A Community Participation Initiative During COVID-19 Pandemic:A Case Study From India

Background: A community participation initiative of stitching personal protective equipment (PPE), masks, and face shields for healthcare professionals working in the hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic was conducted using a case study design. Methods: The hospital tailoring unit was used to cater to the in-house demand for stitching safety gear kits for healthcare professionals. A transect walk was conducted to survey hospitals for selecting material for stitching the safety gears and to draw up a plan to meet future demand. The psychiatric social worker induced a community participatory initiative using the method of social work of community organization. A flyer was prepared to invite participants with prior experience in tailoring for this initiative. All participants were trained by the master trainers of the tailoring unit. The participants were also interviewed about their views on this initiative in an informal interview. Results: A total of 83 participants, including 26 individuals (8 volunteers and 18 who received an honorarium), 2 boutiques ( n = 12), and 1 government organization, participated in the activity ( n = 45). A total of 1700 complete PPE kits and 13,000 masks were stitched during this period. The participants reported that the benefit of being a part of this initiative was reduced boredom, sense of purpose and satisfaction, and improved mental health due to structured activity. Conclusions: A community participation initiative using the principles of community organization, a method of social work, can help produce desired outputs and improve the well-being of the participants

Schedule of Factors Influencing Adherence (SOFIA) to Psychiatric Treatment in Persons with Schizophrenia: Validity and Pilot Testing

Qualitative research has highlighted the complex interplay of multiple factors that preclude persons with schizophrenia in rural Indian settings for discontinued psychiatric treatment. In this context, this paper aims to establish the face and content validities of an interview schedule titled „Schedule of Factors Influencing Adherence (SOFIA) to Psychiatric Treatment in Persons with Schizophrenia‟ which comprehensively assesses factors for discontinued psychiatric treatment and the feasibility of its administration of the schedule. SOFIA contains 16 factors. This schedule involves three phases of interviewing patients and family members. This was given to twelve experts who used likert scales to rate each items wells as the dimensions of the schedule. Later on, fifteen persons with schizophrenia were interviewed with SOFIA to test the feasibility of administration. The results showed that Fourteen items were rated as either satisfactory (score=4) or very much satisfactory (score=5) by all twelve experts; remaining two were rated as 4 or 5 by 11 experts. Regarding comprehensiveness of the factors, scoring methods and general instructions given to the interviewers, all provided scores > 4; regarding method of interviewing, 11 provided score of > 4; with regard to overall interview schedule, all experts provided scores > 4. Pilot testing revealed that it took 60 minutes to administer SOFIA

Schedule of Factors Influencing Adherence (SOFIA) to Psychiatric Treatment in Persons with Schizophrenia: Validity and Pilot Testing

Qualitative research has highlighted the complexinterplay of multiple factors that preclude persons withschizophrenia in rural Indian settings for discontinuedpsychiatric treatment. In this context, this paper aims toestablish the face and content validities of an interviewschedule titled „Schedule of Factors InfluencingAdherence (SOFIA) to Psychiatric Treatment in Personswith Schizophrenia‟ which comprehensively assessesfactors for discontinued  psychiatric treatment and   thefeasibility of its administration of the schedule. SOFIAcontains 16 factors. This schedule involves three phases of interviewing patients and family members.  This wasgiven to twelve experts who used likert scales to rate eachitems wells as the dimensions of the schedule. Later on,fifteen persons with schizophrenia were interviewed withSOFIA to test the feasibility of administration. The resultsshowed that Fourteen items were rated as eithersatisfactory (score=4) or very much satisfactory (score=5)by all twelve experts; remaining two were rated as 4 or 5by 11 experts. Regarding comprehensiveness of thefactors, scoring methods and general instructions given tothe interviewers, all provided scores > 4; regardingmethod of interviewing, 11 provided score of > 4; withregard to overall interview schedule, all experts providedscores > 4. Pilot testing revealed that it took 60 minutes to administer SOFIA