Mentally ill inmates now comprise a substantial portion of the prison population and pose administrative and therapeutic challenges to prison administrators and mental health professionals. Some evidence suggests that both the size of the population and the seriousness of their illnesses are increasing. Given this context, several issues are highlighted and discussed in terms of contemporary ef...

There is emerging evidence that individuals who are mentally ill are overrepresented in the group of defendants prosecuted under the blasphemy laws of Pakistan. This article discusses the background of blasphemy legislation in Pakistan, and proposes causal interactions between underlying mental illness in the defendant and prosecution for blasphemy. It sketches possible legal safeguards for suc...

BACKGROUND Electronic patient portals may enhance effective interaction between the patient and the health care provider. To grasp the full potential of patient portals, health care providers need more knowledge on which patient groups prefer electronic services and how patients should be served through this channel. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to assess how chronically ill pati...

Wayne S. Fenton, MD, was an accomplished psychiatric researcher, but his colleagues knew him as an equally talented clinician. This memorial recognizes the personal qualities and professional skills that endeared Wayne Fenton to hundreds of mentally ill persons he treated over the course of his professional career. Among these attributes, deep compassion, sincere respect, and tremendous flexibi...

This study uses the introduction of premiums into Kentucky's Children's Health Insurance Program (KCHIP) to examine whether the enrollment impact of new premiums varies by child health type. We also examine the extent to which children find alternative coverage after premium nonpayment. Public insurance claims data suggest that those with chronic health conditions are less likely to leave publi...

UNLABELLED Informing the patient about his disease is a very important issue in the medical practice, thus communication becomes imperative in healthcare services. Communicating the diagnosis of a pathology that doesn't bear any imminent risk for life is a common procedure for physicians. However, the situation changes drastically in the case of a severe diagnosis or a hopeless prognosis, with ...