Indian Journal of Psychiatric Social Work

Book Review PG Notes in Psychiatry

Kamlesh Kumar Sahu — 2022-07-26

I am happy to write this review for the Journal of Psychiatric Social Work. Exploring a book explicitly labeled as "PG Notes" poses a dual challenge and fascination, particularly for someone who has transitioned from being a postgraduate to a postgraduate teacher. Embarking on this journey, I approached the task with a blend of complexity and curiosity. "PG Notes in Psychiatry" 2^nd Edition by Cijo Alex, is a comprehensive guide for postgraduate students studying psychiatry and allied disciplines. It includes essential notes, key concepts, and updated information in the field. The second edition stands out as a well-rounded and succinct resource. It manages to be both thorough and concise, offering a comprehensive yet detailed update on the subject matter.

Unveiling the Journal Ecosystem: Exploring the Nexus between Submissions, Processing Efficiency, Indexing, and Communication

Kamlesh Kumar Sahu — 2022-07-30

In the intricate web of academic publishing, the dynamics between the number of submissions and the quality of a journal are as complex as the scholarly conversation it contains. This editorial seeks to unravel the multifaceted relationship between the quantity of submissions and the various facets that define the essence of our journal.

Subjective wellbeing of an individual with a chronic illness: A case study

Nidhi Mahanta — 2022-07-30

Background: Having a chronic illness can upset a person’s life, which can further be explained in terms of its influence on the well-being of the individual. An individual with a chronic illness often has to deal with innumerable challenges and adapt to changes that the illness brings about, which further affects how they cognitively and emotionally evaluate their lives. It was felt necessary to understand from the perspective of a chronically ill individual the way they feel regarding the illness and cope with it from time to time. Aim: The aim was to develop an understanding of the subjective wellbeing and health management practices of a person undergoing a chronic illness. Method: It was a case study based on an in-depth, semi-structured interview. A questionnaire of Quality-of-Life Inventory was also administered on the participant. The case of the study was a male undergraduate student, aged 20 years suffering from Crohn’s disease. Results: The results from the QOL assessment show that the participant has an overall high level of life satisfaction. Data analysis through thematic analysis depicted various themes encompassing the challenges faced, precautionary measures taken, etc. The results suggest adopting sources of recreation, alternative practices and the importance of cultivating a positive outlook in health management practices. Application: The present study has contributed to our understanding of how individuals adapt to life after chronic illness.

Keywords: Chronic illness, subjective well-being, health management practices

Rehabilitation of homeless trafficked person with mental illness: A case study

Sangeeta Gotewal — 2022-07-30

Introduction: Homelessness has a detrimental impact on physical health. Deterioration of physical health is closely linked to psychosocial wellbeing. Rehabilitation of a homeless person with mental illness is very challenging when it is due to social factors. Methodology: A case study from the inpatient department of the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS), Delhi has been taken for the current study. The information collected from the patient case record file, personal interviews, and interaction with various professionals involved during the process of rehabilitation. Result: In the present case study it was observed that there is a strong association between homelessness and mental illness. Homelessness leads to exploitation, and human trafficking, which works as predisposing factors for mental illness. Multiple factors are associated with homelessness and mental illness. Social factors viz. poverty, lack of education, childhood trauma, stressful home environment and poor social support affect the person's mental health. Due to lack of insight and poor judgment, the affected persons land up in more stressful situations. Conclusion: Mental illnesses and homelessness have been one of the major concerns in developing countries. Timely interventions on these aspects by the stakeholders can prevent homelessness and thereby mental illness.

Keywords: Rehabilitation, homelessness, trafficking, reintegration

Post COVID-19 Challenges of Public Servants Dealing Directly with Common Public: A Situational Analysis

Renuka Asagi — 2022-07-30

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected over 180 countries, infected over 413 million people, and killed over 58.3 Lakh people (as of 15^th Feb 2020). While recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic post lockdown government and public servants had the most crucial role. Objectives: The objectives of the study are to find the challenges faced by the public servants in the COVID-19 unlock situation who are directly dealing with the common public and to identify the physical and mental health status of public servants after the COVID-19 unlock situation. Study design: This study employs a descriptive research design. Materials and Methods: A purposive sampling method was used to collect data through a structured questionnaire. The study was carried out to better understand the challenges that public servants who have direct contact with the public face in Dharwad city. Respondents include Bank, KSRTC/BRTC, Zilla Panchayat/Taluk Panchayat/Gram Panchayat, Health Department, and Police Department employees. The sample size for this study was 100 workers from all departments. Results: According to the study, there is a significant impact on the physical and mental health conditions of public servants. Thirty-one percent of the study participants agree that they are worried about catching the virus. Similarly, little less than one-fourth (24%) worried that our healthcare system is unable to keep them safe from the virus. Conclusions: This study reveals that public servants are constantly struggling with a lack of proper cooperating and encouragement and good response to COVID-19 guidelines post-lockdown period, and they are under the most stress at work and facing physical and mental health issues.

Keywords: Work challenges, physical health, mental health, work stress, public servants

HIV/AIDS-Related Stigma and Prevalent Attitude among Healthcare Trainees in Delhi

Sushma Kumari — 2022-07-30

Background: Despite growing awareness of HIV /AIDS the exact level of knowledge regarding the associated stigma among healthcare trainees needs to be ascertained. Their knowledge reflects the quality of care delivered by them in the future. Aims: This study aimed to assess the knowledge of stigma associated with HIV/AIDS among trainee healthcare students in Delhi. Settings and Design: cross-sectional survey design. Methods and Material: A total of two hundred healthcare students were contacted for the survey. The HIV stigma scale with 18 items was administered one-one /mail after receiving the informed consent. Finally, data were collected from one hundred and twenty-seven subjects after excluding the dropouts. Related statistical analysis was performed to examine the data. Statistical analysis used: Descriptive statistics were used for the variables. Results: Scores on the three domains reflected that the maximum number of subjects had awareness of the negative attitude and equity issues related to HIV/AIDS. Also, there seemed to be less recognition of the perceived discrimination prevalent within the community. Conclusions: This study reports on HIV/AIDS-related discriminatory attitudes and stigma encountered by persons living with HIV/AIDS. Such attitudes contribute to missed opportunities for prevention, education and treatment, undermining efforts to manage and prevent HIV. Thus, knowledge of healthcare trainees about HIV/AIDS-related stigma that can hinder efforts to manage and prevent HIV needs to be addressed.

Keywords: Stigma and Attitude, HIV/AIDS, Health Care students, Awareness

Happiness among social work practitioners: A cross sectional study

Gaurav Gaur — 2022-07-30

Background: Happiness is an important aspect of psychological well-being. The objective of the current study is to assess levels of happiness among Social Work practitioners and to assess differences across genders and working and pursuing higher studies. Method: A sample of 50 respondents was taken for the study. The Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (OHQ) was administered and some basic demographic information was gathered. Results: Happiness levels across gender (male, female), age (less than 30 years, more than 30), and present place of residence (urban, rural) do not differ significantly. For respondents who are studying or working or both, most of them fall in the category of average level of happiness. Conclusion: Sports and yoga are the most preferred forms of leisure activities undertaken by people to keep themselves healthy.

Keywords: Happiness, well-being, social work practitioner & health.

Marital adjustment in spouses of the patient with obsessive compulsive disorder

Arti Singh — 2022-07-30

Background: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) creates challenges for both patients and their family system and affects several areas of life. This is a long-lived disorder that affects about 2.3% of the general population. Marital relationship is the foundation of family life due to the union between a male and a female as husband and wife but the presence of OCD hamper the smooth and usual functioning of marital life adjustment. Aim: The present study aims to assess the marital adjustment of the spouses of a patient with obsessive compulsive disorder. Materials and Method: The study included a total of thirty-three patients diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder along with their spouses. Participants were recruited from OPD/IPD, at the Institute of Mental Health, Pt. B D Sharma University of Health Sciences, Rohtak, Haryana. This study was a cross-sectional hospital-based research. The severity of symptoms was assessed by Yale Brown’s obsessive-compulsive scale, and a Marital Adjustment questionnaire was used for assessing marital life, Written informed consent was taken from the participants before starting the information gathering. The socio-demographic profile of the patient and their spouse were recorded on a self-designed proforma for the study. Results: Only one (33.3%) male and two third (66.7%) female individuals participated in the study. The Y-BOCS score indicated that most of the participants suffered from severe levels of symptoms 45.5%, and only 3.0% of participants were living with extreme levels. The mean value of the overall Marital Adjustment Questionnaire (MAQ) score was 31.00 indicative of poor marital adjustment among the participants. Conclusion: Both male and female spouses have significant deterioration in marital adjustment.

Keywords: Obsessive compulsive disorder, spouses, marital adjustment

Perceived social support and quality of life among persons with bipolar affective disorders and alcohol dependence: A comparative study

Satendra Kumar Singh — 2022-07-30

Background: Bipolar affective disorders (BPAD) and Alcohol dependence syndrome (ADS) are globally found in the general population. These disorders are characterized by similar dysfunction in families like inadequate support system and poor quality of life. Aim: This study aims to explore the perceived social support and quality of life of the person diagnosed with BPAD and ADS (ICD- 10 DCR) and find out its relationship with socio-demographic variables. Methods: This research study was done at the inpatient and outpatient department of Ranchi Institute of Neuropsychiatry and Allied Sciences (RINPAS), Kanke, Ranchi and data was collected by the purposive sampling technique from RINPAS, Ranchi. The sample consisted of 60 subjects, equally divided BPAD and ADS (subjects diagnosed as per ICD- 10 DCR). A Socio-demographical Data-sheet, Multidimensional Perceived Social Support (MSPPS) and Quality of life scales were used in the study. Result: The result shows that the mean age of the participants was 30.36±6.84 years for BPAD and 32.40±5.73 years for ADS. Also, the study found that participants of ADS had poor quality of life (p<.001). Conclusion: The study indicates that the severity of Alcohol dependence syndrome affects individual quality of life. The study found that perceived social support is also affected similarly in both the disorders BPAD and ADS.

Keywords: Bipolar affective disorder, alcohol dependence syndrome, perceived social support