Why trauma-informed counselling matters in Cambodia’s health system - World Health Organization (WHO)

New service expands Sun Life's connected care experience, helping Canadians access mental health support and continue managing their health in one place. , /CNW/ -- Sun Life announced the launch of Online Counselling, by Dialogue, giving Canadians a new way to connect with registered mental health professionals through secure virtual appointments. Available through Sun Life's digital healthcare experience, Online Counselling makes it easier for Canadians to access mental health care as part of a broader network of health, wellness and benefits support.

In June 2016, a bus carrying Australian tourists crashed head-on into a local bus in Port Vila, the capital city of the Pacific island country of Vanuatu. Three people in the local bus died. A dozen Australians were hurt, including head injuries and open fractures. As one incident within her 15 years of trauma nursing, Emily Ragus helped evacuate some of them to Australia for medical care through CareFlight. Emily recounts the epiphany, “The usual fairness issues appeared. Australian tourists received deserved world-class emergency help while the people of Vanuatu struggle with daily health services. But nor should tourists take away valuable healthcare resources from locals, so evacuations can help equity. And part of this balance is mental health connected to physical health, for the responders as well as for the crash-affected people and their families.”

Mental health conditions, such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance abuse, depression and anxiety, can develop after people experience trauma. These conditions may contribute to a higher risk of future cardiovascular risks, such as non-fatal heart attack and stroke or cardiovascular death, according to new, independent research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association. Traumatic events are common experiences and can include serious fires or explosions, physical assault, transportation accidents, the suicide or death of a loved one, and severe medical illnesses or injuries. Experiencing traumatic events can significantly affect mental health as well as cardiovascular health. Although most work to date has focused on PTSD and cardiovascular health, our research suggests that we should think about a wide range of mental health consequences when looking at cardiovascular disease risk after trauma. "

Mental health conditions, including alcohol abuse, after traumatic events may increase the potential of future cardiovascular risks, such as non-fatal heart attack and stroke or cardiovascular death, finds a new, independent study in the Journal of the American Heart Association A large study in Denmark suggests that people who were diagnosed with a variety of psychiatric disorders after traumatic events were more likely to have increased future cardiovascular risks, such as non-fatal heart attack and stroke or cardiovascular death, compared to those who did not have mental health issues after a traumatic event.