Helen Roberts

Bio: Helen Roberts is an academic researcher. The author has contributed to research in topics: Family planning & Sexual intercourse. The author has an hindex of 1, co-authored 1 publications receiving 82 citations.

Family planning needs and STD risk behaviours of female psychiatric out-patients

Abstract: BACKGROUND There are few studies concerning the family planning needs of female chronic psychiatric patients. We aimed to determine the contraceptive needs and sexually transmitted disease (STD) risk-behaviours of female psychiatric out-patients. METHOD Sixty-six female out-patients with major psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and mood disorders, completed a semi-structured interview (response rate = 63%) and were individually matched for age and ethnicity with 66 women who had never been treated for psychiatric illness. They answered questions on child-rearing and on their methods of contraception in relation to their attitudes towards pregnancy, as well as on their risk for STDs. RESULTS Compared with controls, the female patients reported having had significantly more induced abortions and were significantly more likely to have given up their own children for others to raise. Heterosexually active psychiatric patients were significantly more likely than controls to have had more than one male sexual partner, to have been pressured into unwanted sexual intercourse, and to report having had sexual intercourse with a suspected bisexual over the preceding year. CONCLUSIONS These results underscore the priority for developing programmes that reduce female psychiatric patients' risk for unwanted pregnancies and STDs. 66 patients 18-50 years of age with chronic psychiatric disorders were interviewed using semistructured interviews at a community mental health center in Auckland, New Zealand, resulting in a response rate of 62.9%. Each patient was matched with a control for ethnicity and age. The psychiatric patients also completed the Mini-Mental State Examination. The interview covered demographic, obstetric, and gynecologic information and information on women's risk for unwanted pregnancies and STDs. The mean age of cases was 36.03 years and that of the controls was 36.20 years. The mean age of leaving school was around 16 years. The mean duration of psychiatric illness was 12.5 years. 24.2% of patients vs. 50.0% of controls were currently married or living with a male partner (p 0.005); 24.2% of patients vs. 54.5% of controls had a job (p 0.001); and 92.3% of patients vs. 36.4% of controls were receiving social welfare (p 0.001). 43 (65.1%) of the patients reported having been pregnant at least once, the total number of completed pregnancies being 80. 9 of the pregnancies ended in miscarriages, 17 in induced abortions, 2 in stillbirths, and 52 in live births. 58 (87.9%) controls had been pregnant at least once. 17 patients (39.5%) and 8 controls (13.8%) had had one or more induced abortions (p 0.01). There was no significant difference between the two groups with regard to miscarriages or stillbirths. 19 children of the patients were under 16 years of age and 8 of them were not living with their mothers. A significantly greater percentage of children of patients (42%), compared with the children of controls (3.8%), were not being reared by their biological mothers (p 0.001). 35 patients (55.4%) had had heterosexual intercourse within the past year. Only one patient had not used birth control. Heterosexually active patients (n = 35) were significantly more likely than heterosexually active controls (n = 52) to have had more than one male sexual partner, to report having been pressured into unwanted intercourse, and to have had intercourse with a bisexual person.

Antipsychotic Therapy During Early and Late Pregnancy. A Systematic Review

Abstract: Objective: Both first- (FGAs) and second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) are routinely used in treating severe and persistent psychiatric disorders. However, until now no articles have analyzed systematically the safety of both classes of psychotropics during pregnancy. Data sources and search strategy: Medical literature information published in any language since 1950 was identified using MEDLINE/PubMed, TOXNET, EMBASE, and The Cochrane Library. Additional references were identified from the reference lists of published articles. Bibliographical information, including contributory unpublished data, was also requested from companies developing drugs. Search terms were pregnancy, psychotropic drugs, (a)typical-first-second-generation antipsychotics, and neuroleptics. A separate search was also conducted to complete the safety profile of each reviewed medication. Searches were last updated on July 2008. Data selection: All articles reporting primary data on the outcome of pregnancies exposed to antipsychotics were acquired, without methodological limitations. Conclusions: Reviewed information was too limited to draw definite conclusions on structural teratogenicity of FGAs and SGAs. Both classes of drugs seem to be associated with an increased risk of neonatal complications. However, most SGAs appear to increase risk of gestational metabolic complications and babies large for gestational age and with mean birth weight significantly heavier as compared with those exposed to FGAs. These risks have been reported rarely with FGAs. Hence, the choice of the less harmful option in pregnancy should be limited to FGAs in drug-naive patients. When pregnancy occurs during antipsychotic treatment, the choice to continue the previous therapy should be preferred.

Sexual and Physical Abuse of Chronically Ill Psychiatric Outpatients Compared with a Matched Sample of Medical Outpatients

Abstract: Because there are few controlled studies, we aimed to determine the prevalence of sexual and physical abuse reported by psychiatric outpatients compared with matched controls. The sample consisted of 158 outpatients with major mental disorders including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder who responded to a semi-structured interview (response rate = 64.8%) and who were individually matched for gender, age, and ethnicity with 158 outpatients who had never been treated for psychiatric illness. They answered questions about whether and when they had ever been sexually or physically abused, and about the type and circumstances of abuse. Abuse was more common during adulthood (16 years or older); 45 psychiatric patients (28.5%) were sexually abused and 43 (27.3%) were physically abused. Compared with the controls, patients were significantly more likely to report a history of sexual or physical abuse during adulthood (chi2 = 5.15, df = 1, p = .02; chi2 = 4.09, df = 1, p = .04 respectively). During adulthood, female patients were significantly more likely to be sexually and physically abused than male patients, and those sexually abused were significantly more likely to report a history of sexual abuse during childhood. However, patients were not significantly more likely to report a history of sexual or physical abuse during childhood compared with the controls. These findings demonstrate that psychiatrically ill patients are vulnerable to sexual and physical abuse during adulthood and underscore psychiatrists' responsibility to routinely inquire about abuse experiences.

The expression of sexuality in people with psychosis: breaking the taboos

Abstract: While mental health professionals should recognize that people suffering from schizophrenia have sexual and relationship requirements, there appears to be a failure to address adequately the subject of human sexuality, particularly in the area of psychosocial rehabilitation. The broad aim of this small study was to identify the sexual and relationship needs of people being cared for in hospital and preparing for a return to community living. The objectives of the study were to discover the clients' sexual expressions in the past and present, and to try to elicit hopes and aspirations for the future. An attempt was made to uncover some of the obstacles to the expression of sexuality and explore some of the clients' subjective experiences of the issues. The number of respondents was 11 from a possible 15. Data were collected through: a questionnaire on demographic characteristics; an adapted version of a questionnaire investigating the determinant factors of sexual behaviour through life; and a semi-structured interview devised to elicit subjective experiences regarding sexual expression. The findings show that people with psychotic illness are prepared to discuss issues relating to sex and relationship matters. No interviews had to be prematurely terminated. No exacerbations of symptoms were noted. All of the respondents showed an openness to discuss a range of intimate feelings. Most respondents seemed hopeful about the opportunity to form intimate and fulfilling relationships in the future. A drive towards more rigorous holistic nursing assessments and appropriate psychosocial responses is proposed.

Women's Mental Health: Into the Mainstream

Abstract: ”Do we want to live on our own? Frederica asked the others. More and more of us do. What sort of creatures would we be if we were independent, if marriage didn't come into it, if men were optional? Julia said we wouldn't be like the great virginal heroines of the last century. Florence Nightingale