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Psychiatric Disorder Three-Minute Checklist Accurate

The first step to receiving treatment is through the identification of the medical problem, many individuals are often unaware that their moods may possibly be a psychiatric disorder.

"About 1 in 10 Americans who suffer from depression and anxiety-related mental health disorders never receive treatment because they don’t understand what’s wrong, and when they go to their family doctor these treatable illnesses are too often missed," said Dr. Bradley Gaynes, M.P.H., an associate professor of psychiatry at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill School of Medicine.

Gaynes led a study into the validity and effectiveness of a 27-item questionnaire as a screen for four illnesses: depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder.

The questionnaire, My Mood Monitor (M-3), was designed to in three minutes evaluate checklist answers to provide a dedicated risk analysis of the individual.

Gaynes conducted a study to test the accuracy of the questionnaire as a screen. Six hundred forty-seven adults over 18-years-old seeking care at the UNC Family Medicine Center between July 2007 and February 2008 were enrolled in the study. They were given a paper version of the checklist, after completing the list their doctors then reviewed their emotional health with them.

Researchers later interviewed each person within 30 days of their doctor visit and assigned finaldiagnoses. Gaynes then compared the diagnoses with the participants’ answers to the checklist. The results showed that the M-3 was effective in screening for any mood or anxiety disorder 83 percent of the time and for a specific disorder in 76 percent of cases.

"The M-3 is a valid, efficient, and feasible tool for screening multiple common psychiatric illnesses in primary care. Its accuracy is equivalent to existing single disorder screens with the benefit of being combined into a one-page tool. It has the potential to reduce missed psychiatric diagnoses and assure proper treatment of those identified," concluded Gaynes in his study.

Gaynes said the research team is currently designing a second study to measure the effectiveness of the M-3 questionnaire in monitoring their mental health status over time.

The M-3 was created by primary collaborators Dr. Robert M. Post, head of the Bipolar Collaborative Network; Dr. Bernard M. Snyder, assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Georgetown University and a cognitive behavioral therapist; Michael L. Byer, president of M-3 information; and Dr. Gerald Hurowitz, assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Columbia University and a clinical psychopharmacologist.

Address: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, 200 E Cameron Ave., Chapel Hill, NC 27514; (919) 962-2211, www.unc.edu.



Healthy Shiftworking

June 10, 2010

Our complex technological industries make shiftwork an inevitable fact of life. Yet, studies have found that long-term disruptions in Circadian rhythm can have serious physiologic impact on the employee. Approximately 20 percent of shiftworkers never adapt to the health and social strains. The remaining 80 percent experience some degree of negative effect on their quality of life.

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Today’s Economic Turmoil Seen Driving Need For HPM Programs

May 20, 2010

Now more than ever, employers and employees can benefit from the advantages and lifestyle advice of health and productivity management (HPM) programs, according to an analysis by the non-profit Integrated Benefits Institute (IBI).

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Applying Quality Management Principles To Wellness: After Action Reports

April 22, 2010

Well-maintained after action reports (AARs) are living documents that validate the wellness program’s worth to senior management and the wellness manager’s worth during periodic performance reviews. Ideally, an AAR should be developed for every program, but certainly for major events that require considerable effort to put together.

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The Health Benefits Of (E-mail) Spam

April 8, 2010

Spam is not just a mysterious lunch meat anymore. As part of a larger Canadian exercise and health study, researchers at the University of Alberta sent weekly e-mail reminders to volunteers at five large workplaces over a 12-week period. Of the nearly 2,600 workers, those who were “spammed” with weekly health promotion emails in their inbox increased their physical activity and were more willing to make changes in their eating habits when compared to the control group who did not receive these messages.

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Corporate Sponsorship – It’s Not Just For Fun Runs

March 18, 2010

Managers who have never sought corporate sponsors for their programs are overlooking a valuable potential resource. Even those who have used corporate sponsors often restrict their usage to some major event like a fitness challenge or health fair.

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Finances, Job Security: Stressing Out Employees

March 4, 2010

Workplace Options conducted a survey to develop catered programs that uncovered job insecurity and financial stress as today’s main concerns.

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Support From Senior Management Should Be Part Of A Wellness Manager’s Job Description

February 18, 2010

It is no secret among wellness managers that the most important key to the overall success of a wellness program is the support of senior management. And, the success of the Intel Health for Life 3 Step Wellness Check program is proof positive.

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New Survey Findings: Incentives As A Motivator To Participate In Wellness Programs Continues To Grow

January 28, 2010

The majority of wellness managers say their programs offer incentives to employees or members for participation. Some 76.6 percent of wellness professionals reported their program includes some form of formal incentives, found the results of the survey conducted by the Institute for Workplace Wellness and Health Promotion.

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Bonus As A Piece Of Wellness Managers’ Compensation

January 7, 2010

Some 33 percent of wellness professionals responding to the "Wellness Professionals Salary and Benefits Survey" received a bonus, according to the results.

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