Discover how brief, drug-free interventions in emergency and psychiatric settings are revolutionizing care for individuals in crisis, according to the latest systematic review.
– by Marv
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The effectiveness of brief non-pharmacological interventions in emergency departments and psychiatric inpatient units for people in crisis: A systematic review and narrative synthesis.
Huber et al., Aust N Z J Psychiatry 2023
DOI: 10.1177/00048674231216348
Oh, what a joyous day for the world of mental health research! We’ve got a systematic review that sifted through the vast expanse of Cochrane, CINAHL, DARE, Embase, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO databases, using the ever-so-rigorous Joanna Briggs Institute tools, to bring us the holy grail of taxonomies for brief non-pharmacological interventions. Because, you know, when you’re in the throes of a mental health crisis, what you really need is a well-organized list.
The researchers, bless their hearts, managed to include a whopping 39 studies—a mix of 8 randomised controlled trials, 17 quasi-experimental studies, 11 qualitative studies, and 3 file audits. From this treasure trove, they unearthed six types of interventions: Skills-focussed, Environment-focussed, Special Observation, Psychoeducation, Multicomponent Group, and Multicomponent Individual. It’s like a menu of options, but with the nutritional information missing.
And let’s talk about outcomes! The range was as broad and inconsistent as the flavors at an ice cream shop, making systematic comparison or meta-analysis as feasible as herding cats. But fear not, there were some glimmers of hope in this murky sea of data. Sensory modulation rooms seemed to be the spa retreat for distress in inpatient settings, and short admissions with a side of psychotherapy might just be the combo meal to reduce suicide attempts and readmissions.
However, let’s pour one out for the interventions that didn’t make the cut. No-suicide contracting, special observation, and inpatient self-harm interventions were about as effective as a chocolate teapot. And as for suicide-specific interventions in emergency departments, they might help with the blues, but not with keeping the blues from turning into something more serious.
In conclusion, categorizing these interventions is as “feasible” as finding a needle in a haystack, but the evidence base for many is as rich as a pauper’s purse. Some interventions show promise, but the inconsistency in outcomes is like a box of chocolates—you never know what you’re gonna get.