The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) vaccine, Improvac TM (Pfizer Ltd), in suppressing aggressive and sexual behaviour of male pigs. One hundred and thirty-six pigs were assigned to three treatments: entire male pigs (n 5 64), immunocastration against GnRH (n 5 48) and surgical castration (n 5 24). Surgical castration was performed before the age of 1 week. Vaccination comprised two injections: the first injection was given 8 to 11 weeks before slaughter and the second injection 4 weeks before slaughter. After the second injection, immunocastrated pigs showed less non-violent social and aggressive behaviours than entire male pigs of the same age. Mounting was reduced to the same low level as observed in surgically castrated pigs, and more immunocastrated pigs were without skin lesions compared with entire male pigs. Pigs that received the second injection only 1 week before the observation day did not differ significantly in behaviour from those that received the injection 3 weeks before the observation day. Thus, the behaviour seems to change soon after the second injection and these changes remain until slaughter.Keywords: entire male pigs, castration, immunocastration, behaviour
ImplicationsThis study evaluated the effectiveness of a gonadotropinreleasing hormone (GnRH) vaccine, Improvac TM (Pfizer Ltd), in suppressing aggressive and sexual behaviour of entire male pigs. We found that immunocastrated pigs demonstrated much less aggressive and mounting behaviour after the second injection than entire males of the same age. However, timing of the second vaccination is crucial, as the full castration effect is not obtained until then.
The aim of this study was to explore possible regional differences in the use of coercion in psychiatric care as experienced by patients and relatives. At four psychiatric care settings in different parts of Sweden, 138 committed and 144 voluntarily admitted patients were interviewed at admission using the Nordic Admission Interview. At discharge or, if the care episode was still ongoing, after 3 weeks of care, a follow-up patient interview and an interview with 162 relatives of these patients took place. In one of the centers, where involuntarily admitted patients were treated without locking the doors of the wards, the patients reported less coercion at admission than in the other three centers. Regarding the patients' reports of the use of coercive measures, personal treatment and outcome of care, and concerning the relatives' experiences, few differences were found between centers among committed and voluntarily admitted patients, respectively. Coercion in psychiatric care, as reported by patients and relatives, was not always legally based, and many of the patients reported they felt violated during the admission process. Only a minority of patients and relatives reported participation in treatment and care planning, as regulated by law. Still, a majority of both committed and voluntarily admitted patients reported they had been well treated by the personnel at admission as well as during the stay at the ward, and that they had been improved in their mental health after the psychiatric care episode.
SUMMARY The changes in family burden and participation in care of relatives to both voluntarily and compulsorily admitted patients were investigated as part of a longitudinal study of the quality of the mental health services in a Swedish county performed between 1986 and 1997. The relationship between the relative's mental health and family burden, participation in care and need of own support was also investigated. The results showed similar and high levels of burden and a non-sufficient participation in care in both periods investigated despite the ongoing changes in the delivery of psychiatric services and a change in the compulsory legislation in Sweden during the period. More relatives experienced an own need of care and support from the psychiatric services in the 1997 investigation. Relatives who experienced mental health problems of their own more often experienced other forms of burden, experienced less participation in the patient's treatment and also more often had own needs of care and support. It is concluded that interventions in families where relatives experience mental health problems will be useful, since a well-functioning network around the mentally ill person has shown to reduce relapse.
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