SoMHiL and OJPAS™: “like a rolling stone”

The Society of Mental Health in LAMIC (SoMHiL) and Academia Dysphrenia come together to run the Open Journal of Psychiatry & Allied Sciences (OJPAS™). The Editor-in-Chief is going to change from the upcoming issue

Media exposure to earthquake-related content in its aftermath as a risk factor for acute stress disorder

Background: Introduced in DSM-IV, acute stress disorder (ASD) is a psychiatric diagnosis characterised by severe anxiety, dissociation, intrusive thoughts, and other symptoms occurring within one month of experiencing a traumatic event. Research indicates that ASD may place individuals at increased risk of developing chronic posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). There is growing evidence that increased media exposure to traumatic events is a risk factor for the development of posttraumatic symptomatology. Aims: We hypothesised that in the aftermath of a natural disaster, excessive exposure to television and Internet coverage might be a risk factor for ASD. Methods: Using a cross-sectional study design in a sample of 300 medical and nursing college students exposed to an earthquake, ASD was assessed with the Stanford Acute Stress Disorder Questionnaire (SARSQ) and media exposure by an interview to capture exposure to earthquake-related news via television and Internet. Results: Thirty six students developed ASD (12%). The odds of greater exposure to earthquake-related content via television was 1.93 times more (95% CI 1.02-3.66, p-value=0.042) and Internet 2.28 times more (95% CI 1.18-4.41, p-value=0.015) in students who developed ASD than those who did not. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that excessive exposure to earthquake-related media content via television and Internet in its aftermath is associated with a statistically significant risk of developing ASD

Gearing up mental health and wellness: Psycho-socio-religio-legal perspectives with special reference to mental healthcare act, 2017

Good health refers to the mind and body's soundness and the state in which its tasks are carried out properly and effectively. Health is described by the World Health Organization as "a condition of complete physical, mental, and social well-being". There are a variety of elements that influence health in developing nations like India, such as poverty, food insecurity, food pricing and malnutrition, pollution and deterioration of the environment, occupational and reproductive health issues, cost prices of private health care systems, public health care delivery systems, and so on. The health of mothers, new-borns, and children is currently the prime agenda of multilateral organizations, international cooperation agencies, and governments around the world. Children are our future, and maintaining their health, development, and growth should be the top priority for all nations. Malnutrition, infectious diseases, being born underweight, maternal or neonatal or infant mortality, and other factors make new-borns and children more susceptible. This paper looks at the changes in the Mental Health Act 1987 to the new legislation of 2017 for the treatment and care of a mentally ill person and analyzes the various provisions of it from a psycho-socio-legal perspective

First record of albinism in the Crowned River Turtle, Hardella thurjii, Gray, 1831 (Reptilia: Testudines, Geoemydidae)

Dutta, Sreeparna, Pareek, Pawan Shantiprakash, Singh, Arunima, Riedle, J. Daren, Singh, Shailendra (2022): First record of albinism in the Crowned River Turtle, Hardella thurjii, Gray, 1831 (Reptilia: Testudines, Geoemydidae). Zootaxa 5091 (1): 197-200, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5091.1.1

An exploratory study from eastern India on neurological soft signs and spontaneous movement disorders in schizophrenia spectrum disorders

Background: Apart from the traditional symptoms of delusion and hallucination, soft signs of neurological dysfunction in psychotic disorder have the potential for addressing neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative aetiology. Aim: The study explored the neurological soft signs (NSS) and spontaneous movement disorders (SMD) in the same patient population of schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) and other psychotic disorders. Materials and methods: Patients were diagnosed with SSD and other psychotic disorders as per ICD-10 diagnostic criteria and were evaluated with the Heidelberg manual for NSS and Modified Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS), Simpson-Angus Rating Scale (SARS), and Barnes Akathisia Rating Scale (BARS) for assessing dyskinesia. Results: Total 16 patients with mean age of 28.7 (±7.7) years had a mean duration of 63.2 (±68.8) months’ illness. Out 16 patients, 13 cooperated for assessment. Patients with schizophrenia had the mean Heidelberg score of 6.75 (±3.304). The scores of complex motor task, right/ left spatial orientation, integrative functions, and hard signs varied but the motor coordination score was unwaveringly high in all the participants with SSD. Twenty per cent of SSD patients had dyskinesia. None had scored more than the upper limit of normal range in SARS. None of the participants had scored enough to qualify for akathisia. Conclusion: NSS and SMD emerge as distinct objective parameters for a group of psychotic disorder patients, especially SSD

Comparative analysis of external and internal fixation in lower radial articular fractures

Background: The treatment of distal radial articular fracture is still controversial despite continue refinement in the treatment. Objectives: The study was done to compare the functional as well as radiological outcome of treatment of distal radius by the external fixation frame and internal fixation by plating. Materials and Methods: This prospective study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital of eastern India on 40 patients with distal radial articular fractures after taking clearance from the Institutional Ethical committee and informed consent of the patients. All cases of distal radial articular fractures were randomly assigned by computerized methods to two different treatment protocols: a) external fixation application and b) internal fixation application. The fractures were classified with Fernandez and Jupiter classification. Results: In the present study excellent results were obtained in all Fernandez type I fractures both in external fixation and internal fixation group. Excellent to good results were obtained in all Fernandez type II fractures both in external fixation and internal fixation group. In external fixation group, out of six type II fracture four (66%) had excellent result and two (33%) had good result. In internal fixation group out of nine type II fracture five (55%) had excellent result and four (45%) had good result. Mixed results were obtained in all Fernandez type III fractures (16) both in external fixation and internal fixation group. In external fixation group, out of eight type III fracture 3(38%) had excellent result, four (50%) had good result and one (12%) had fair result. In internal fixation group out of eight type III fracture six (75%) had excellent result and two (25%) had good result. The results indicate that in type III fractures internal fixation is a better option. Fair to poor results were obtained in Fernandez type V (3) fractures both in external fixation and internal fixation group. Results may be improved by early bone grafting and possible external fixation and internal fixation (combined fixation). Out of thirteen patients with biplanar JESS, eight (61%) had excellent results compared to uniplanar UMAX in which out of seven, patients three (42%), had excellent results. Conclusions: External fixation and volar buttress plate produce almost equivalent functional results in distal radial articular fractures, with volar buttress plate having better anatomical results than external fixation in the present study. With careful assessment, good surgical technique and early mobilization, the distal radial articular fractures can be effectively managed with predictably good outcome using either external fixation or volar buttress plate. Volar buttress plate can be more effective in type III Fernandez fractures, while UMAX is a better option for Fernandez type II fractures

Police abuse and care engagement of people with HIV who inject drugs in Ukraine

Police abuse affects people who inject drugs (PWID), including those with HIV, and negatively impacts care engagement. This cross-sectional study evaluated police abuse among PWID receiving MOUD (medication for opioid use disorder) living with HIV and associations with HIV treatment adherence and receipt of NGO services. We assessed lifetime and past six-month rates of police abuse among a cohort of Ukrainian PWID with HIV receiving MOUD (n = 190) from August to September 2017. Logistic regression models evaluated associations between past six-month police abuse and past 30-day antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence, and past six-month NGO service receipt. Almost all (90%) participants reported lifetime police abuse: 77% reported physical violence and 75% reported paying the police to avoid arrest. One in four females (25%) reported police-perpetrated sexual violence. Recent police abuse was reported by 16% of males and 2% of females and was not associated with ART adherence (aOR: 1.1; 95% CI:0.3–5.0) or NGO service receipt (aOR: 3.4; 95% CI:0.6–18.3). While lifetime police abuse rates were high, few participants reported recent police abuse, which was not linked to care engagement. These trends should encourage the Ukrainian government for public health-public safety partnerships and legal interventions to eliminate human rights violations against PWID living with HIV