ABSTRACT
A series of Community Psychiatric Clinics were conducted in different blocks of Sundarban region of West Bengal. One of the primary objectives of this was to collect clinical epidemiological data on psychiatric morbidity in the region. A total of 26 clinics were conducted in Sagar, Kakdwip, Canning and Gosaba block of the Sundarban region during the period from end 1998 to end 2000. A total of 451 psychiatric cases with diagnostic categories (male 239, female 212) and 215 non-psychiatric cases (male 107 and female 108) were seen in these clinics. Diagnostic Interview Schedules (SCID) and Clinical rating scales like Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and Brief Psychiatric Rating Scales were used to ascertain clinical diagnosis quantitatively. Special emphasis was given on common psychiatric disorders.
Subject(s)
Community Mental Health Services/statistics & numerical data , Female , Health Surveys , Humans , India/epidemiology , Male , Mental Disorders/epidemiology , Needs AssessmentABSTRACT
A pilot study of 29 patients for research on clinical depression employed the framework of cultural epidemiology to examine illness-related experience, meaning, behaviour with a Bengali version of the explanatory Model Interview Catalogue (EMIC). This report examined patterns of distress and stigma with reference to the most troubling patient-specified symptom. All subjects were psychiatric outpatients in the Institute of Psychiatry, Calcutta, and met Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM)-IV criteria for a major depressive episode. Only 5 patients (17.2%) identified sadness as the most troubling problem, and 48.3% specified pains and other somatic symptoms instead. An internally consistent stigma scale with Cronbach's alpha of .67, comprised 13 items, was used to assess stigma. In addition to the scale score for each subject, the contribution of each item was reported and compared. A suggestive, though not significantly lower value of the stigma score for patients reporting somatic symptoms as most troubling, compared with sadness, was consistent with findings from prior studies showing a positive relationship between the magnitude of depression and stigma. These findings are discussed with reference to their impact on recognition and help seeking among patients, and recognition and management of depression by general practitioner. Culturally distinctive presentations and social contexts of depression and other mental illnesses should be addressed in professional training and public health communications.
Subject(s)
Adult , Cultural Characteristics , Depressive Disorder, Major/diagnosis , Developing Countries , Diagnosis, Differential , Female , Humans , India , Male , Middle Aged , Prejudice , Psychiatric Status Rating Scales , Somatoform Disorders/diagnosis , Urban PopulationABSTRACT
The present work aims to study the cultural concepts of the health in general and mental health in particular from six villages of Sundarban region, West Bengal, India, by using field research methodology, viz, participants observation, focus group discussion and in depth interview. A qualitative data was collected from the field. Analysis of the data shows that there is a clear difference of conception among the people of the region according to their socio-economic status. Poor and non-educated segment stressed much more on the physical ability and lack of economic resources in relation to health, whereas educated and comparatively economically stable segment with some urban influence, stressed more on both physical and emotional stability as a measure of good health. The pattern of help seeking also reflects different preferences towards traditional and modern treatment facilities available in the region. Results on the study promoted to take intensive community awareness programme for effective health coverage of the population.