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Cannabis use, and particularly heavy cannabis use, may be associated with an increased risk for developing depressive disorders. There is need for further longitudinal exploration of the association between cannabis use and developing depression, particularly taking into account cumulative exposure to cannabis and potentially significant confounding factors.

BackgroundCultural competency is now a core requirement for mental health professionals working with culturally diverse patient groups. Cultural competency training may improve the quality of mental health care for ethnic groups.MethodsA systematic review that included evaluated models of professional education or service delivery.ResultsOf 109 potential papers, only 9 included an evaluation of the model to improve the cultural competency practice and service delivery. All 9 studies were located in North America. Cultural competency included modification of clinical practice and organizational performance. Few studies published their teaching and learning methods. Only three studies used quantitative outcomes. One of these showed a change in attitudes and skills of staff following training. The cultural consultation model showed evidence of significant satisfaction by clinicians using the service. No studies investigated service user experiences and outcomes.ConclusionThere is limited evidence on the effectiveness of cultural competency training and service delivery. Further work is required to evaluate improvement in service users' experiences and outcomes.

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Those with psychosis are at considerable risk of violent victimisation in the community. Victimisation experience should be recorded in the standard psychiatric interview.

Perceived discrimination may induce delusional ideation and thus contribute to the high observed rates of psychotic disorder in exposed minority populations.

Executive Summary BackgroundThis Commission addresses several priority areas for psychiatry over the next decade, and into the 21st century. These represent challenges and opportunities for the profession to sustain and develop itself to secure the best possible future for the millions of people worldwide who will face life with mental illness. Part 1: The patient and treatmentWho will psychiatrists help? The patient population of the future will reflect general demographic shifts towards older, more urban, and migrant populations. While technical advances such as the development of biomarkers will potentially alter diagnosis and treatment, and digital tech-nology will facilitate assessment of remote populations, the human elements of practice such as cultural sensitivity and the ability to form a strong therapeutic alliance with the patient will remain central. Part 2: Psychiatry and health-care systemsDelivering mental health services to those who need them will require reform of the traditional structure of services. Few existing models have evidence of clinical effectiveness and acceptability to service users. Services of the future should consider stepped care, increased use of multidisciplinary teamwork, more of a public health approach, and the integration of mental and physical health care. These services will need to fit into the cultural and economic framework of a diverse range of settings in high-income, low-income, and middle-income countries. Part 3: Psychiatry and societyIncreased emphasis on social interventions and engagement with societal expectations might be an important a ea fo ps hiat s de elop e t. This ould e o pass ad o a fo the ights of individuals living with mental illnesses, political involvement concerning the social risk factors for mental illness, and, on a smaller scale, work with families and local social networks and communities. Psychiatrists should therefore possess communication skills and knowledge of the social sciences as well as the basic biological sciences. Part 4: The future of mental health lawMental health law worldwide tends to be based on concerns about risk rather than the protection of the rights of individuals experiencing mental illness. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which states that compulsion based in whole or in part on mental disability is discriminatory, is a landmark document that should inform the future formulation and reform of mental health laws. An evidence-based approach needs to be taken: mental health legislation should mandate mental health training for all health professionals; ensure access to good-quality care; and cover wider societal issues, particularly access to housing, resources, and employment. All governments should include a mental health impact assessment when drafting relevant legislation. Part 5: Digital psychiatry-enhancing the future of mental healthDigital technology might offer psychiatry the potential for radical change in terms of service delivery and the development of new treatm...

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