Clinical Psychiatry

• Research Project on Mental Disorders in the Elderly (in collaborazione  con University of Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany; Hadassah University, Jerusalem, Israel; University Complutense of Madrid, Spain; University of Geneve, Switzerland;  University of Dresden, Germany; Royal College of Psychiatrists, London, UK) (Funded by the European  Union)
• Study of local interest (2001-2004: Medical co-morbidity in psychiatry: development of educational and preventative interventions on severely psychiatrically ill patients). (Coordinator: Prof. L. Grassi - project funded by the University of Ferrara) examining the prevalence of medical diseases (e.g. cardiovascular and respiratory pathologies, HIV infections, HCV infections), on at-risk behaviours (e.g. diet, cigarette smoke, at-risk sexual behaviour) and on the development of educational interventions (e.g. specific educational patterns on health, nutrition, adherence to treatment, protected sex) for psychiatrically ill patients.
• National multi-centre study on Aggressive Behaviour in Psychiatry, specifically in the Acute Inpatients Psychiatric Unit, in co-operation with the Mental Health Department of the Community Health Agency in Ferrara.
• Psychiatric Emergency and Urgent Psychiatric Consultation in the General Hospital (Emergency Department and General Hospital Divisions) and in the community (consultation or urgent psychiatric intervention in the community and in Mental Health Outpatient Facilities)..
• Definition of the Efficacy and Effectiveness of Focal Psychotherapy and Psychopharmacology in Mood Disorders, Anxiety disorders, and Somatization

Psycho-Oncology

• Multi-centre European study (2000-2002) sponsored by the European Commission - Directorate du Cancer - Agreement SI2.307317, involving Italy, Spain, Portugal and Switzerland, known as Southern European Psycho-Oncology Study (SEPO-S) (Improving health staff’ communication and assessment skills of psychosocial morbidity and quality of life in cancer patients: A study in Southern European countries) (Project Leader: Prof. L. Grassi) whose purpose is to analyze the ability of identifying patients’ psychiatric problems by oncology physicians, to develop a specific formative model and to verify the effectiveness of such a model
• National Project (2001 -2003: Rehabilitation and quality of life in oncology: new methods of psychological evaluation in patients with breast cancer) funded by National Research Council - CNRC 0072A1 – 005. National Project Leader: Prof. L. Grassi). Project to evaluate women with breast cancer with a multi-disciplinary and bio-psycho-social approach to the disease.
• Project of local interest (2002-2005; 2011): Psycho-Oncology Program to evaluate the needs and to define specific ways of psychological intervention at the departmental level, through the implementation of a network of services and psycho-oncology interventions involving the Psycho-Oncology Service, the several Units of the Mental Health Department, the hospitals of Ferrara – local and rural - the General Practitoners in the community and the Self-Help Associations providing home-care to advanced cancer patients.
• Efficacy and effectiveness of psychotherapy group interventions (according to the Supportive-Expressive Group Therapy model) in patients with breast cancer followed by the Breast Service at the University and General Hospital S. Anna.
• Standardization, validation and use of psychometric instruments for delirium, coping with cancer, psycho-pathological symptoms and social support in oncology
• Development and evaluation of the efficacy and effectiveness of training courses on communication skills for health staff members working in cancer services in improving the relationship with cancer patients and their families.

Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry

• Study of national interest (2000-2001 Psychiatric and psycho-social morbidity in medicine: new diagnostic models and therapeutic implications) sponsored by the National Institute of Health - National Project of Mental Health: (National Co-ordinator: Prof. L. Grassi). This study was carried out in three Italian Centres with the of evaluating the diagnostic effectiveness of new criteria (Diagnostic Criteria for Psychosomatic Research - DCPR) in view of a better and more specific classification of psycho-social problems in medically-ill patients.
• Departmentalization of Consultative Psychiatry and an assessment of the importance of the relations between the hospital, General Medicine and Consultative Psychiatry on the quality of assistance and the quality of life of medically-ill patients after being discharged from the hospital.
• Liaison between Psychiatry and General Medicine and the quality and clinical performance of General Practitioners, physician-patient relationship and the relation between psychiatry and general medicine.

• International Publications
• Books
• Italian Journal Publications
• Chapters in Books in English Language
• E-learning

History

Cancer has a high prevalence and high mortality everywhere in the world.  The psycho-oncology area faces the condition of emotional distress caused by cancer, through a multi-disciplinary approach focusing its attention on patients, relatives and care-givers.

Psycho-Oncology is a complex medical and psychological discipline based on the integration of various professionals.

It is the area of the "relationship" and "presence", expressed in oncology and as well as in various other disciplines (e.g. Clinical Psychology, Consultation Psychiatry, Palliative Medicine) through specific programs of care to cancer patients.

Psychiatry has an important role in this field and many Mental Health Departments, both abroad and more recently, in Italy have established services in connection with Oncology Departments and, generally, with various disciplines caring cancer patients (e.g. Gynaecology, Haematolgy. Surgery).

Over the last few years, Psycho-Oncology has shown to be extremely active in research, education and clinical care.

Based on these core values, the Psycho-Oncology Service  of the University of Ferrara was established in 1992 as one of the first in Italy in a general and teaching hospital setting.  Moreover, the Psycho-Oncology service is set in the International Directory of Psycho-Oncology Programs, developed in cooperation with the International Society of Psychosocial Oncology (IPOS).

How to reach the Service

The Service is located in the S.Anna Hospital, within the Section of Psychiatry, Unit of Clinical Psychiatry (Tel +39 0532 237129; Fax +39 0532 212240).

Mission 

The service has the specific mission of increasing the attention of all health-care organizations to the psycho-oncological area and requesting their intervention in the various types of psychological disorders that involves cancer patients and their relatives.

More specifically, the primary objectives of the Psycho-Oncology Service are:

• to properly evaluate and treat psycho-social morbidity secondary to cancer - with the aim of improving cancer patients’ quality of life at every stage of the disease;
• to support families during their relative’s illness, and, if need be, after loss;
• to set up training programmes in order to improve communication skills and recognition of psychological distress secondary to cancer. Such courses are designed for general practitioners, oncologists, nurses and volunteers.

Organization

Psychiatrists, psychologists and a data-manager work for the Psycho-Oncology Service. The unit works in collaboration with the Unit of Clinical Oncology  and other Units (Surgery, Radio-therapy, Haematology, Gynaecology) at the S. Anna General and University Hospital.  All of these units work in synergy to provide the utmost care for the cancer patient.  The activity of the Service is integrated with the the Community Services (i.e., Family Medicine, Child Psychiatry Services, Psychiatry Services of the Mental Health Department, Volunteer Associations) in the development of care projects for cancer patients and their families (Psycho-Oncology Programme 2003 - 2005).

Documents

The Psycho-Oncology programs have become more widespread and common in the past few years.  Essential documents and algorithms on the organization and interventions (i.e., prevention, evaluation and treatment) have been recently issued by the Service. The guidelines developed by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) (Guidelines for Supportive Care - Distress Management) are particularly useful for clinical purposes and are used on a routine basis in the Oncology Outpatient and Inpatient services. Equally important are the Italian Society of Psycho-Oncology (SIPO) guidelines, set in 1998 and presently under revision and translated into English.

Moreover, the Psycho-Oncology Service  organizes various training courses as a part of the educational activities of the Section of Psychiatry.  These programs may be accessed at anytime at the University of Ferrara website in the "Eventi e News" area. The Psycho-Oncology unit, under the direction of the European Community, activated in 2002 a specific site of Psycho-Oncology in the Italian web-journal Psychiatry on-line. The site is available in English. Research articles, clinical experiences, literature abstracts, interviews to representative personalities in psycho-oncology area, and reviews are regularly updated.

Since the dawn of mankind, one of the main cultural tasks of man has been to ensure his own survival, not only physically, but also psychologically and socially. Various magical institutions tried to protect individuals and groups from the risk of "presence crisis" (Ernesto De Martino) allowing man to  being the master of his own existence.

For shamans and ancient priests, ensuring their existence meant mastering the psychic chaos and removing the paralyzing anguish in dramatic situations. Ancient Greek medicine preserved these roots, recognizing the need for conjugating technique (philotechnia), love for the patient (philanthropia) and knowing how to take care of the soul, the body, the disease and the person, a totally holistic approach. 

Disciplined proximity to the sick person, attention to the psychological and relational components, a continuous comparison with data (as Theophrastus Bombastus -  Paracelsus - taught in Europe, after obtaining in Ferrara part of his vagrant formation) and knowledge of the best scientific evidence are some of the essential characteristics of a medicine and a psychiatry with human foundation.

Although psychiatry was the object of deep transformations and scientific enrichments, at the beginning of a new century it continues to integrate neuro-biological and psycho-pharmacological discoveries and the psychological and interpersonal dimensions, carrying out combined interventions (pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy and rehabilitation) and working in conjunction with other knowledge (general medicine, speciality medicines) in an authentic psycho-somatic perspective.

The Outpatient Service of the Section of Psychiatry began its activity in 1971-72 as a service connected to the Psychiatry Chair and to the Speciality School in Psychiatry, active since the same year. Since then, the Service has maintained an integrative and inter-disciplinary vision but has gradually adapted itself to the new needs arising from the organizational changes  of the Section of Psychiatry and the integration of the unit in the Mental Health Department of Ferrara and in the S. Anna General and University Hospital.

How to reach the Service

The Service is located in the S. Anna Hospital, within the Section of Psychiatry, Unit of Clinical Psychiatry (Tel +39 0532 237129; Fax +39 0532 212240).

Mission

The primary goals of the Service are three-fold:

• psychopathological assesssment;
• treatment of anxiety disorders, depression and somatoform disorders in accordance with the model of integrated therapy (psycho-pharmacological therapy and individual or group psycho-therapy, the latter as focal psychotherapy and/or time-limited psychotherapy);
• liaison with General Medicine to handle complex clinical situations, especially for medically ill patients with psychiatric comorbidity.

Organization

Psychiatrysts and psychologists work in the Service and provide interventions to patients, living inside or outside the region. The service is ideally connected with the Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry Service.  When required, the Service provides those patients followed during their Hospital admission by the C-L Psychiatry Service, the possibility of continuing the post-discharge recommended treatment (psychopharmacology, counselling, psychotherapy).

Documents

Useful information on the prevalence and treatment of disorders such as anxiety,  depression and somatoform disorders is readily available on the World Health Organization website, particularly the Report 2001 on psychiatric disorders in General Medicine or the work of the European Union on the European population’s mental health  (Eurobarometer Survey 2002).  Other useful websites include Psychomedia; BioMed Health & Quality of Life Outcomes; Medical Journal of Australia-Psychiatry) (see Links per further information and journals).

• About us
• How to reach us
• Staff

• Mission

• to educate and train students and doctors within the Faculty (School of Medicine, School of Dentistry, Post-Graduation Schools and Graduate Schools);
• to provide special training in general psychiatry to physicians at the Post-Graduate School of Psychiatry and to students at the Graduate School in Rehabilitation Psychiatry;
• to promote educational events in the framework of Continuous Education in Medicine (CME) in order to train health care professionals in mental health areas;
• to promote evidence-based research in order to deepen and improve the knowledge in various areas of psychiatry, such as prevention, epidemiology, clinical care and treatment;
• to perform and develop clinical care programs for persons suffering from psychological distress and for their families, particularly for cancer patients and their families;
• to promote the psychiatric culture and research performed by the department in various institutional areas, such as Health Agencies, scientific, medical and psychological Societies, Cultural Associations, at local, regional, national and international levels.