MyMedR

Displaying all 8 publications

Abstract:

Sort:

Fulltext Patient health questionnaire for screening psychiatric disorders in secondary healthcare

Barua A, Jacob GP, Mahmood SS

Indian J Psychiatry, 2013 Apr;55(2):125-30.
PMID: 23825844 DOI: 10.4103/0019-5545.111448

BACKGROUND: The adult population often suffers from a number of physical and mental problems. This study was conducted to determine the proportion of mental illnesses in adult population visiting the outpatient departments at Dr. TMA Pai Rotary Hospital, Karkala and to study the socio-demographic correlates of psychiatric disorders.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted during March 2004 among 193 adult individuals of 18 years and above at Dr. TMA Pai Rotary Hospital, Karkala, Karnataka. Data was analyzed by the statistical package for social sciences version 10.0 for windows and results were expressed in terms of proportions and their 95% confidence intervals (CI). Chi-square test, multiple logistic regression with adjusted odds ratio and its 95% CI.
RESULTS: The proportion of psychiatric disorders in adult population was determined to be 39.9%. Proportion of psychiatric morbidity among males and females were 36.2 and 42.2%, respectively.
CONCLUSION: This study revealed that socio-demographic correlates like age group of 50 years and above, unemployed or housewives, living alone, and a history of psychiatric illness in the family were independently associated with psychiatric disorders in adult population.
KEYWORDS: Adult population; patient health questionnaire; psychiatric disorders; screening; socio-demographic correlates
Structural changes in the brain in schizophrenia a computed tomographic study

Jayaswal SK, Chawla HM, Goulatia RK, Rao GS

Indian J Psychiatry, 1987 Jul;29(3):229-33.
PMID: 21927243

Computed tomography of the brain was performed in thirty schizophrenic patients in the age group of 19-45 years and thirty controls matched for age and sex The size of lateral ventricles, the width of the third ventricle and the sylvian fissure were measured in the CT scans. On group comparison, we found that the size of lateral ventricles expressed as ventricular brain ratio, and the width of the third ventricle and sylvian fissure were significantly greater in the schizophrenic patients (P< 0.001) as compared to the control group. No correlation was observed between the duration of illness and the cerebral findings. There was no significant difference between the group of schizophrenic patients with a history of having been treated with electro-convulsive therapy and the group without such a history.
Fulltext Aphagia in frontal lobe syndrome following traumatic brain injury: Delightful lessons from olanzapine treatment

Ahmedy F, Loo JL, Mazlan M

Indian J Psychiatry, 2020 12 12;62(6):732-733.
PMID: 33896983 DOI: 10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_334_19

A case of persistent aphagia in frontal lobe syndrome after traumatic brain injury (TBI) with successful use of olanzapine to improve the eating disorder is presented. A 20-year-old man suffered a severe TBI with right frontal intracerebral haemorrhage At four-month post-TBI, he had agitation, concurrent apathy with constant refusal for oral swallow despite gustatory sensory stimulation, hence the needs for nasogastric tube (NGT) feeding. He was diagnosed with frontal lobe syndrome and prescribed olanzapine 5mg daily that was optimised to 10mg due to worsened aggression. One month later, the aggression reduced with gradual improvement in oral intake. Percutaneous enterogastrostomy (PEG) tube insertion was cancelled and the NGT was sucessfully removed. Olanzapine prescription in this case improved aggression and aphagia simultaneously. Although olanzapine is proven beneficial and surgical intervention for long-term enteral feeding was avoided in this case, its usage requires judicious judgement.
Chronotypes and its association with psychological morbidity and childhood parasomnias

Wei NS, Praharaj SK

Indian J Psychiatry, 2020 1 4;61(6):598-604.
PMID: 31896866 DOI: 10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_208_19

Background: The relationship between chronotypes and sleeping problems is not clear. The objective of the study was to identify the relative occurrence of chronotypes among college students and to explore adult psychological morbidity and childhood sleeping problems across chronotypes.
Materials and Methods: One hundred and fifty undergraduate medical students were assigned into different chronotypes by Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire and they were further assessed using Self-Reporting Questionnaire, Parasomnia Questionnaire (adapted from the Adult Sleep Disorders Questionnaire), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index.
Results: Intermediate chronotype was the most common, seen in 87 (58%) students, followed by evening type in 34 (22.7%). Evening types have more difficulties in making a decision, becoming exhausted more easily and feeling worthless than other chronotypes. Evening-oriented students showed a significantly higher frequency of initial insomnia and poorer overall sleep quality than the other groups. The current bedwetting was more in evening types; there was no difference in any other current and childhood parasomnias.
Conclusions: Evening chronotypes had greater difficulty in decision-making, and they were more vulnerable to feel worthless. No significant association was found between childhood parasomnias and chronotypes except persistent bedwetting during adulthood in evening types.
Fulltext Association between insight and internalized stigma and other clinical factors among patients with depression: A cross-sectional study

Woon LS, Khoo SI, Baharudin A, Midin M

Indian J Psychiatry, 2020 03 17;62(2):186-192.
PMID: 32382179 DOI: 10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_612_19

Background: Insight influences treatment adherence among patients with depression. These patients also experience considerable social and self-stigma. The relationship between insight and internalized stigma has been extensively studied among patients with schizophrenia but not patients with depression.
Aim: This study aimed to determine the relationship between the level of insight in illness and internalized stigma among patients with depression and to identify the clinical factors associated with impaired insight.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among adult psychiatric outpatients with depressive disorders at a teaching hospital in Kuala Lumpur for 10 months. Sociodemographic and illness-related data were gathered. Two questionnaires, Mood Disorder Insight Scale (MDIS) and Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Scale (ISMI), were administered.
Results: Ninety-nine respondents participated in the study (female: 63.6%; Malay: 41.4%; mean age: 46.4 years). The median duration of illness was 6.0 years. More respondents were taking combination therapy (59.6%). There was a statistically significant correlation between ISMI and MDIS scores (rs = 0.339, P = 0.001). On bivariate analyses, intact insight was associated with non-Malay race, combination therapy, higher average ISMI scores and subscores for alienation, stereotype endorsement, discrimination experience, and social withdrawal. Combination therapy, higher scores for alienation, and social withdrawal subscales were associated with a greater likelihood for intact insight in logistic regression model.
Conclusions: Significant association exists between insight and internalized stigma in patients with depression. Interventions to reduce the impact of internalized stigma while improving patients' insight are required.
Quality of online news reporting of suicidal behavior in Myanmar: Adherence to the World Health Organization reporting guidelines

Marthoenis, Htay MNN, Arafat SMY

Indian J Psychiatry, 2021 12 03;63(6):597-600.
PMID: 35136259 DOI: 10.4103/indianjpsychiatry.indianjpsychiatry_285_21

Background: Media reporting of suicide has an essential role in the suicidal behavior of the general population.
Aims: The aim of this study is to assess the quality of online news reports of suicidal behavior in Myanmar against the World Health Organization (WHO) reporting guidelines.
Methods: We performed a content analysis of all available suicide-related news reports published in vernacular online newspapers of Myanmar.
Results: A total of 285 reports were analyzed, consisting of 87.4% suicides and 12.6% nonfatal suicidal attempts. Potentially, harmful information reported in the text includes the methods of suicide (100%), the word or term in Burmese related to suicide (89.5%), the name of the person (56.5%), life event (50.5%), and photo or suicidal person (17.9%). Meanwhile, helpful information such as prevention programs and the contact information for suicide services to the readers have been infrequently reported.
Conclusion: The study found that the newspaper reporting of suicide in Myanmar is grossly nonadherent to the WHO media guidelines.
Fulltext A randomized controlled trial on the effect of smartphone-based mental health application among outpatients with depressive and anxiety symptoms: A pilot study in Malaysia

Tan S, Ismail MAB, Daud TIM, Hod R, Ahmad N

Indian J Psychiatry, 2023 Sep;65(9):934-940.
PMID: 37841542 DOI: 10.4103/indianjpsychiatry.indianjpsychiatry_240_23

INTRODUCTION: Despite the increasing number of mental health professionals in Malaysia, many have yet to receive adequate treatment for common mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety. Coupled with the increasing number of mobile phone users globally, smartphone-based intervention can be a promising mental health intervention. Thus, this study aims to investigate the efficacy of using a smartphone-based mental health application in addition to treatment-as-usual (TAU) in outpatients with depressive and/or anxiety symptoms.
METHODS: Psychiatric outpatients that fulfill the selection criteria were recruited and randomized into two groups, the intervention group (n = 24) and the control group (n = 24). Those in the intervention group received MoodMission in addition to TAU, while those in the control group received TAU. Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) scores were assessed at baseline and after four weeks.
RESULTS: A total of 48 participants were recruited, randomized, and completed the study. Baseline characteristics for both groups were comparable. There is no significant mean difference between-group comparison of PHQ-9 (1.31, 95% CI -1.35, 3.98) and GAD-7 (0.02, 95% CI -2.01, 2.05) scores at four weeks. However, for the intervention group, there was a significant improvement in the PHQ-9 score at four weeks [mean difference 2.58 (95% CI 1.16, 4.01), P = 0.001)].
CONCLUSION: This study showed no significant improvement in anxiety symptoms after four weeks. Use of smartphone-based mental health applications led to significant reduction of depressive symptoms.
Stigma towards mental illness in Asian nations and low-and-middle-income countries, and comparison with high-income countries: A literature review and practice implications

Vaishnav M, Javed A, Gupta S, Kumar V, Vaishnav P, Kumar A, et al.

Indian J Psychiatry, 2023 Oct;65(10):995-1011.
PMID: 38108051 DOI: 10.4103/indianjpsychiatry.indianjpsychiatry_667_23

BACKGROUND: Stigma related to mental illness (and its treatment) is prevalent worldwide. This stigma could be at the structural or organizational level, societal level (interpersonal stigma), and the individual level (internalized stigma). Vulnerable populations, for example, gender minorities, children, adolescents, and geriatric populations, are more prone to stigma. The magnitude of stigma and its negative influence is determined by socio-cultural factors and macro (mental health policies, programs) or micro-level factors (societal views, health sectors, or individuals' attitudes towards mentally ill persons). Mental health stigma is associated with more serious psychological problems among the victims, reduced access to mental health care, poor adherence to treatment, and unfavorable outcomes. Although various nationwide and well-established anti-stigma interventions/campaigns exist in high-income countries (HICs) with favorable outcomes, a comprehensive synthesis of literature from the Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs), more so from the Asian continent is lacking. The lack of such literature impedes growth in stigma-related research, including developing anti-stigma interventions.
AIM: To synthesize the available mental health stigma literature from Asia and LMICs and compare them on the mental health stigma, anti-stigma interventions, and the effectiveness of such interventions from HICs.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: PubMed and Google Scholar databases were screened using the following search terms: stigma, prejudice, discrimination, stereotype, perceived stigma, associate stigma (for Stigma), mental health, mental illness, mental disorder psychiatric* (for mental health), and low-and-middle-income countries, LMICs, High-income countries, and Asia, South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation/SAARC (for countries of interest). Bibliographic and grey literature were also performed to obtain the relevant records.
RESULTS: The anti-stigma interventions in Asia nations and LMICs are generalized (vs. disorder specific), population-based (vs. specific groups, such as patients, caregivers, and health professionals), mostly educative (vs. contact-based or attitude and behavioral-based programs), and lacking in long-term effectiveness data. Government, international/national bodies, professional organizations, and mental health professionals can play a crucial in addressing mental health stigma.
CONCLUSION: There is a need for a multi-modal intervention and multi-sectoral coordination to mitigate the mental health stigma. Greater research (nationwide surveys, cultural determinants of stigma, culture-specific anti-stigma interventions) in this area is required.