In the September issue of the International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine (IJPM) we continue to examine topics related to psychiatry and psychiatric aspects of medical care, particularly primary care medicine. Eight articles on a range of subjects from different countries throughout the world are presented here.
First is an article on a possible new genetic polymorphism that may increase the risk of developing schizophrenia. The Catenin Delta 2 gene (CTNND2) is responsible for regulating neuronal development in the brain. In this article, researchers examine subjects in two large patient samples from mainland China (discovery sample = 528 patients with schizophrenia vs. 528 controls; replication sample = 2458 patients with schizophrenia vs. 6914 controls) to examine the relationship between polymorphisms of the CTNND2 gene and the presence of schizophrenia. Researchers identify four polymorphisms significantly correlated with schizophrenia, suggesting that the gene is involved in susceptibility to this chronic psychiatric disorder.
The second article examines coping strategies and their mental health consequences in patients with psoriasis. A total of 150 psoriasis patients were included in this study, which surprisingly found a negative correlation between problem-focused coping strategies (typically considered healthy) and quality of life, while at the same time finding a positive correlation between emotion-focused coping strategies (typically considered unhealthy) and quality of life. The success of coping strategies also differed between men and women in this study. Psoriasis affects all areas of a person's life, and this study identifies specific strategies that may help to enhance quality of life in these patients.
The third article in this issue examines the prevalence and correlates of child maltreatment among mothers in Iran. In this study, 135 mothers with a child under 18 years old were surveyed using measures assessing child abuse practices, maternal anxiety, and maternal depressive symptoms.
RESULTS indicated that 79% of mothers engaged in practices involving severe physical punishment, whereas 99% engaged in serious psychological punishments. Nearly half reported behaviors involving child neglect. Predictors of child physical and emotional abuse were low maternal education, domestic violence within the home, maternal exposure to maltreatment during her own childhood, and increased levels of maternal depression and anxiety. Researchers suggest that primary care physicians should be alert to potential risk factors for maternal child maltreatment given its high prevalence in Iran.
The fourth article here reviews the literature on chronic benzodiazepine prescribing practices in the United States, underscoring the problem. They find that current policies and guidelines regarding benzodiazepine prescribing have lost touch with the clinical reality seen in medical practice today. The authors propose guidelines for primary care physicians on how to pursue harm reduction strategies based on lessons learned from the recent opioid epidemic in the US...