Online Advanced Release

Articles appearing in this "Online Advanced Release" section have been peer-reviewed and accepted for publication in the Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services and posted online before print publication. Articles appear on this site after copyediting and author corrections, but before final proofing. The content of the article will usually remain unchanged, and possible further corrections are fairly minor. The final published article will specify the issue and page numbers. Once the final version is available in print, the version posted here will be removed from this site.

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Table of Contents

Walking for Therapy with Man’s Best Friend

Pamela R. Cangelosi, PhD, RN, CNE; Jeanne M. Sorrell, PhD, RN

Recent research has shown that older people who walk dogs are more likely than those who walk with a human companion to engage in regular exercise and show more improvement in fitness. Studies with dogs and other animals have suggested new approaches for using animals to enhance both mental and physical health in older adults. With the current intense focus on health care reform, increased use of animals as therapy may serve as a cost-effective strategy for improving and maintaining health in older adults.

Posted: February 22, 2010
doi:10.3928/02793695-20100202-05 [get full text]

Unawareness as a Barrier to Treatment in Patients with Schizophrenia A Conceptual Analysis

V. Jude Forbes, RNC, MSN, FNP-BC

This article explores the phenomenon of unawareness in individuals with schizophrenia. Definitions, individual examples, prevalence data, suggested causation models, societal costs, and recommended treatment interventions are reviewed. In addition, strategies specific to advanced practice nurses who work with patients with severe and persistent mental illness are discussed.

Posted: February 22, 2010
Received: March 30, 2009
Accepted: October 5, 2009
doi:10.3928/02793695-20100202-01 [get full text]

Psychosocial Adjustments Following Weight Loss Surgery

Diane Grimaldi, PMHCNS, BC; Deborah Van Etten, PMHCNS, GNP, BC

Recent interest in weight loss surgery has increased dramatically, largely due to the rising prevalence of severe obesity and the use of less invasive laparoscopic surgical procedures. Physiological postoperative outcomes are easily measured and have been well documented in the literature. The impact of weight loss surgery on psychosocial, behavioral, and psychological function is less clearly understood. Few long-term studies of postoperative weight loss surgery patients in the literature measure emotional health and quality of life. This article discusses some of the psychosocial, behavioral, and psychiatric issues and challenges patients commonly encounter following weight loss surgery.

Received: June 18, 2009
Accepted: December 9, 2009
Posted: February 22, 2010
doi:10.3928/02793695-20100202-04 [get full text]

Are Generic Medications Safe and Effective?

Robert H. Howland, MD

Because multiple branded, alternative, and generic medications contain the same active ingredient, controversies sometimes arise regarding generic substitution. For patients, physicians, and nurses, the critical issue is whether generic medications are safe and effective. This article addresses the issue with regard to several antidepressant, anticonvulsant, and antipsychotic medications. There is no consistent evidence that generic substitutes are less safe or less effective than brand-name equivalents. Uncontrolled reports are subject to many confounding factors and biases. Relapses temporally associated with medication switches could be due to the change but are difficult to distinguish from the natural history of the treated condition. Adverse effects temporally associated with medication switches could also be attributable to the change, but they might be explained as a type of “nocebo” effect. Expectancy theory may be used to explain relapses or adverse effects after generic switches. Randomized controlled blinded studies are necessary to evaluate causality; however, such studies typically have not supported uncontrolled reports that the safety or effectiveness of brand-name and generic drugs differ. It is still clinically prudent to monitor a patient whose medication has been switched.

Posted: February 22, 2010
doi:10.3928/02793695-20100204-01 [get full text]

H1N1 Pandemic Planning in a Mental Health Residential Facility

Frances A. Hughes, RN, DNurs, JP, ONZM, FCOMHN(NZ)

It is only in the past few years that the mental health impact of disasters has gained attention in research and planning. This article provides a perspective of the experience of the H1N1 outbreak in New Zealand and the response by nurses in a community mental health residential facility. The key lessons learned were: planning and managing for infectious diseases should be part of disaster planning, know your clients and your community, share your knowledge, support the mental health of individuals throughout, and expect reactions as part of recovery. More research and publications are needed in this area for nurses to fully support consumers through pandemics in a more integrated manner.

Received: July 7, 2009
Accepted: December 9, 2009
Posted: February 22, 2010
doi:10.3928/02793695-20100202-02 [get full text]

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