Medicine
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This repository contains the published and unpublished research of the Faculty of Medicine by the staff members of the faculty
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Item Brain drain among Sri Lankan psychiatrists(Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrists, 2023) Chandradasa, M.; Kuruppuarachchi, K.A.L.ANo abstract availableItem Suicide, stigma and COVID-19: A call for action from low and middle income countries(Frontiers Research Foundation,Lausanne, Switzerland, 2022) Shoib, S.; Chandradasa, M.; Saeed, F.; Armiya'u, A.Y.; Roza, T.H.; Ori, D.; Jakhar, J.; Rodrigues-Silva, N.; Banerjee, DSuicide is a global health issue that needs to be addressed. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an increased mental health burden. Stigma has obstructed efforts to prevent suicide as individuals who need urgent support do not seek appropriate help. The influence of stigma is likely to grow in tandem with the COVID-19 pandemic. The stigmatization of persons with mental illnesses is widespread worldwide, and it has substantial effects on both the individual and society. Our viewpoints aim to address the probable link between stigma and suicide in the wake of the current pandemic and propose ideas for reducing suicide-related stigma.Item Asian Journal of Psychiatry and Psychiatry in Asia: Time to reconsider human resources to represent cultural diversity in Asia(Elsevier, 2021) Shoib, S.; Gupta, A.K.; Kar, S.K.; Chandradasa, M.; Menon, V.; Ullah, I.; Thuzar, M.; Arafat, S.M.Y.No abstract availableItem Awareness and attitudes regarding electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) among patients and caregivers at a psychiatry unit in a tertiary care hospital in Sri Lanka(Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrists, 2020) Gunasekera, T.; Fernando, R.; Peris, M.U.P.K.; Kuruppuarachchi, K.A.L.A.; Hapangama, A.INTRODUCTION: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a life-saving procedure in certain psychiatric conditions and is also extremely effective for treatment resistant psychiatric conditions. Despite the proven safety and efficacy there appears to be unease and stigma attached to ECT. Exploration about the awareness and attitudes regarding ECT among patients and caregivers can improve the practice of ECT. AIMS: The aim of this study was to describe awareness and attitudes about ECT among patients and their caregivers. METHODS: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study carried out among patients and caregivers attending psychiatric facilities at a tertiary care hospital in Sri Lanka, using an interviewer administered questionnaire. RESULTS: Out of 221 participants, 54% were caregivers. Among the participants, 65% thought that ECT is a treatment used for psychiatric disorders. There was no significant association between educational level and awareness about ECT (p>0.05). The most common source of knowledge about ECT was doctors (43%), but 69% felt doctors have not explained about ECT prior to treatment. Cognitive issues (46%) were the most commonly feared side effect; 5% thought ECT does not have a scientific basis and 20% felt it is an inhuman mode of treatment. Of those interviewed, 38% were of the opinion that they would receive ECT if recommended. CONCLUSIONS: Doctors were the most important source of information regarding ECT and a significant proportion of the participants knew that it is used in treating psychiatric disorders. Only a minority thought ECT didn’t have a scientific basis and a considerable proportion were willing to undergo ECT if recommended. Despite popular beliefs this cohort of participants appeared to have a favourable awareness about ECT. KEYWORDS: Electroconvulsive therapy, Awareness, Attitudes, StigmaItem 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.