Anxiety and depression in nurses working in government tertiary care teaching hospitals of Peshawar khyber pakhtunkhwa and their relationship with job stress

To estimate the prevalence and intensity of anxiety and depression and its relationship with job stress among the nursing staff. This cross sectional analytical descriptive study was conducted in three teaching hospitals of Peshawar from 1[st] August 206 to 30[th] November 2006. Convenient sampling was used. The samples consisted of 700 nurses. Sociodemorgraphic details were collected through a proforma. Self rating translated Job Stress Questionnaire was administered followed by self rating Urdu version of AKUAD scale for estimation of job stress and intensity of anxiety and depression. SPSS version 16 was used for statistics. The prevalence of anxiety and depression was 100% with mean score of 41 +/- 10.70 and job stress 38.96 +/- 18.76. The prevalence of mild, moderate, severe and very severe degrees of anxiety and depression was 55.6%, 39.3%, 4.6% and 0.6% respectively. There was no significant correlation between total scores on [AKAUDS] and job stress on JSQ [0.836 P >/= 0.5]. Five items of job stress: Inability to satisfy patients [0.022, P

Attitude of medical students towards psychiatry in NWFP

Worldwide literature shows negative attitude of medical students towards psychiatry, which determines future of this subject. Some work has been conducted in two provinces [Sindh and Punjab] of Pakistan in this regard. The Objective of this cross sectional study was conducted to find out the attitude of medical students in NWFP towards psychiatry. The survey was conducted at two different days of the month of July on final year students of two recognized medical colleges of NWFP. The sample consisted of 281 subjects of which 165 [58.3%] were males and 116 [41%] were females. Five Point Attitude scale [ATP 30] was used to assess the attitude. The data collected was labelled and analyzed with the help of SPSS version 10. There were total 30 items in the questionnaire of attitude study. Both male and female students showed positive attitude towards most of the items except few, towards which the attitude of the students was neutral. The results seem consistent with the local literature. Over all attitudes of medical students was positive. However, attitude of female students towards some of the items were more positive as compared to their male counterparts

Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of IV drug users presenting to a tertiary care treatment centre

To identify the association between sociodemographic factors and injectable drug use. This descriptive study was carried out in drug abuse treatment centre of psychiatry department Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar. The patients were recruited through United Nations Office, Drug and Crime Programme [UNODC]. They were interviewed in detail by a psychologist and psychiatrist, through an instrument, specifically designed to collect the information about sociodemographic factors among injecting drug users. Data was recorded and analyzed by using SPSS. The sample consisted of 52 injecting drug users out of the total five hounded patients [10.4%]. All of them were male. Majority belonged to the age group 21-40 years [76.9%]. One third of them [34.6%] were illiterate while about half [50.5%] had professional skills. About one fourth patients [26.9%] started drug use in early age [11-20 years], and only four patients admitted sharing syringe or needle with others patients. The most common reason for 1/V drug use was, influence of friends followed by the desire to get quick and light response. Problem of injectable drug use is common in the illiterate and in younger age group and needs attention of health care planners and research workers

attitude and perception of hospital doctors about the management of psychiatric disorders

To determine perception and the attitude of non-psychiatric doctors about psychiatric problems working in a tertiary care hospital. Cross-sectional survey. Postgraduate Medical Institute, Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar. The questionnaires distributed were returned within one week duration. All the doctors working in Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar for more than one year except house officers and those working in Paediatrics, Radiology and Administration Block were given anonymous questionnaires. Two hundred and ten doctors returned the questionnaires. One hundred and eighty-three [87%] of respondents were male. Ninty-eight percent of doctors agreed that psychological factors were important in the cause and outcome of physical disorders but only 26.7% agreed that management of emotional issues is medical responsibility. There was no statistically significant difference between physicians and surgeons in their attitude towards importance of psychological factors in the physical disorders. Doctors working in tertiary care hospital have adequate awareness about the psychological and emotional factors in medical and surgical patients. However, some barriers against the provision of bio-psychosocial care seem to be present

Reasons for not acting on suicidal ideas

Suicide is a major health problem at present and depression is the most important cause of suicide. What does predispose a person to act on suicidal thoughts has reasonably been studied but little is explored about protective factors against suicidal acts. This study was aimed at finding important protective factors in depressed patients admitted in psychiatry unit of tertiary care hospital against suicide and their comparison with previous studies. Design: Cross sectional descriptive study. Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out between 1st March 2002 to 15th August, 2002 in the psychiatry department of Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar. Subjects and All the patients admitted in psychiatry department of Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar meeting the ICD -10 criteria for depressive illness and with score greater than 17 on Hamilton depression rating scale were included in the study. Beck hopelessness scale and a modified version of reasons for living Inventory were administered. The Hamilton depression rating scale was used to assess the severity of depression. The data collected was labeled and analyzed with the help of SPSS version 8. The mean score on Hamilton depression rating scale for the sample was 23.30 +/- 4.32. The responsibility towards family was highly scored subscale of reasons for living inventory [RLI] as a whole as well as separately by males and females while religious beliefs were the next significant subscale of reasons for living inventory [RLI]. Moreover, females significantly scored higher than males on fear of social disapproval. Responsibility towards family was the strongest protective factor in both males and females against acting on suicidal ideas in our population. Besides this, females had greater fear of social disapproval as compared to males