Wim Houtjes

Amsterdam University Medical Center | VUmc · EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research

Background: Psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioners (PMHNPs) in the Netherlands have been allowed to perform the role of coordinating practitioner (CP) since 2018. This role is reserved for mental health care specialists who are trained and qualified at the master’s degree level. Earlier studies have not addressed how PMHNPs perform that role...

Background: Research has shown that some 30% of total care needs in people with late-life depression (LLD) are unmet. It is not known to what extent patients actually don't receive any care for these needs or consider the care to be insufficient and their satisfaction with the provided care. Aim: The aim of this study is to obtain insight into the...

Objectives: To test the interrelation of the naturalistic course of depression in older people with long-term support received. Design: Longitudinal cohort study. Methods: A sample of 277 adults age 55-85 years participating in the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam, with clinically relevant depressive symptoms at baseline (scores ≥16 on the C...

In dit artikel beschrijf ik met drie co-auteurs de aanleiding en de resultaten van mijn promotieonderzoek naar de zorgbehoeften van ouderen met een depressie. Een depressie kan leiden tot zorgbehoefte, maar omgekeerd kunnen onvervulde zorgbehoeften ook voeding geven aan het voortduren van een depressie. Als een oudere niet herstelt van een depressi...

Accessible summary: Patients with mental illnesses have been found to shorter life expectancy due to an increased risk of heart disease. Some medication used to treat mental illnesses have been linked to weight gain and other physical change that make patients susceptible to heart disease. In order to reduce this risk it is important that health p...

This work aims to gain insight into the long-term impact of depression course on social network size and perceived loneliness in older people living in the community. Within a large representative sample of older people in the community (Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (LASA)), participants with clinically relevant levels of depressive symptoms...

Background: In mental health care, more and more research is being done, particularly in the field of educational programmes. Unfortunately, junior researchers are often not fully informed about the rules and regulations relating to research and about medical ethics. Therefore, they are not in a position to make considered judgements that conform...

The number of studies about clinical pain in schizophrenia is sparse. Conclusions on pain sensitivity in people with schizophrenia are primarily based on experimental pain studies. This review attempts to assess clinical pain, i.e. everyday pain without experimental manipulation, in people with schizophrenia. Pubmed, PsycInfo, Embase.com and Cochra...

Accessible summary Systematic assessment of the care needs of older patients using the CANE contributes significantly to a targeted nursing anamnesis and diagnostic process. The Camberwell Assessment of Need for the Elderly appears to be a very suitable tool for structured and high quality of care. Patients may benefit more from depression treatmen...

There is evidence that late life depression is associated with high levels of unmet needs. Only a minority of the depressed patients appears to be adequately treated. Ninety-nine older patients (58-92 years), 96 informal carers and 85 health-care professionals were recruited from six outpatient facilities for old age psychiatry in the Netherlands a...

The effectiveness of late-life depression treatment can be improved by tailoring interventions to patients' needs. Unmet needs perceived by patients suffering from a severe mental illness, e.g. depression, may have a negative impact on their recovery. Aim: The aim of this study is to gain insight into the needs of outpatients with late-life depress...