Journal/Magazine Articles

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This collection contains original research articles, review articles and case reports published in local and international peer reviewed journals by the staff members of the Faculty of Medicine

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Author: search.filters.author.Baminiwatta, A.K.A.B.

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    Alcohol dependence in the time of COVID-19: A Possible silver lining [Letter to the Editor]
    (Wolters Kluwer Medknow, 2021) Baminiwatta, A.K.A.B.; Peris, M.U.P.K.
    No abstract available
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    Validity and clinical utility of a Sinhalese version of the abnormal involuntary movement scale (AIMS)
    (Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrists, 2021) Baminiwatta, A.K.A.B.; Gunesekara, T.; Kuruppuarachchi, K.A.L.A.; Hapangama, A.; Harshini, M.L.; Bandara, T.R.; Perera, K.M.N.
    INTRODUCTION: Tardive dyskinesia (TD) is a movement disorder caused by long-term treatment with dopamine antagonists such as antipsychotics. As there is no medication universally effective for TD, prevention is important. We propose that non-medical clinicians working in psychiatry can also be trained and involved in a screening programme for TD. To facilitate such a programme, validation of a standard tool translated to Sinhala is a need. AIMS: To translate and validate the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS) into Sinhala. METHODS: Translation and pilot testing followed standard guidelines. The translated version was administered by five raters (two registrars in psychiatry, a medical officer, a community psychiatry nurse (CPN) and a psychiatric social worker) amongst patients treated with antipsychotic medication for a minimum of one year. The goldstandard diagnosis was the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM)-5 criteria, applied by a psychiatrist. RESULTS: Of the 137 patients screened (53.3% male; mean age = 49 years), the percentage of patients diagnosed with TD using AIMS and DSM-5 were 33% and 34%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of AIMS in detection of TD were 67% and 83.4% respectively. The degree of agreement between the AIMS and DSM- 5 indicated moderate criterion validity (Cohen's kappa= 0.5). For different raters, the agreement with the psychiatrist's diagnosis (kappa) ranged from 0.41 (CPN) to 0.63 (registrar), indicating modest reliability between raters. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide preliminary evidence for the validity of AIMS in detecting TD among Sinhalaspeaking patients, when administered by a range of mental health professionals. KEYWORDS: Tardive dyskinesia, Abnormal involuntary movement scale
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    A nationwide survey of attitudes towards psychiatry among final-year medical students in Sri Lanka
    (Elsevier., 2020) Baminiwatta, A.K.A.B.; Bandara, W.A.V.S.; Athurugiriya, A.A.I.D.; Yangdon, T.; Cader, G.R.; Bokalamulla, L. A. B.; Bandara, W.R.R.D.; Bandara, W.M.K.M.; Chandradasa, K.A.S.I.P.; Athukorala, H.P.; Dias, G.S.S.R.
    ABSTRACT: Stigma towards psychiatry, a debilitating phenomenon worldwide, is likely to have engendered the longstanding lack of recruitment into psychiatry in Sri Lanka (SL). However, as recent expansion of the undergraduate training in psychiatry in SL may have instigated favorable changes in students' attitudes, we assessed the attitudes of students regarding psychiatry by administering Attitude towards psychiatry-30 (ATP-30) scale to final-year medical students in nine medical schools in SL. This 30-item questionnaire covers eight domains of psychiatry and is rated on a Likert scale, producing a total score out of 150. A multiple linear regression was performed to investigate associated factors. A total of 743 fin. l-year students participated. Of them, 54 % were male. The mean attitude score was 107.7 (SD = 12.3) and 92.2 % showed an overall "positive" attitude. 22.2 % of students considered psychiatry as a potential future career. Students with more than one month of clinical exposure to psychiatry showed a better attitude compared to those with shorter exposure. Female gender and the presence of a close person with mental illness were also associated with better attitudes and career interest. The generally positive attitude towards psychiatry among medical students may be explained, at least partly, by recent advances in undergraduate psychiatry education in SL. Longer clinical exposure to psychiatry being associated with better attitudes indicates the need to ensure adequate duration of clinical training in psychiatry in the undergraduate curriculum. KEYWORDS: Attitude towards mental illness; Attitude towards psychiatry; Career interest; Clinical training; Stigma; Undergraduate training.