Browsing by Author "Edirisinghe, A."

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    Comparative analysis of the pattern of intimate partner violence against women admitted to a tertiary hospital in Sri Lanka during and after the periods of COVID-19 lockdown
    (Humana Press, 2024) Kitulwatte, I.; Gangahawatte, S.; Thanushan, M.; Thivaharan, Y.; Edirisinghe, A.; Dissanayke, C.; Jayathilaka, R.; Wijayarathne, P.
    Lockdown measures during the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in restrictions on people's ability to move, allowing more time for intimate partners-this increased opportunities for intimate partner violence (IPV), especially against women. The study aimed to evaluate the characteristics of IPV against women during and after the lockdown period. A prospective, descriptive study on female victims of IPV presented from March 2020 to February 2022 to a leading teaching hospital in Sri Lanka. Out of the 876 patients admitted during the period, details could be obtained from 300 victims. Ninety-four (31%) were during the lockdown, while 206 (69%) were post-lockdown admissions. The mean age of the victim in both groups was 33.5 years. Even though physical abuse was high throughout, the prevalence of sexual abuse was significantly higher (p < 0.0001) during the lockdown period (31.9%) than during the post-lockdown period (3.4%). Financial problems (46.6%), followed by substance abuse (35%), were the most common risk factors during the post-lockdown period, while morbid jealousy (34%) was the most common risk factor, followed by extramarital relationships (33%) during the lockdown. Psychological consequences due to IPV were observed in 76.5% of victims during the lockdown period and only 11.2% during the post-lockdown period. The prolonged lockdown has significantly influenced mental and sexual health, changing the pattern of IPV against women. The need to have services to ensure the mental and sexual well-being of the community was highlighted.
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    Death of a child following a superstitious ritual of exorcism
    (Elsevier, 2022) Thivaharan, Y.; Dias, V.; Edirisinghe, A.; Kitulwatte, I.D.G.
    Introduction: Diseases, especially those related to the psyche produced by demons, are an accepted belief in many communities. This paper elaborates on the death of a child, a victim of an exorcism ritual, and calls for adequate awareness and preventive measures. Case report: The deceased, a 9-year-old child, was taken by her mother to an exorcist to ’expel a demon from her body. The exorcist caned the child for two days while giving ’water’ to drink. On the second day, the child lost consciousness and was pronounced dead on admission. On direct questioning, it was revealed that the child had been made to consume some medicinal syrups forcefully by the mother and the exorcist. The autopsy revealed multiple abrasions, tram-line contusions and burns on the body. There was mottling and consolidation in the lungs. Blood-stained secretions were found in the trachea, bronchi, and stomach. Musculoskeletal dissection revealed subcutaneous haemorrhages and muscular contusions over the buttocks and limbs. Histology revealed evidence of well-established aspiration pneumonia. There was no other significant pathology, especially no evidence of acute kidney injury due to rhabdomyolysis. Toxicological analysis was negative for common poisons, therapeutic drugs, and heavy metals. The cause of death was concluded as aspiration pneumonia in a child subjected to physical violence. Conclusion: With the forceful feeding of the syrup, the child can have aspiration, resulting in aspiration pneumonia. At the same time, it appears that even after the child became symptomatic, she had not been brought for medical treatment but had continued with the same exorcistic therapy. While the caregivers become responsible for the child’s death, the lessons to be learnt are enormous. Thus, banning such practices against children is a need of the hour.
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    Duty towards environmental protection: Companies’ role under the Companies Act No 07 of 2007
    (Research Centre for Social Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Wijerathna, Y.; Edirisinghe, A.
    The Brundtland Commission's report defined sustainable development as “development which meets the needs of current generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. In this context, it is problematic whether companies conduct their corporate activities in line with doctrine of sustainable development. The proposed study expects to find out whether the Companies Act No 07 of 2007 imposes any duty towards environmental protection on Sri Lankan Companies. The study will evaluate the scope and the extent of these duties (if there are any) and examine whether the statutory duties imposed are adequate to protect the environment. The overall approach to this study is a qualitative one. Further, relevant statutory provisions are analysed using the critical analysis method and the comparative analysis method. Critical analysis method was employed to analyze the relevant statutory provisions and the comparative analysis method is employed to examine similarities and differences between the Companies Acts of Sri Lanka and the United Kingdom. Qualitative data for the research was gathered through primary sources and secondary sources. Primary sources include the relevant statutes i.e. Companies Act No. 7 of 2007 of Sri Lanka and the Companies Act of 2006 of the United Kingdom and the case law. The secondary sources include books with critical analysis, journals, theses and electronic resources. The basic limitation of this method is that it does not satisfactorily focus on the actual implementation of the existing legal framework. It is submitted that Companies Act No 07 of 2007 does not expressly impose a duty on Sri Lankan companies towards environmental protection. Hence the existing statutory provisions are inadequate and the Companies Act should be amended to include express provisions to guarantee environmental protection.
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    The establishment of a population-specific reference value for the ruler drop test for the clinical assessment of reaction time
    (Elsevier, 2023) Rajapaksha, S.; Kitulwatte, I.; Senarathne, U.; Edirisinghe, A.; Perera, P.
    BACKGROUND: Reaction time (RT) is the interval between a stimulus and an appropriate voluntary response in an individual. Alcohol is known to result in delayed RT. In Sri Lanka, an alleged drunken driver is legally subjected to a medico-legal examination to confirm or exclude impairment. The guideline for examining a drunk person in Sri Lanka includes the ruler drop test (RDT) as a test of RT. RDT is a simple test of visual reaction time in which the subject attempts to stop a falling ruler, and the height fallen is used to determine the time taken to react to the event. However, a formal study has yet to be carried out to establish population-specific reference values to interpret RDT results. METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted using 903 adults ≥18 years. A nonparametric approach was applied for deriving the reference values based on an inter-percentile interval. RESULTS: The study population consisted of 56.6% females, and the mean age of the participants was 41.6 years. Most (95%) of the study population could catch the ruler at or less than 40.0 cm of average height. The average height on RDT increased from younger to older age groups. However, subgrouping based on other variables, including sex, age, and alcohol consumption, did not show any statistically significant difference. CONCLUSIONS: The population-specific cut-off limit to identify alcohol intoxication by RDT in a Sri Lankan adult is 'average height' >40 cm.
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    Examination of a driver alleged to have consumed alcohol
    (Sri Lanka Medical Association, 2008) Edirisinghe, A.; de Alwis, L.B.
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    Injury, fatal and nonfatal: explosive injuries
    (Elsevier Ltd, 2016) Edirisinghe, A.; Samarasekera, A.
    Injuries and effects on the human body due to explosions in general, and in modern warfare in particular, have certain patterns which can be identified and classified depending on their causation, properties of the explosive material and device used, motive, and the target. Predetermined action plans together with disaster preparedness and response are important for proper and effective medico legal management of dead bodies and survivors after an explosion, and the key to success is a coordinated multidisciplinary and humanitarian approach.
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    Pseudo-convulsions in a child subjected to abuse
    (Sri Lanka Medical Association, 2003) Edirisinghe, A.; Samarasekera, A.
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    Sudden unexpected death of an infant
    (Sri Lanka Medical Association, 2006) Edirisinghe, A.; Samarasekara, A.
    In the sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) a sleeping infant is discovered lifeless. SIDS is a recognized medical disorder in the International Classification of Deaths. However, the Annual Health Bulletin of Sri Lanka has not documented any death due to SIDS. A post-mortem examination was performed according to the SIDS Autopsy Protocol of the National SIDS Council of Australia, on an infant who had died unexpectedly. This case illustrates the importance of having a protocol of our own to diagnose SIDS.
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