It evaluates: concern over mistakes/CM, doubts about actions/DA, parental criticism/PC and expectations/PE, personal standards/PS and organization/O.

To develop a shortened version of FMPS and study its internal consistency, the construct, concurrent and divergent validity.

One hundred and ninety-two university students (78.1% females), aged 19.74 years (sd = 2.10) completed the Portuguese versions of the: FMPS, Hewitt and Flett MPS/H&FMPS, Life Orientation Test Revised/LOT-R, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory/STAI, and Profile of Mood States/POMS.

Correlations between each item and corrected FMPS total scores/corrected total subscales scores were ≥ 0.20 for the items 13, 15, 25, 31, 35 and 10, 2, 25, and 26, respectively. The internal consistency of FMPS was high (α: .857) with 32 items contributing for this consistency (exceptions: 13, 25 and 31). The principal component analysis of the 35 items with factors varimax rotation was performed. The three items with higher loading in each factor that also contributed to the FMPS reliability were selected for the FMPS shortened version (FMPS-18). The principal component analysis of the 18 items with factors varimax rotation showed that six factors explained 74.6% of FMPS-18 total variance. These factors revealed adequate internal consistency (α: O = 0.740; PC = 0.859; PE = 0.847; PS = 0.726; CM = 0.740; DA = 0.832; total = 0.768). Convergent correlations between FMPS and the matched FMPS-18 scores were 0.839 to 0.971 (all P < .01). Correlations of the FMPS-18 and FMPS with H&F-MPS, STAI, LOT-R and NA/PA scores were of similar significance and valence.

FMPS-18 is a brief, reliable and valid instrument to measure perfectionism.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

The Hewitt and Flett Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (H&F-MPS) is one of the most used measures of perfectionism. Their 45-items evaluate self-Oriented (SOP), Self-Prescribed (SPP), and Other Oriented (OOP) perfectionism.

To study the internal consistency and convergent validity of the H&F-MSP13.

One hundred and ninety-two university students (78.1% females), aged 19.74 years (sd = 2.10; range: 17–28) completed the Portuguese versions of H&F-MPS (Soares et al., 2003) and of Frost et al. MPS (F-MPS) (Amaral et al., 2013). Thirteen items were selected from the Portuguese version of the H&F-MPS, based on their loading in the factor (0.60 and over) (Soares et al., 2003).

The H&FMPS13 revealed good internal consistency (α = 0.816). The corrected item-total subscale Spearman's correlations were high (from 0.418 to 0.820). The principal component analysis with factors varimax rotation produced three factors, which revealed acceptable/good internal consistency (SOP: explained variance/EV = 35.4%, α = .900; SPP: EV = 16.3%, α = 0.695; OOP: EV = 10.8%, α = 0.709). The correlations between the H&F-MSP13 scores and the matching scores of the H&F-MPS were high (from r = 0.745 to r = 0.945, all P < .01), suggesting that both scales measure similarly the constructs. The H&F-MSP13 and the H&F-MPS total scores demonstrate good convergent validity with the total score of F-MPS, as indicated by the correlations (r = 0.581/r = 0.636, respectively). The correlations similarities between the H&F-MSP13 and H&F-MSP dimensions and the F-MPS dimensions and total scores were also considerable.

The H&F-MSP13 is a valid instrument to measure perfectionism that reveals convergent validity with the F-MPS, retaining the adequate psychometric properties of the H&F-MPS and its administration is less time consuming.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Psychotic depression has a higher rate of disability and relapse than non psychotic depression, however the optimal maintenance treatment after an acute response to either the antidepressant/antipsychotic combination or an ECT course is unclear (Rothschild, 2013). Although ECT is an effective therapy in affective disorders and M/C ECT is used to achieve and maintain patient's stability (Brown, 2014), very little is known about its implications in functionality or quality of life.

To study the relation between psychotic symptoms and functionality and quality of life in patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) undergoing M/C ECT.

Transversal descriptive study of a sample of 17 MDD patients in M/C ECT. Administration of SF-36 (quality of life related to health), FAQ (functionality), Family APGAR, MMSE, GAF, HDRS. Informed consent. Statistical analysis with SPSS18.

The mean age of the sample was 72.47 years, 58.8% presented with psychotic symptoms and 41.2% with melancholic symptoms. We only found a statistically significant negative correlation between the Family APGAR and the presence of psychotic symptoms (U = –2.291, P = 0.025), without other differences in terms of functionality or quality of life.

This study supports that there is no implication in the presence of psychotic symptoms regarding functionality or quality of life among the patients undergoing M/C ECT. We emphasize the need for randomized control trials to disentangle the effects of multiple variables on the functionality and quality of life of patients in M/C ECT.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

According to literature, about 30–40% of individuals admitted in general hospitals suffer from psychiatric comorbidity. Consultation-liaison services (CLS) cover internationally 1–10% of admissions and are able to improve care quality, treatment adherence and to reduce length of stay.

To assess possible clinical and care differences between individuals with and without psychiatric comorbidity as well as differences among principal diagnostic groups.

To find out, whether individuals suffering from specific psychiatric diagnoses show a higher degree of care needs held by a CLS.

Retrospective, ethical approved full-survey assessment (n = 2940) over three years (2012–2014). ICD-10 diagnoses, clinical factors and care variables were considered. Group differences were calculated by means of chi-square and ANOVA as well as Scheffé post-hoc estimation. Associations were conducted by means of multivariate regression as well as logistic regression models.

Individuals suffering from psychiatric comorbidity (48% of sample) were seldom primarily oncologic patients (30%), they showed more distress (DT = 6.5), more performance limitations (ECOG = 1.38), and less functionality (GAF = 59.6). They received more contacts by CLS (1.95), more cumulative treatment time (89.7 min), and more psychopharmacological interventions (30.6%). People suffering from recurrent depressive and somatoform disorders received much more contacts and treatment time than other diagnostic groups. Age was negatively associated with care intensity.

CLS services are able to offer differentiated psychiatric care depending on diagnoses. Individuals suffering from classical psychiatric disorders received rather treatment as usual, oncologic patients more psychotherapeutic interventions. Depressive as well as somatoform patients seem to need more time and personal resources.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Previous researches showed that adolescents are at high risk of suicide. Suicide is a trans-nosographic phenomenon regardless of psychiatric diagnosis. Trauma is an important risk factor for suicide and young help-seeking patients usually refer traumatic experiences, especially during childhood.

The objective of this study is to assess the relationship between traumatic experience and suicide risk comparing adolescents with suicide risk with adolescents without suicide risk.

To investigate correlations between trauma, psychopathology and suicide risk in a sample of young help-seeking outpatients.

We recruited 99 outpatients aged between 14 and 21 years admitted to department for prevention and early intervention in adolescence of Rome. We administered psychometric instruments exploring suicide risk (SHSS, BHS), prodromal (SIPS/SOPS), affective and anxious symptoms (HAM-A, HAM-D,MRS), child abuse (CTQ) and experiences of depersonalization (CDS).

Sample is composed of 31 men and 68 women. A total of 34.3% had mood disorder. A total of 28.3% reported history of emotional neglect, 20.2% emotional abuse, 9.15 sexual abuse, 5.1% physical neglect, 9,1% sexual abuse, 4% physical abuse. More than 30% of patients were at increased suicide risk. Depressive, irritable, anxious and cyclothymic temperament was associated with suicide risk. Patients with suicide risk had higher score at HAM-D (t63 = 2.65; P = 0.01), CDS (t63 = 2.77; P = 0.007), in CTQ (t63 = 3.20; P = 0.002) and BHS (t63 = 3.23; P = 0.002).

Adolescents with suicide risk, compared with those without, reported more frequently early traumatic experiences and psychiatric symptoms. Early traumatic experiences constitute a risk factor for both suicide risk and psychiatric symptoms during adolescence.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Sexual well-being (SWB) has been an ignored dimension that may contribute to successful aging.

To analyze SWB in older adults’ perspective, to investigate the latent constructs that can work as major determinants in SWB and to examine the potential explanatory mechanisms of a SWB overall model, in an older cross-national sample.

Measures were completed, using a variety of appropriate methods, including demographics and interviews. Complete data were available for 163 older adults aged between 65–97 years (M = 74.2; SD = 4.743). Data were subjected to content analysis. Representation of the associations and latent constructs were analyzed by a multiple correspondence analysis (MCA).

The most prevalent response of the interviewed participants for SWB was ‘affection and care’ (11.0%). A three-dimension model formed by ‘intimacy and well-being’, ‘care, eroticism and desire’, and ‘sexual activity and health’ was presented as a best-fit solution for German older adults. SWB for Portuguese older adults were explained by a three-factor model: ‘intimacy, health and desire’, ‘affection and well-being’ and ‘sexual activity’.

The outcomes presented in this paper emphasized the need to explore the indicators of SWB among older adults and the under-developed potential of a SWB overall model for the older population.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

To build a structural model to explore the predictors of adjustment to aging (AtA) reported by older women in breast cancer remission.

Older women in breast cancer remission (n = 214) aged between 75 and 94 years participated in this study. A questionnaire to determine socio-demographic (age, income, professional and marital status, education, household, living setting and self-reported spirituality), lifestyle and health-related characteristics (physical activity, leisure, perceived health, recent disease and medication), and measures to assess AtA, sense of coherence and subjective well-being, were employed. Structural equation modeling was used to explore a structural model of the self-reported AtA, encompassing all variables.

Preliminary results indicated that self-reported spirituality (β = .397; P < .001), leisure (β = .383; P < .001), physical activity (β = .267; P < .001), perceived health (β = .211; P < .001), marital status (β = .173; P < .001), professional status (β = .156; P = .009), sense of coherence (β = .138; P < .001), and living setting (β = .129; P = .007), predicted AtA. The variables accounted for 79.2% of the variability of AtA.

Self-reported spirituality and leisure were the strongest predictors of AtA. Our preliminary findings suggest that health care interventions with older women in breast cancer remission still living in the community may benefit from clearly including predictors of AtA, as these are essential for promoting older women’ s aging well.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Diverse factors may predict the adjustment to aging (AtA) of the younger-old and oldest-old adults’.

To build a structural model for exploring whether socio-demographic, health and lifestyle-related variables are predictors of AtA for both groups.

Research encompassed a community-dwelling sample, of 447 older adults aged 75 years and above (M = 86.27; SD = 6.78; range 75–100). Measures included demographics (sex, marital status, education, household, adult children, family‘s annual income, and self-reported spirituality), lifestyle and health-related characteristics (perceived health, recent disease, physical activity and leisure), and the Adjustment to Aging Scale. Structural equation modeling was used to investigate a structural model of the self-reported AtA, encompassing all the above variables.

Significant predictors for the younger-old are perceived health (β = .425; P < .001), leisure (β = .324; P < .001), professional status (β = .243; P < .001). Significant predictors for the oldest-old are self-reported spirituality (β = .816; P < .001), perceived health (β = .232; P < .001), and income (β = .233; P = .035). The variables explained respectively 64.5% and 61.6% of the variability of AtA, respectively.

Perceived health is the strongest predictor of AtA for the younger-old participants whilst self-reported spirituality is the strongest predictor of AtA for the oldest-old adults.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Growing literature suggests that the sense of coherence (SOC) positively influences well-being in later life.

This study reports the assessment the following psychometric properties: distributional properties, construct, criterion and external-related validities, and reliability, of the Orientation to Life Questionnaire (OtLQ) in an cross-national population of older adults.

We recruited 1291 community-dwelling older adults aged between 75–102 years (M = 83.9; SD = 6.68). Convenience sampling was used to gather questionnaire data. The construct validity was asserted by confirmatory factor analysis, convergent and discriminant validity. Moreover, criterion and external-related validities, as well as distributional properties and reliability were also tested.

Data gathered with the 29-items OtLQ scale showed overall good psychometric properties, in terms of distributional properties, construct, criterion and external-related validities, as well as reliability. Three factors were validated for the OtLQ scale: (a) comprehensibility; (b) manageability; and (c) meaningfulness.

We validated the 3-factor OtLQ scale, which produced valid and reliable data for a cross-national sample with older adults. Hence, it is an adequate instrument for assessing sense of coherence among older people in health care practice and program development contexts.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

To observe the effect of Qing Huan Ling and (or) risperidone on locomotor activity and explorative behavior of schizophrenia mice model by open field test.

Seventy kunming mice were randomly divided into 5 groups, one group as blank group. The rest groups ip MK-801 continuously 14 day, then randomly numbered: model group, risperidone group, Qing Huan Ling group and risperidone combined Qing Huan Ling group. Ig give corresponding drugs for each group 4 weeks, observe the change of locomotor activity and explorative behavior by open field test.

After Ig 4 weeks, compared with the blank group, there were no obvious difference in locomotor activity and explorative behavior between risperidone group, Qing Huan Ling group and the combined group. Compared with the model group, risperidone had statistics meaning in the repression of explorative behavior (P < 0.05),the combined group has statistics meaning in the repression of locomotor activity and explorative behavior (78.92 ± 36.18 m vs. 186.92 ± 41.08 m, P < 0.01).

Qing Huan Ling regulate the central nervous system of schizophrenia mice model; when combined with risperidone, it restrain the central nervous system of schizophrenia mice model and the effect is stronger than risperidone alone.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

It is well known the high rate of alcohol abuse and dependence in Spain. Specifically, in Castilla and Léon as a wine region, the risk of developing alcoholism is 1 of 10 men and 1 of 15 women [1].

The aim of the study is to assess the efficacy of nalmefene in reducing alcohol consumption and its complications, in a sample of patients with alcoholism.

It is an open, naturalistic, observational and descriptive study in a sample of 18 patients with alcohol dependence diagnosis.

We collected standard demographic variables, but also living alone, social support and work.

In addition, clinical variables as SD (standard drinks) per day, time of illness, concomitant diseases, number of admissions, periods of abstinence, abstinence longer duration, nalmefene doses and other treatments were collected. These variables were reassessed at first, 3th and 6th month.

In our sample the average profile is a man (75%) with an age of 46, who lives alone (68%), in urban area and with poor social support.

Average SD consumed at the beginning was 53, one month later was 26, after three months was 14 and 6 months later was 5, with a total abstinence rate of 65% at the end of the period. Logically there was also a dramatic reduction in somatic and social complications.

Nalmefene is demonstrated as a useful drug in reducing alcohol consumption and its complications.

Nalmefene also proves to be effective for achieving complete alcohol abstinence starting with a reduction plan.

Reference not available.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

There is only a limited body of literature which has examined the factors which can predict the presence of substance use disorders (SUD) in psychiatric patients seeking emergency room (ER) treatment.

To examine the factors that can predict the likelihood that a patient presenting to the emergency room and referred to the liaison psychiatric team will suffer from a SUD.

Nineteen independent demographic and clinical factors from data assessment tools for 477 patients assessed by the liaison psychiatric team in the ER over 12 months were compiled and analysed using univariate analyses and logistic regression in SPSS (version 20).

The 12-month prevalence rate of all SUDs in our clinical sample was 24.7%. Patients who presented to the ER with a chief alcohol and/or drug related complaint (withdrawal or intoxication) were 142 times more likely to fulfill the diagnostic criteria for SUD compared to those who presented with non-SUD related complaints. Male patients or patients with forensic history were both three times more likely to suffer from SUD than female patients or patients with no forensic history, respectively.

There is a high prevalence of SUDs among psychiatric patients assessed in the ER. In addition to targeting patients who present to the ER with an alcohol or drug withdrawal/intoxication for brief psycho-educational interventions and referrals to addiction treatment services, patients with forensic history and male patients should be targeted for SUD screening.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

The author has not supplied his declaration of competing interest.