I am a psychiatry resident at McGill University and a Diversity Leadership Fellow at American Psychiatric Association. Given my background as a family physician and an immigrant in North America, I have a special interest in the mental health and well-being of vulnerable populations, most notably, the indigenous people (my current area of focus this…
Overview The mhGAP community toolkit: field test version is an integral part of WHO’s Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP), and aims at scaling up services for people with mental health conditions to achieve universal health coverage. The toolkit provides guidance for programme managers on how to identify local mental health needs and tailor community services to match…
Overview The WHO Guidelines on risk reduction of cognitive decline and dementia provide evidence-based recommendations on lifestyle behaviours and interventions to delay or prevent cognitive decline and dementia. Worldwide, around 50 million people have dementia and, with one new case every three seconds, the number of people with dementia is set to triple by 2050. The increasing…
Abstract As members of the Global Mental Health and Psychiatry Caucus of the American Psychiatric Association (APA), we would like to express our grave concerns about the ongoing policies and treatment of asylum seekers, refugees, and immigrants coming to the United States, and the adverse mental health sequelae that such policies will have on these…
Clinical vignette Mr. D is a 73-year-old divorced man who was brought to the emergency room by his daughter for suicidal ideation and depression. He mentioned few months’ history of continuous excessive worry about his future, panic attacks and loss of interest in life. He self-isolated and avoided seeing family and friends. He had gradually…
Abstract Background: Depressive disorders are among the most important causes of disability and can be considered a major contributor to the global burden of mental illnesses. Religious beliefs and practices have roots in the history of mankind and are broadly prevalent around the world. People with chronic medical and psychiatric conditions employ religion as a…
Abstract Background: With our aging population and limited number of geriatric psychiatrists, innovations must be made in order to meet the growing demands for geriatric psychiatry services. Emerging technologies could greatly improve access to care and systematic data collection. Methods: This randomized study compared completion rates and time to completion (primary outcomes) when using iPad technology vs.…
Abstract Objective: In an era of rising geriatric mental health care needs worldwide, technological advances can help address care needs in a cost-effective fashion. Our objective in this review was to assess whether mobile health technology, such as tablets and smartphones, are feasible to use in patients with late-life mental and cognitive disorders, as well as…
Serotonin selective reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have widely replaced older tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) in the treatment of depression and anxiety over the years, given their safer cardiac profile [Glassman, 1998]. Even at therapeutic doses, TCAs commonly cause a slowing of intraventricular conduction through their sodium-channel blocking properties, leading to prolonged PR, QRS and QT intervals [Pacher…
Abstract Background: Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) have become the mainstay of treatment for depression, anxiety, and many other conditions. However, they have been associated with an increased risk of hyponatremia. Little is known about the risk of SSRI-associated hyponatremia in certain potentially at-risk populations, such as patients with acute medical illnesses. Objective: The main objective of…