Preventive Medical Care in Psychiatry: A Practical Guide for Clinicians

As a psychiatrist, providing comprehensive care to your patients is crucial. Preventive Medical Care in Psychiatry: A Practical Guide for Clinicians, written by Robert M. McCarron, offers a user-friendly approach to preventive medical care, focusing on commonly encountered, treatable, and potentially deadly illnesses in patients with serious mental health conditions.

It is well-documented that individuals with serious mental illnesses (SMI) experience poor health and premature mortality, with increased general medical comorbidities, reduced preventive medical services, and a lifespan shortened by up to 30 years compared to the general population. Moreover, bidirectional interactions exist between chronic medical illnesses and mental disorders, emphasizing the importance of treating the whole person, rather than just the disorder.

This practical guide is structured into logical sections, covering:

• General principles of preventive psychiatry
• Cardiovascular and pulmonary disorders
• Endocrine and metabolic disorders
• Infections disorders
• Oncologic disorders

The book provides evidence-based approaches to care across the prevention spectrum, including:

• Primary prevention (keeping people healthy)
• Secondary prevention (detecting early signs of common illnesses)
• Tertiary prevention (preventing disability and adverse outcomes)

It also informs clinicians on how to effectively interface with general medical practitioners, screen for common medical problems, and ensure preventive measures, such as vaccinations, are performed. Additionally, the guide covers special topics, including child, adolescent, and geriatric populations, as well as strategies for assessing and managing chronic pain.

A valuable resource for clinicians, Preventive Medical Care in Psychiatry: A Practical Guide for Clinicians is an indispensable tool for improving the quality of life and longevity of patients with serious mental illnesses. The guide concludes with a health questionnaire, Preventive Medicine in Psychiatry (PMAP), for use in screening and follow-up, and a handy summary of age-based preventive medicine recommendations.

In support of the psychiatric community, 25% of royalties go towards helping Resident-Fellow Members (RFM) within the California Psychiatric Association.

Book Details:

• Publisher: American Psychiatric Publishing
• Publication Date: April 1, 2015
• Language: English
• ISBN: 9781585624799, 9781585625468