Hemodialysis; psychosocial stressors in patients undergoing

To determine the nature and frequency of psychosocial stressors faced by the patients on hemodialysis admitted in Renal Dialysis Unit of Nishtar Hospital, Multan. A descriptive study. The study was conducted in the Renal Dialysis Unit of Nishtar Hospital, Multan, from 1[st] May, 2014 to 31[st] May, 2014. The sample consisted of 170 [112 Male, 58 Females] consecutive inpatients on Hemodialysis Treatment. They were interviewed and Hemodialysis Stressors Scale [HSS] was administrated to know the frequency of Hemodialysis Stressors. Results showed that all the patients reported Physiological and Psychosocial stressors. Most frequent physical stressors included feeling tired [92%] and stiffening of joints [91%]. In psychosocial stressors restriction of fluid [100%], dependence on dialysis machine and/ or equipment [95%], limitation of physical activity [93%], changes in family responsibilities [93%], dependency on nurses and technicians [93%], length of treatment [92%], dependency on physicians [91%], sleep disturbance [90%] and limitation of food [93%] were the most frequently reported. We concluded that both physiological and psychosocial stressors were present in significant majority of patients

Heroin dependence; family support and relapse in patients

To determine the frequency and level of family support in Heroin Dependent patients presenting with 1st treatment and also the patients presenting with relapses. A descriptive study. The study was conducted in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Nishtar Hospital, Multan from September, 2013 to December, 2013. The sample consisted of 50 consecutive inpatients presenting with Heroin Dependence. They were interviewed and Family support Scale [FSS] was administered to know the level of support in heroin dependent patients. Results showed that 20% patients relapsed 3 times while 38% had more than three times relapses among whome 30% patients have family support, but 70% have very low level and family support decreased with increasing number of replace. We concluded that higher level of family support was during in the 1st treatment of Heroin Dependence and family support decreased as the number of relapses increased

Conversion disorder; psycho-social stressors and life events in children

Objective: Frequency of the psychosocial stressors and stressful life events in children presenting with conversion disorder. Study design: A descriptive study. Place and duration of study: The study was conducted in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences, Bahawal Victoria Hospital and Quaid-e-Azam Medical College, Bahawalpur from January, 2010 to October, 2010

Subjects and Methods: The sample consisted of 100 in-patients [62 Female, 38 Male] with Conversion Disorder. They were interviewed and results were analysed from the entries in a Performa. The Presumptive Stressful life Events Scale [PSLES] was administered by an open ended interview to elicit major life events in the past 10 months

Results: Stressors were clearly identified in 100 patients. In all patients, we found more than one stressor. Among patients, there were [29%] Educational and study stressors, [20%] Parent's death / Separation, [20%] Sexual Abuse, [14%] Sibling Rivalry, [13%] Pampered / Demanding Child, [10%] Attention Seeking, [8%] Peer Group Problems, [8%] Improper Parenting, [8%] Learned behaviour, [7%] Emotional Involvement Issues, [5%] Habit of stealing and [4%] Adopted Child

Conclusions: We concluded that stressors and life events were present in all conversion disorder's patients and these stressful life events are important causal factors for Conversion Disorder. Severe and sudden emotional stress serves to precipitate conversion reaction in predisposed children. The symptom serves to solve the conflict and the gain obtained served to perpetuate the illness

Levels of perceived professional stress among university academics

The study intended to find out the prevalence of stress in varying degrees among university academics and aimed at contributing knowledge to create awareness about the problem of stress due to teaching among university academics. It was hypothesized that majority of university academics would have high professional life stress. Study further elaborates the gender differences in the perception of the perceived professional life stress. A total number of 200 university academics, including 100 males and 100 females participated in the study. In order to assess the stress level of university academics, the "Professional Life Stress Scale" was administered. Descriptive Statistics and t-test were computed for the statistical analysis of the data. The results revealed that 50%, 27% and 23% of the university academics experienced severe, moderate and mild levels of professional stress respectively. There was no significant result for gender differences obtained in the perception of professional stress among university academics

Patterns of delusions in male and female schizophrenic patients

The aim of the study was to ascertain the different delusional patterns among male and female psychotic patients admitted in the psychiatry ward of Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre [JPMC] Karachi. Qualitative Study. Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre [JPMC] Karachi from 2005-06. Twenty five In-patients who were diagnosed as suffering from Schizophrenia as defined in DSM-IV1. 13 females and 12 males, with an average age range of 17-50 years belonging to different socioeconomic status, were taken from JPMC, Karachi through the technique of purposive sampling. The research instrument used in order to investigate different delusional patterns among male and female schizophrenic patients was the Semi-Structured Interview Form designed by the three qualified psychologist at Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan. Grounded theory was used for the purpose of qualitative analysis of the data. In this theory, the researcher makes comparisons during data collection. In this manner, theoretical questions arise that suggest future observations. Therefore, new data are tailored to answer theoretical questions that arise as a result of considering about previous data. Analysis of the data showed that persecutor delusions are more prevalent among schizophrenic patients. As out of 25 cases; 14 cases were of persecutory delusion type which makes 52% of the total cases reported; 6 were of grandiose delusions type which makes 24% of the total cases reported and 6 cases were of mixed and other types of delusion which makes 24% of the total cases reported. In addition to this it was also observed that the contents ofdelusions were different in male and female schizophrenic patients. However, the patterns were same