Browsing by Author "Turkia, Mirva"

Objectives. Reform schools (RS) in Finland are foster care institutions where children and adolescents are placed when other child welfare services fail to provide adequate education and care. Former research has shown that the mental health problems of these adolescents are multiple and severe, and they often continue to adulthood. The aim of this study was to investigate how much those placed in RS participate in rehabilitation services provided by the Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kela) and purchase psychopharmacons after RS placement, compared to their peers. Methods. This study was a part of After reform school study (ARSS), study project by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (Terveyden ja hyvinvoinnin laitos, THL), the aim of which is to research adolescent’s life after RS placement. The data for the study project was acquired in the end of 2014, and included all the adolescents residing in RS in 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006, and 2011 and their matched peers. Data analyses were conducted using logistic regression, with RS placement, cohort year, and gender as independent variables. In the final analyses, dependent variables were psychotherapy and the purchases of antipsychotics, anxiolytics, drugs used for sleep disorders, antidepressants, psychostimulants used for ADHD and drugs used in alcohol dependence. Results and conclusions. First, even though the psychiatric morbidity among the persons with RS background is high, the results of this study showed that they do not participate in the Kela´s psychotherapy services more than their peers. Second, those with RS background purchase psychopharmacons remarkably more compared to their peers. In addition, women participate in Kela´s psychotherapy, and purchase psychopharmacons more than men, except stimulants used for ADHD. Also, the youngest cohorts participate in psychotherapy and purchase psychopharmacons less than the oldest cohort. In conclusion, the psychotherapy services currently available do not meet the needs of the persons placed in RS. There should be wider range of mental health services available, and it should be made as easy as possible to access them.