scholarly journals Learnings from conducting mental health research during 2004 tsunami in Tamil Nadu, India

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Padmavati ◽  
Vijaya Raghavan ◽  
Heather Rera ◽  
Megan Kearns ◽  
Kotteeswara Rao ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The Indian Ocean tsunami experience in 2004 caused a major loss of life and subsequent emotional trauma for survivors. Psychosocial needs in the aftermath of this disaster were extensive, yet the cohesion and effectiveness of response were limited due to lack of preparedness and relevant policy. The Schizophrenia Research Foundation (SCARF) was one of the organizations that quickly responded to provide psychosocial assistance to people in the tsunami affected areas and recognized a need for relevant research on disaster response. Therefore, we undertook research on the challenges, success and limitations of psychosocial interventions in alleviating post-traumatic symptomology. Discussion Both community-level workers and researchers were limited in their preparedness to carry out tasks related to response. Language barriers, cultural differences, and a gap in long-term services limited the breadth and scope of research that was able to be completed. Lack of policy, poor co-ordination of services, lack of trained researchers and limited resources were challenges that emerged during this period and various strategies were adopted to meet these challenges. Conclusions Continued research and evaluation of data has brought crucial considerations to light, including the variance in symptomology, effective tools of measurement, and the nuanced response of survivors. Future research should take relevant factors into consideration including barriers to care. Understanding of the local language and religious beliefs are significant resources in understanding the nature of survivors’ trauma response and effective means of coping. Lastly, limitations regarding time frame and scope of research should be evaluated to provide more effective, comprehensive methods in future studies.

2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire Dickinson ◽  
Johanne Dow ◽  
Grant Gibson ◽  
Louise Hayes ◽  
Shannon Robalino ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTBackground:Psychosocial interventions for carers of people with dementia are increasingly recognized as playing an important role in dementia care. We aim to systematically review the evidence from existing systematic reviews of psychosocial interventions for informal carers of people with dementia.Methods:Thirty-one systematic reviews were identified; following quality appraisal, data from 13 reviews, rated as high or moderate quality, were extracted.Results:Well-designed, clearly structured multi-component interventions can help maintain the psychological health of carers of people with dementia and delay institutionalization of the latter. To be most effective, such interventions should include both an educational and a therapeutic component; delivery through a support group format may further enhance their effectiveness.Conclusions:Successful translation of evidence into practice in this area remains a challenge. Future research should focus on determining the most cost-effective means of delivering effective multi-component interventions in real-world settings; the cost-effective potential of technology-based interventions is considerable.


Author(s):  
Gráinne Donohue ◽  
Edward McCann ◽  
Michael Brown

People who identify as LGBTQ+ and are in prison often experience many additional challenges. Once in prison, there is systemic discrimination against imprisoned LGBTQ+ people and a lack of understanding and concern regarding their care, treatment and support needs. While there is growing interest in their protection and that of other vulnerable populations in prison settings, little is known about their views and experiences regarding their distinct psychosocial needs. The aim of this systematic review is to critically evaluate and synthesize the existing research evidence relating to the unique psychological and social experiences of LGBTQ+ people in prison and identify aspects that may help or hinder access to appropriate psychosocial interventions and supports. The PRISMA procedure was utilized. A search of relevant databases from January 2010 to March 2021 was undertaken. Studies were identified that involved LGBTQ+ people, and addressed their views and experiences regarding their psychosocial needs whilst in prison. The search yielded 858 papers in total. Following the application of rigorous inclusion and exclusion criteria a total of 12 papers were considered suitable for the systematic review. Quality was assessed using the CASP instrument. Following analysis, three themes were identified: (i) interpersonal factors (ii) intrapersonal factors and (iii) institutional factors. The policy, education and practice development implications are highlighted and discussed. Future research opportunities have been identified that will add significantly to the body of evidence that may further the development of appropriate health interventions and supports specific to the LGBTQ+ population in prison.


2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 125
Author(s):  
Heather R. Croshaw

In the early morning hours on December 26, 2004, a magnitude 9.3 earthquake rocked the Indian Ocean, reaching the Republic of the Maldives approximately three and a half hours later. Thousands of Maldivians were displaced from their homes, with many having to leave their homes permanently. This article examines the response of the Government of the Maldives in the immediate aftermath of the 2004 tsunami and over the longer-term. Also, the article discusses the experiences of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) and the host communities, as well as the return migration of IDPs to permanent homes. Specifically, this article discusses the case study of the island of Kandholhudhoo, whose residents were temporarily relocated to eleven different atolls while Dhuvaafaru - their new home and a different island - was being constructed for permanent housing. The article examines best practices and difficulties with the response to natural disasters, managing IDPs, and the reconstruction process.


Author(s):  
Edward McCann ◽  
Gráinne Donohue ◽  
Michael Brown

People who identify as trans and gender non-binary experience many challenges in their lives and more interest is being paid to their overall health and wellbeing. However, little is known about their experiences and perceptions regarding their distinct psychosocial needs. The aim of this systematic review is to critically evaluate and synthesize the existing research evidence relating to the unique psychological and social experiences of trans people and identify aspects that may help or hinder access to appropriate psychosocial interventions and supports. The PRISMA procedure was utilized. A search of relevant databases from January 2010 to January 2021 was undertaken. Studies were identified that involved trans people, and addressed issues related to their psychosocial needs. The search yielded 954 papers in total. Following the application of rigorous inclusion and exclusion criteria a total of 18 papers were considered suitable for the systematic review. Quality was assessed using the MMAT instrument. Following analysis, four themes were identified: (i) stigma, discrimination and marginalization (ii) trans affirmative experiences (iii) formal and informal supports, and (iv) healthcare access. The policy, education and practice development implications are highlighted and discussed. Future research opportunities have been identified that will add significantly to the body of evidence that may further the development of appropriate health interventions and supports to this population.


Crisis ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 109-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hui Chen ◽  
Brian L. Mishara ◽  
Xiao Xian Liu

Background: In China, where follow-up with hospitalized attempters is generally lacking, there is a great need for inexpensive and effective means of maintaining contact and decreasing recidivism. Aims: Our objective was to test whether mobile telephone message contacts after discharge would be feasible and acceptable to suicide attempters in China. Methods: Fifteen participants were recruited from suicide attempters seen in the Emergency Department in Wuhan, China, to participate in a pilot study to receive mobile telephone messages after discharge. All participants have access to a mobile telephone, and there is no charge for the user to receive text messages. Results: Most participants (12) considered the text message contacts an acceptable and useful form of help and would like to continue to receive them for a longer period of time. Conclusions: This suggests that, as a low-cost and quick method of intervention in areas where more intensive follow-up is not practical or available, telephone messages contacts are accessible, feasible, and acceptable to suicide attempters. We hope that this will inspire future research on regular and long-term message interventions to prevent recidivism in suicide attempters.


2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 12
Author(s):  
Siti Aisyah Munirah Bohang ◽  
Zainul Ibrahim Zainuddin ◽  
Norhanna Suhoimi

Interaction of CT’s x-ray beams with patient resulted in attenuation process and there are various factors affecting CT attenuation values. The aim of this review is to examine the existed literatures regarding the concept of attenuation in CT and its relationship with body dimension, gender and age in Malay population. Guided by primary question, literature searches were conducted using the established online database; SCOPUS and PubMed. The time frame for literatures was from 2000 to 2019 and only literatures in English language were selected. The size of body dimension has affected the CT attenuation value but it also depending on the type of tissue presence within the region of interest (ROI) such as muscle and fat tissues. Due to larger body framework and higher amount of skeletal muscle mass theoretically males would have higher CT attenuation value than female. CT attenuation value reduces with aging process. Asians including Malay population have smaller body dimension than Caucasians and the mean attenuation value of abdominal region in Asians could differ from 20 HU. Thus, there is a need for future research to investigate the interrelatedness of attenuation in CT (HU) and body dimension within Malay population and close this gap of knowledge. 


SAGE Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 215824402199065
Author(s):  
Matthew Canham ◽  
Clay Posey ◽  
Delainey Strickland ◽  
Michael Constantino

Organizational cybersecurity efforts depend largely on the employees who reside within organizational walls. These individuals are central to the effectiveness of organizational actions to protect sensitive assets, and research has shown that they can be detrimental (e.g., sabotage and computer abuse) as well as beneficial (e.g., protective motivated behaviors) to their organizations. One major context where employees affect their organizations is phishing via email systems, which is a common attack vector used by external actors to penetrate organizational networks, steal employee credentials, and create other forms of harm. In analyzing the behavior of more than 6,000 employees at a large university in the Southeast United States during 20 mock phishing campaigns over a 19-month period, this research effort makes several contributions. First, employees’ negative behaviors like clicking links and then entering data are evaluated alongside the positive behaviors of reporting the suspected phishing attempts to the proper organizational representatives. The analysis displays evidence of both repeat clicker and repeat reporter phenomena and their frequency and Pareto distributions across the study time frame. Second, we find that employees can be categorized according to one of the four unique clusters with respect to their behavioral responses to phishing attacks—“Gaffes,” “Beacons,” “Spectators,” and “Gushers.” While each of the clusters exhibits some level of phishing failures and reports, significant variation exists among the employee classifications. Our findings are helpful in driving a new and more holistic stream of research in the realm of all forms of employee responses to phishing attacks, and we provide avenues for such future research.


2020 ◽  
pp. 026921632097915
Author(s):  
Gianina-Ioana Postavaru ◽  
Helen Swaby ◽  
Rabbi Swaby

Background: There is a growing body of qualitative studies examining parents’ experiences of caring for a child with a life-limiting condition, coinciding with recent evidence that indicates an increasing incidence of paediatric life-limiting conditions. However, research focusing on fathers’ needs remains sparse and is often diluted among a predominant ‘mother’s voice’, raising questions about whether practices in clinical settings meet fathers’ needs. Aim: To provide an in-depth assembly of the current state of knowledge around fathers’ experiences of caring for their children diagnosed with life-limiting conditions and understand the implications for healthcare services and policies. Design: A meta-ethnography was conducted to synthesise findings from existing qualitative studies exploring fathers’ experiences of caring. Data sources: Four electronic databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL and Science Direct) were searched up until April 2020. Qualitative studies exploring fathers’ care experience and published in English language were included. The Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) checklist was employed for study quality appraisal. No temporal limits were used. Results: Sixty-three studies met the inclusion criteria. Thirty life-limiting conditions were included. Based on responses from 496 fathers, a conceptual model was developed which translates key experiences within the fathers’ caregiving journeys. The overarching concepts identified were: the paradox of support, challenges in the caring process, ‘nobody thinks of men’, impact on family life and the fall of the curtain: an irrevocably altered world. These and associated sub-concepts are discussed, with recommendations for future research and practice provided. Conclusion: The findings indicate the value of a family-oriented approach to develop psychosocial interventions and support channels for fathers, thus empowering them whilst reducing the care-giving burden on the family unit.


2021 ◽  
pp. 089826432110150
Author(s):  
Janet M. Boekhout ◽  
Esmee Volders ◽  
Catherine A. W. Bolman ◽  
Renate H. M. de Groot ◽  
Lilian Lechner

Objectives: This study explores the effects of the Active Plus intervention aiming to decrease loneliness among older adults (>65 years) with chronic diseases. Methods: A randomized controlled trial (RCT) was performed (N = 585; age: M = 74.5 years, SD = 6.4), assessing loneliness at baseline, 6 months and 12 months. Outcome measures in the multilevel linear regression analyses were total, social and emotional loneliness. Results: At 12 months, significant decreases in total ( B = −.37, p = .01) and social loneliness ( B = −.24, p = .02) were found. Age was a significant moderator for total and social loneliness; however, the intervention was effective only for participants aged 80 years and older. Discussion: The Active Plus intervention showed a significant decrease in total and social loneliness and was especially beneficial for the vulnerable age group of 80 years and older. A more comprehensive tool for measuring social activity and mobility impairments, and using a longer time frame to detect loneliness changes, may form interesting future research.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olivia Hughes ◽  
Rachael Hunter

BACKGROUND Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin condition, which can be affected by stress. Living with psoriasis can trigger negative emotions, which may influence quality of life. OBJECTIVE This study explored the experiences of people with psoriasis with attention to the potential role of anger in the onset and progression of the chronic skin condition. METHODS Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with twelve participants (n=5 females, n=7 males) recruited online from an advert on a patient charity’s social media platforms. Data were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. RESULTS Four key themes were identified: (1) ‘I get really angry with the whole situation:’ anger at the self and others, (2) the impact of anger on psoriasis: angry skin, (3) shared experiences of distress, and (4) moving past anger to affirmation. CONCLUSIONS Findings suggest that anger can have a perceived impact on psoriasis through contributing to sensory symptoms and unhelpful coping cycles and point to a need for enhanced treatment with more psychological support. The findings also highlight the continued stigma which exists for people living with skin conditions and how this may contribute to, and sustain, anger for those individuals. Future research could usefully focus on developing targeted psychosocial interventions to promote healthy emotional coping with psoriasis.


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