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Adolescence is the period between childhood and adulthood and the most important stage of a human being. Adolescence is a period of stress and storm. Students cannot adjust with their new-fangled role in life. They can have Emotional, Mental, Behavioural, and Adjustment problems known as "disorders". Behavioural patterns that appear in adolescents include consuming alcohol, smoking, using other substances, sexual behaviour, violence, etc. An individual experiences fulfilment when the psychological and physiological requirements are fulfilled. If an individual fails in satisfying the needs, it makes him/her disappointed and depressed. Behavioural disorders of adolescent students are depression, stress, anxiety, risky sexual behaviours, aggressive behaviour, violence, and disobedience. Adolescents find it difficult to adjust with family and society. With regard to somatic variation and problems, he/she is confused with the role of adolescence. The academic performance of the adolescent students at school are greatly affected by these problems. The fact that the behavioural and adjustment problems can be reduced by Yoga is the main aim of this paper. As a solution to their problems, the techniques of Yogasana, Pranayama, and Meditation are given to the Adolescent students to control the mind. The reason for this paper is to give an insight of Yoga and how Yoga helps the adolescents to lesser their stress and stay calm. It benefits the young people not only in school, home, and the community, but throughout their life. The result of Yoga intervention gives positive effects on both physical and mental health of the adolescent students.

India, one of the fast growing and developing nations of the world, is doing well in growth, but it is not up to the mark in some fields. In science and technology, it is doing at par with other developed nations, and markable achievements are being touched. But in health or human growth, most of the population is not clear about the importance of health and human potentials. Many portions of the population are not aware of the positive aspects of human beings that can help them to flourish. The study has been done to find the psychological well-being of academic achievement and gender. For the study, a sample of 519 senior secondary school students from different senior secondary schools of Kulgam and Anantnag districts of Kashmir valley were selected. The sample was drawn by using a multi-stage stratified sampling technique. The tools of data collection were Psychological Well-Being Scale (PWBS) developed by Dr. Devendra Singh Sisodia and Ms. Pooja Choudhary (2012) and academic achievement as the marks obtained by senior secondary school students in the board examination conducted by JKBOSE. The data obtained from these students were then analyzed using appropriate statistical techniques with the help of SPSS version 22. The paper also makes some suggestions, keeping the findings of the study in mind to enhance the psychological well-being of our budding human resource.

The doctorate degree ranks third on the academic hierarchy, and is commonly viewed as an approval on a student by an institution, to conduct original research in at least one academic discipline. Several motivations drive the need to acquire a doctorate degree, and they include intrinsic interest, employment considerations, personal, and professional development. To achieve this feat, some students pursue their PhD abroad for several reasons as discovered by this study. Using a quantitative approach, this paper reports on the findings of an online survey distributed to 1901 Asian and African students pursing their PhD to investigate their experiences, and determine their satisfaction, and its relationship with their personal and professional growth. Findings reveal that most students were satisfied with their decision to pursue a PhD in another continent, but were dissatisfied with some properties that made up the process. This included their relationship with their supervisors, their study-work-life balance, and its effects on their mental health. As you are reporting on a study that has already happened, write in past tense.

In the present age of stress and strain, the science of well-being tries to focuses on what makes an individual flourish. It studies how human assets rather than deficits are contributing toward goodness of an individual, as a promising new area of research. Advances in understanding the behavioral, biological, and social pathways to well-being will benefit individuals, organizations, and society. The life of individuals particularly the students in their schools, coming from different places of living, needs to be studied to have the vision of influence on psychological well-being of students. The study was carried on a sample of 519 senior secondary school students from different senior secondary schools of Kulgam and Anantnag districts of Kashmir valley. The sample was drawn by using multi stage stratified sampling technique. The data obtained from these students were then analyzed by using appropriate statistical techniques with the help of SPSS version 22. The paper analyzes the influence of the school environment and the effect of place of living and type of school on the psychological well-being of senior secondary school students. It also makes some suggestions, keeping the findings of the study in mind to enhance the psychological well being of our budding human resource.

The present paper is an outcome of research conducted by authors to examine the effect of gender, degree of impairment and type of school on the mental health of students with visual impairment. The study employed multi-stage random sampling technique to draw a sample of 200 visually impaired students from 52 inclusive and 5 special schools situated in different parts of Haryana State, India. Mental Health Battery for students with visual impairment, consisting of 61 items to assess their mental health status. Multiple regression and two-way ANOVA was used to analyse the data. The results revealed that three independent variables (gender, degree of impairment and type of school) made a joint contribution of 22.1% to the prediction of mental health of visually impaired students. Significant main effect of degree of visual impairment on mental health was observed whereas no significant main effect for gender was established.

This paper discusses the need for multi-cultural methodologies that develop knowledge about the maternity experience of migrant women and that are attuned to womens maternity-related requirements under multi-cultural conditions. Little is known about the transition to parenthood for mothers in a new country, particularly when the country is New Zealand. This paper will challenge the positivist hegemony of previously completed research on migrant women by reflecting on my own experience as a researcher grounded in a broadly-based, pluralistic set of critical epistemologies that allowed me to uncover the issues and contexts that impacted on the experience of migrant women. It concludes by proposing that, where research occurs with minority groups, multiple research strategies are incorporated in order to prevent the reproduction of deficiency discourses. (Contains 1 footnote.)

Health is crucial for personal happiness, productivity, and fulfillment. It impacts physical well-being, mental health, longevity, academic and professional success, and interpersonal relationships. It reduces healthcare costs, contributes to economic growth, and promotes community well-being. This paper explores the status of the healthcare system in rural India. Paper reviews available research and also collects data from rural hospitals. It also considers efforts by the Indian government and other organisations, such as Ayushman Bharat, which is acknowledged for its aim to strengthen primary healthcare and protect economically vulnerable populations. However, addressing these complex issues requires continuous efforts, adequate funding, and proactive measures in healthcare infrastructure, workforce development, and policy reforms. The presented data reflects rural areas' ongoing challenges, underscoring the pressing need for proper treatment and care. By prioritising the presented aspects, the healthcare landscape in rural India can witness positive transformations and ensure improved healthcare outcomes for its population. In this paper, the possible problems and solutions addressed which has been observed while visiting hospitals in rural areas of northeast India. Research findings emphasise the significance of implementing supply chain strategies in improving healthcare delivery. It concludes that the potential of Medical 4.0 applications with seven common effective findings can save numerous lives in rural areas by providing timely access to healthcare solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Stakeholder engagement is essential to the design, implementation and evaluation of complex mental health interventions like peer support. Theory of Change (ToC) is commonly used in global health research to help structure and promote stakeholder engagement throughout the project cycle. Stakeholder insights are especially important in the context of a multi-site trial, in which an intervention may need to be adapted for implementation across very different settings while maintaining fidelity to a core model. This paper describes the development of a ToC for a peer support intervention to be delivered to people with severe mental health conditions in five countries as part of the UPSIDES trial., Methods: One hundred thirty-four stakeholders from diverse backgrounds participated in a total of 17 workshops carried out at six UPSIDES implementing sites across high-, middle- and low-income settings (one site each in India, Israel, Uganda and Tanzania; two sites in Germany). The initial ToC maps created by stakeholders at each site were integrated into a cross-site ToC map, which was then revised to incorporate additional insights from the academic literature and updated iteratively through multiple rounds of feedback provided by the implementers., Results: The final ToC map divides the implementation of the UPSIDES peer support intervention into three main stages: preparation, implementation, and sustainability. The map also identifies three levels of actors involved in peer support: individuals (service users and peer support workers), organisations (and their staff members), and the public. In the UPSIDES trial, the ToC map proved especially helpful in characterising and distinguishing between (a) common features of peer support, (b) shared approaches to implementation and (c) informing adaptations to peer support or implementation to account for contextual differences., Conclusions: UPSIDES is the first project to develop a multi-national ToC for a mental health peer support intervention. Stakeholder engagement in the ToC process helped to improve the cultural and contextual appropriateness of a complex intervention and ensure equivalence across sites for the purposes of a multi-site trial. It may serve as a blueprint for implementing similar interventions with a focus on recovery and social inclusion among people with mental ill-health across diverse settings., Trial Registration: ISRCTN26008944 (Registration Date: 30/10/2019)., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The article announces awards given to several papers including the Marfatia Award to "Immunological Changes in Depression Before and After Treatment," Bhagwat Award to "Are Childhood Externalising Disorders the Harbinger of Early Alcohol Dependence?" and BPSS Award to "P 300: An Electrophysiological Endophenotype in OCD."

Every woman, man, youth and child has the human right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, without discrimination of any kind. This is enshrined in the Indian Constitution and the Universal Declaration on Human Rights. Enjoyment of the human right to health is vital to all aspects of a person's life and well-being, and is crucial to the realization of many other fundamental human rights and freedoms. Furthermore, the social rights of victims of crime and their sensitive needs for mental health support is based on the Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power, 1985 (Resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly, non-binding principles upon member nations). Remarkable developments have taken place both internationally and nationally when it comes to prioritising child rights, but the links between child abuse, child labour and the care for a child's mental health are still absent. The role of mental health of rescued and victimised children is also absent in Indian case law. In cases of legislations concerning children and their rights, the author contends that mental health considerations must become an inextricable component of law, and therapists must be included in the legal framework both as an appreciation of evidence and for the future benefit of the child as a long term remedy. The author also stresses that specialist services should be made directly accessible to child victims, and professionals made available to provide individual support for each child.

Single parent adoption (SPA) is a relatively new construct worldwide and in India. The Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India, has laid down criteria for adoption in general and SPA in particular, in conjunction with the Juvenile Justice Act (Care and Protection of Children), 2015. There is scant literature on this topic of SPA, more so in India, that looks into the various psychological nuances of SPA from a mental health professional's (MHP) perspective. This review paper aims to assess SPA from the perspective of a MHP that will focus on its various legal nuances as well as the psychological connotations attached to it. For this, a search strategy was employed that included a thorough literature search from two databases (PubMed and Google Scholar) with relevant keywords related to the topic. The various legal issues pertaining to SPA in the current scenario, the psychological issues and challenges faced by single parents, the behavioral outcomes of adoptees who are adopted by single parents, and ways to deal with the various obstacles of SPA are discussed., Competing Interests: None

Background: The International Study of Discrimination and Stigma Outcomes (INDIGO) Partnership is a multi-country international research program in seven sites across five low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in Africa and Asia to develop, contextually adapt mental health stigma reduction interventions and pilot these among a variety of target populations. The aim of this paper is to report on the process of culturally adapting these interventions in India using an established framework. Methods: As part of this larger program, we have contextualized and implemented these interventions from March 2022 to August 2023 in a site in north India. The Ecological Validity Model (EVM) was used to guide the adaptation and contextualization process comprising eight dimensions. Findings: Six dimensions of the Ecological Validity Model were adapted, namely language, persons, metaphors, content, methods, and context; and two dimensions, namely concepts and goals, were retained. Conclusion: Stigma reduction strategies with varied target groups, based on culturally appropriate adaptations, are more likely to be acceptable to the stakeholders involved in the intervention, and to be effective in terms of the program impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Depression is a major public health concern among Indian adolescents. Pre- and post-natal depression can often alter fetal development and have negative consequences on the physical and mental health of the mother. This paper aims to draw attention to the prevalence of depression and its correlates among currently married, ever-pregnant adolescents from two Indian States, i.e. Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Methods: This study utilizes data from a subsample (n = 3116) of the prospective cohort study Understanding the Lives of Adolescents and Young Adults (UDAYA) among 10 to 19 year-old adolescents. Bivariate analysis was performed to assess the prevalence of depression by sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics. To further access the predictors associated with depression a logistic regression model was applied. Results: Around one-tenth (9%) of pregnant adolescents had depression. Regression analysis indicated that substance use, religion, autonomy, considering attempting suicide, premarital relationship, violence, dowry, adverse pregnancy outcome, menstrual problem, and parental pressure for the child immediately after marriage were significantly associated with depression. Conclusions: This study confirms the pre-existing annotation that teen pregnancy is linked with depression. Findings indicate that Adolescent mothers experiencing violence, and a history of adverse pregnancy outcomes are at increased risk of developing depression. These study findings call for an urgent need to address depression among adolescent mothers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In India, mental health rehabilitation centers run income generation programs (IGP) for therapeutic engagement, skills training, and income generation of clients. The centers have evolved IGP models relevant to their settings. There is a paucity of published literature on practices employed by the centers. Methods: This paper compiles data gathered from visits to 13 centers between November 2018 and April 2019. Information was collected through observation and interviews with staff involved in IGP, using a semi-structured pro forma designed for study. Results: Most centers were based in south India (n = 11) and urban areas (n = 12). Each center ran two to seven IGP. Each center involved 20–50 clients in IGP. Clients involved in IGP were aged 20–60 years. The centers ran a range of IGP, including the manufacturing of household consumables, paper products, textile products, handicraft products, food products, and jute products; animal husbandry and horticulture initiatives; and running cafeterias and petty shops. IGP were mostly selected based on market demand and sales value of products (n = 11); ease of doing (n = 5); interests, abilities, exposure, and experience of clients (n = 5); and availability of resources (n = 3). Products were priced primarily to cover input and labor costs (n = 8), and many centers sold products below the market rates (n = 5). Running stalls during public events was a common strategy for the sale of products (n = 9). Personal contacts and "word of mouth" publicity were used for advertisement (n = 6). Four centers involved family members in IGP. Conclusion: The nature of IGP varied in terms of setting, available resources, and profile of clients availing the services. Marketing and sales were a challenge. A supportive framework of policies and schemes is essential to promote IGP at mental health rehabilitation centers. This report may be helpful for professionals and centers planning to set up an IGP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The aim of this paper is to explore how minimal-self impacts the body image, projecting it as a reflection of one's approach toward their health and mental well-being. Methods: The study takes qualitative data from two countries India and Germany and draws on a qualitative study of 20 individuals who are involved in some kind of physical activity for a long time. This paper examines the body image perspectives fromGrimms Brothers fairytale characters showcasing fit and healthy perspectives on Snow White side and projected and superfluous perspectives on Evil Queen side. The study also provides a model deciphering the rationale for both the reflections. Results: The body image projection from Snow White perspectives (success & dedication, self-esteem, bodybuilding, and cosmetic surgery) relates to positive reflection of oneself with focus on fitness, discipline, and mental rejuvenation in life. Notably, Evil Queen perspectives (unrealistic makeover, dark side of social media, gain an edge over others, and mental benchmarking with fair skin) reveal these facets as motivators to equip their body as means of physical non-verbal communication assets. Conclusion: Analysis shows that there is no clear white or black viewof health and fitness projection via body image but it's a gray line that gives wholesome fitness either a holistic mental peace or a competitive or success-oriented approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge co-production can improve the quality and accessibility of health, and also benefit service users, allowing them to be recognised as skilled and capable. Yet despite these clear benefits, there are inherent challenges in the power relations of co-production, particularly when experts by experience (EBE) are structurally disadvantaged in communication skills or literacy. The processes of how knowledge is co-produced and negotiated are seldom described. This paper aims to describe processes of co-production building on the experiences of EBE (people with lived experience of psychosocial or physical disability), practitioners and researchers working together with a non-profit community mental health programme in North India. We describe processes of group formation, relationship building, reflexive discussion and negotiation over a 7-year period with six diverse EBE groups. Through a process of discussion and review, we propose these five questions which may optimise co-production processes in communities: (1) Who is included in co-production? (2) How can we optimise participation by people with diverse sociodemographic identities? (3) How do we build relationships of trust within EBE groups? (4) How can we combine psychosocial support and knowledge co-production agendas in groups? and (5) How is the expertise of experts by experience acknowledged?, Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY. Published by BMJ.)

Background: Mental health issues are common among college students, and structured services have been proven to enhance outcomes. Despite increased enrolment for higher education in India, college mental health services remain sparse. JEEVANI is the first structured state-wide college mental health service in India. This paper describes its framework and provides an overview of its functioning during the initial five months. Methods: In 2019–2020, the Directorate of Collegiate Education, Government of Kerala, implemented the program in 66 colleges catering to approximately 60,000 students. Qualified counsellors were trained to identify issues and provide interventions and early referrals, using a stepped-care approach. They conducted awareness programs to promote mental health and reduce stigma. Results: The services were accessed by 2,315 students during the assessment period (October 2019 to February 2020). The beneficiaries were predominantly females (54.1%). Over a third (38.8%) belonged to the lower socio-economic strata, and 2.5% had significant vulnerabilities. Although no syndromal diagnoses were made, anxiety and depression were the most common presentations. The counsellors provided 3,758 individual sessions and facilitated support for students who reported academic difficulties or interpersonal issues. Severe mental illness was detected in 54 students, and referrals for specialist mental health input were initiated in 68. Conclusion: Describing the framework, sharing the technical material, and providing an overview of its functioning from a resource-constrained setting in India may encourage higher education institutions in low- and middle-income countries to consider similar projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While considerable research exists on interventions to enhance help-seeking rates and reduce treatment gap for common mental health concerns, there remains a scarcity of literature examining the influence of gender in response to such interventions. This paper aimed to examine gender differences/similarities observed while implementing a helpseeking intervention for distressed non-treatment-seeking young adults. Amongst those who indicated an expression of interest, about one-third were men, and two-third were women. The intervention was delivered over eight weeks. Distress, barriers, inclination to seek help and help-seeking from professional sources were assessed at baseline, post and follow-up. Though barriers were significantly higher in women at baseline, there was no difference on distress or helpseeking inclination. Both groups equally initiated and engaged with the intervention and exhibited a significant reduction in barriers, distress and improvement in help-seeking inclination. Findings highlight the need for research on approaches to improve the uptake of help-seeking interventions for common mental health concerns in non-treatment-seeking distressed young men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Qualitative research methods (QRMs) bear a critical role in psychiatry as they explore the phenomenology of psychiatric illness and its sociocultural dimensions. However, there is limited evidence regarding its use in psychiatric research in India. Aim: This study, under the aegis of mapping qualitative health research in India initiative, attempted to landscape the use of QRMs in psychiatry and elicited expert opinion on its potential, perceived quality, and scope for improvement. Materials and Methods: We reviewed studies using qualitative methodology published in the Indian Journal of Psychiatry (IJP) and the abstracts presented at the Annual Conference of the Indian Psychiatric Society (ANCIPS) between 2010 and 2019. Titles and abstracts were screened and shortlisted; full-text articles were checked to identify the relevant ones. In addition, ten experts comprising psychiatry journal reviewers, editors, and conference scientific committee members were interviewed to elicit their views and suggestions. Results: Out of 356 papers published in IJP between 2010 and 2019, only 12 papers used QRMs: five qualitative and seven mixed methods. Out of 2297 abstracts published between 2010 and 2019 in ANCIPS, only 28 had used QRMs, consisting of 20 qualitative and eight mixed methods. The findings reveal that qualitative research is still an understudied domain in Indian psychiatry with a substantial need for rigor and quality. Conclusions: To catalyze the use of qualitative research in Indian psychiatry, continuing medical education programs through workshops or webinar mode need to be imparted. These trainings should aim at building skills on qualitative study design, data collection, analysis, and writing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study seeks to evaluate how the COVID-19 pandemic is not just impacting tremendously on physical health, rather it has a serious effect on the psychological health as well as the mental health of individuals. This needs to be addressed on an urgent basis. The paper looks forward to examing the various kinds of repercussions the current pandemic is having with regards to the deterioration of mental health conditions among individuals, resulting in suicide. The outbreak of Coronavirus has brought about massive changes in India. A lot of misinformation is circulating and this has subsequently led to the creation of anxiety issues among individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In India about 95% of individuals who need treatment for common mental disorders like depression, stress and anxiety and substance use are unable to access care. Stigma associated with help seeking and lack of trained mental health professionals are important barriers in accessing mental healthcare. Systematic Medical Appraisal, Referral and Treatment (SMART) Mental Health integrates a community-level stigma reduction campaign and task sharing with the help of a mobile-enabled electronic decision support system (EDSS)-to reduce psychiatric morbidity due to stress, depression and self-harm in high-risk individuals. This paper presents and discusses the protocol for process evaluation of SMART Mental Health., Methods and Analysis: The process evaluation will use mixed quantitative and qualitative methods to evaluate implementation fidelity and identify facilitators of and barriers to implementation of the intervention. Case studies of six intervention and two control clusters will be used. Quantitative data sources will include usage analytics extracted from the mHealth platform for the trial. Qualitative data sources will include focus group discussions and interviews with recruited participants, primary health centre doctors, community health workers (Accredited Social Health Activits) who participated in the project and local community leaders. The design and analysis will be guided by Medical Research Council framework for process evaluations, the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation and Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework, and the normalisation process theory., Ethics and Dissemination: The study has been approved by the ethics committee of the George Institute for Global Health, India and the Institutional Ethics Committee, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi. Findings of the study will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, stakeholder meetings, digital and social media platforms., Trial Registration Number: CTRI/2018/08/015355., Competing Interests: Competing interests: The George Institute has a part-owned social enterprise, George Health Enterprises, which has commercial relationships involving digital health innovations. PKM is partially supported through NHMRC/GACD grant (SMART Mental Health-APP1143911) and UKRI/MRC grant MR/S023224/1-Adolescents' Resilience and Treatment nEeds for Mental health in Indian Slums (ARTEMIS). MD, SD, SKl, AK, AM and DPe are partially or wholly supported through the SMART Mental Health NHMRC/GACD grant. DPe is supported by fellowships from the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia (1143904) and the Heart Foundation of Australia (101890). AK is partially supported by Indigo Partnership (MR/R023697/1) award. GT is supported by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration South London at King’s College London NHS Foundation Trust, and by the NIHR Asset Global Health Unit award. GT is also supported by the Guy’s and St Thomas’ Charity for the On Trac project (EFT151101), and by the UK Medical Research Council (UKRI) in relation to the Emilia (MR/S001255/1) and Indigo Partnership (MR/R023697/1) awards., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2022. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Publication of papers related to psycho-social interventions in general and Behavior Therapy, in particular, in Indian Journal of Psychiatry has been limited. Though the first paper related to Behavior Therapy was published in 1952, a manual search of all available issues of the journal from 1949 showed that only 42 papers related to Behavior Therapy have been published till 2009. Among them 10 are case reports. Methodological limitations abound even in the papers on larger groups of patients. Studies using operant conditioning have been very few. Aversion therapy and progressive muscle relaxation have been very frequently used. The published articles are reviewed under the various diagnostic categories. Publications in the recent years have been mostly on Cognitive Behavior Therapy. Even after 57 years of co-existence, the relationship between Behavior Therapy and Indian Psychiatry remains a tenuous one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-rated health (SRH) is a well-established measure in public health to administer the general health of an individual. It can also be used to assess overall health status' relationship with the social, physical, and mental health of a person. In this study, we examine the association of SRH and various socio-economic & health-related factors such as multi-morbidity status, mental health, functional health, and social participation. Data used in this paper is collated from the first wave of Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI) 2017-18. A total of 65,562 older adults aged 45 or above are considered in our study. Various indices (multimorbidity, social participation, functional and mental health) have been created to measure factors influencing the SRH of an individual. Overall, in the study population, around 18.4% of people reported poor SRH. Dominance Analysis results show that the contribution of multimorbidity in predicting poor SRH is highest, followed by functional health, mental health, and social participation. In a developing country like India, there is a dire need for policies having a holistic approach regarding the health and well-being of the older population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The main objective of this exploratory study was to investigate the overlooked perspectives and beliefs of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA workers) regarding a collaborative care mental health intervention (HOPE: H ealthier Op tions through E mpowerment), mental illness and the health of their rural communities., Design: Semi-structured, one-on-one, qualitative interviews., Setting: Seven primary health centres (PHCs) in rural Karnataka, India. All PHCs had previously completed the HOPE study., Participants: 15 ASHA workers, selected via purposive sampling. ASHAs are high school-educated village women trained as community health workers. ASHAs were included if they had previously participated in the HOPE intervention, a collaborative-care randomised controlled trial that aimed to integrate mental healthcare into existing primary care systems in rural Karnataka., Interventions: No interventions were introduced., Results: ASHA workers mostly had positive interactions with patients, including encouraging them to attend sessions, helping to explain the topics and techniques, and checking on the patients frequently. ASHA workers were able to identify key barriers to treatment and facilitators to treatment. ASHAs claimed that their knowledge about mental illness improved because of the HOPE study, though gaps remained in their understanding of aetiology and treatment. Several expressed interest in receiving additional mental health training. Overall, ASHAs viewed the HOPE study as a necessary and effective intervention, and requested that it expand., Conclusions: This paper discusses the perspectives of ASHAs who participated in a novel effort to extend the collaborative care model to their own communities. ASHA workers help maintain relationships with patients that encourage participation, and the efforts of ASHAs often aid in mitigating common barriers to treatment. ASHA workers' beliefs and knowledge regarding mental illness can be changed, and ASHAs can become effective advocates for patients. Future collaborative care interventions would likely benefit from involving ASHA workers in community outreach efforts., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2021. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Psychiatric practice in India is marked by an increasing gulf between largely urban-based mental health professionals and a majority rural population. Based on the premise that any engagement is a mutually constructed humane process, an understanding of the culture of psychiatry including social process of local knowledge acquisition by trainee psychiatrists is critical. This paper reviews existing literature on training of psychiatrists in India, the cultural construction of their professional identities and autobiographical reflections. The results reveal a scarcity of research on how identities, knowledge, and values are constructed, contested, resisted, sustained, and operationalized through practice. This paper hypothesizes that psychiatric training and practice in India continues to operate chiefly in an instrumental fashion and bears a circular relationship between cultural, hierarchical training structures and patient--carer concerns. The absence of interpretative social science training generates a professional identity that predominantly focuses on the patient and his/her social world as the site of pathology. Infrequent and often superfluous critical cultural reflexivity gained through routine clinical practice further alienates professionals from patients, caregivers, and their own social landscapes. This results in a peculiar brand of theory and practice that is skewed toward a narrow understanding of what constitutes suffering. The authors argue that such omissions could be addressed through nuanced ethnographies on the professional development of psychiatrists during postgraduate training, including the political economies of their social institutions and local cultural landscapes. Further research will also help enhance culturally sensitive epistemology and shape locally responsive mental health training programs. This is critical for majority rural Indians who place their trust in State biomedical care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A research study by Udayan Care (Beyond 18: Leaving Child Care Institutions- Supporting Youth Leaving Care, A Study of Aftercare Practices, 2019), in India, reveals that even though, as per the Juvenile laws of India, 'care-experienced' youth (care leavers) are mandated to receive aftercare services to age 21, and in certain cases to 23, the state of affairs for this section of disadvantaged youth needs to evolve. The study is based on a mixed method approach which uses a descriptive design to collect data from 435 care leavers and 84 key informants from five states of India. This paper investigates the emotional difficulties these young adults face when reaching 18 years of age, as they need to leave their care-settings without many options or support. It also highlights the factors causing emotional distress due to gaps in policies, systems and practices in Indian juvenile laws and practice. The focus of policies and stakeholders needs to be directed towards providing reasonable support for the emotional wellbeing of care leavers along with other domains essential for aftercare, including housing, physical health, independent living skills, education and vocational skills, social support and interpersonal skills, financial independence and career, emotional wellbeing, identity, and legal awareness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is very limited evidence on the health consequences of human trafficking. This systematic review reports on studies investigating the prevalence and risk of violence while trafficked and the prevalence and risk of physical, mental, and sexual health problems, including HIV, among trafficked people. Methods and Findings: We conducted a systematic review comprising a search of Medline, PubMed, PsycINFO, EMBASE, and Web of Science, hand searches of reference lists of included articles, citation tracking, and expert recommendations. We included peer-reviewed papers reporting on the prevalence or risk of violence while trafficked and/or on the prevalence or risk of any measure of physical, mental, or sexual health among trafficked people. Two reviewers independently screened papers for eligibility and appraised the quality of included studies. The search identified 19 eligible studies, all of which reported on trafficked women and girls only and focused primarily on trafficking for sexual exploitation. The review suggests a high prevalence of violence and of mental distress among women and girls trafficked for sexual exploitation. The random effects pooled prevalence of diagnosed HIV was 31.9% (95% CI 21.3%-42.4%) in studies of women accessing posttrafficking support in India and Nepal, but the estimate was associated with high heterogeneity (I² = 83.7%). Infection prevalence may be related as much to prevalence rates in women's areas of origin or exploitation as to the characteristics of their experience. Findings are limited by the methodological weaknesses of primary studies and their poor comparability and generalisability. Conclusions: Although limited, existing evidence suggests that trafficking for sexual exploitation is associated with violence and a range of serious health problems. Further research is needed on the health of trafficked men, individuals trafficked for other forms of exploitation, and effective health intervention approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents nine cases of troubled mind and healing rituals during a short field work in different healing sites in Delhi. Following the WHO's promotion of the integration of traditional medicines, AYUSH and allopathic medicine, India has integrated traditional medicines as an integral part of our cultural heritage, to support allopathic medicine, especially in cases concerning mental health issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The objective of this review was to identify and synthesize the findings of the existing literature that highlighted the psychosocial and mental health issues of the migrants during the COVID-19 pandemic in India. Materials and Methods: An exploration of the PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Google search, and some other manual searches was undertaken so that no relevant study was missed. A search on Indian scientific literature and cross-references retrieved was also conducted to get further information. The period of the search has been one year from March 1, 2020, to March 31, 2021. The database was searched with the terms "migrants," "migrant workers," "COVID-19 pandemic," "lockdown," "migrant population," "mental health issues," "psychosocial issues" to retrieve the published literature. Results: Initially, 48 research articles were retrieved and 10 of them were excluded as they had no sufficient information about mental and psychosocial challenges faced by the migrants. In the remaining 38 articles, 9 articles were original research work (n = 9) published from India related to the impact of COVID-19 on migrants. The second category consisted of editorials or commentary or letters to the editor or policy paper on psychosocial and mental health aspects of migrants during the COVID-19 pandemic (n = 17). The third category was 11 articles on perspectives or opinions or viewpoints (n = 11) related to various psychosocial and mental health issues among migrants in India during the COVID-19 pandemic. Predominantly psychosocial issues found among migrants were living conditions, basic needs, family concerns, and joblessness. The mental health issues found among migrants during the COVID-19 pandemic included psychological distress, depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, substance use disorders. Conclusion: Existing literature from India has shown that the COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted the psychosocial and mental health status of the migrants in India. This review suggests the need for more research work from the affected states of India and the development of psychosocial and mental health intervention strategies to minimize the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on migrants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Now a days, we are frequently listening suicidal cases because of the fear of Covid-19 even an educated rather Corona warriors also reported for attempted to commit suicide. The trauma of being diagnosed with Covid-19 is also leading people to free from hospital quarantine centres and attempt to commit suicide. No doubt the life is the beautiful gift from almighty and can be taken only by him. Hence the act of committing suicide or in simple words, taking away life and that too one's own, is always been prohibited by law and religion both. Since ancient time the topic of suicide has been an issue of regular debate and never-ending discussion. Religion, monarchy and even colonialism all outlawed the act of suicide. The attempt to commit suicide has always seen as a manifestation of a mental illness, deserving cure and care, instead of punishment. The people with suicidal tendencies deserve counselling not punishment. In this paper the researcher attempts to explain the concept of suicide its causes, Laws related to suicide and at the end suggests some valuable suggestions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

They say a healthy nation is a wealthy nation. Healthcare is very important for a society. The word healthcare means diagnosis, treatment, prevention and management of diseases, illness, injury and the preservation of physical and mental well-being in humans. High out-of-pocket (OOP) healthcare expenses pose heavy financial burden on the families. In the present paper we talk about the importance of healthcare for a society, government initiations taken, foreign initiations and suggestions towards improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Child sexual abuse is a detrimental experience that could cause deleterious mental-health outcomes in the survivor. Decades of research have revealed the complex nature of child sexual abuse in terms of its characteristics, dynamics, causes, and consequences. Efficacious psychological interventions for managing child sexual abuse-related outcomes in children exist. However, it is now well recognized that interventions alone are not enough for recovery from sexual or any other type of trauma; it requires an entire human service system that is well-informed about trauma and its effects. Given the lack of awareness about the consequences of child sexual abuse and the stigmatization that exists in the Indian context, which significantly contributes toward the evolution and severity of trauma outcomes in victimized children, this paper is an attempt to discuss the relevance of adopting a trauma-informed approach while responding to child sexual abuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loneliness is an abstract construct defined in multiple ways. It is a feeling of disconnectedness, emotional isolation, and subjective feeling of lacking social relationships. Research shows loneliness to be common in older people, which, in turn, is a potent risk factor for various physical and psychosocial health conditions. Chronic loneliness is a predisposing factor for suicide, worsens cognitive outcomes, and impairs quality of living. Conventionally, aging is associated with "loss of vitality" and the "desperate need to retain older abilities." In contrast to these concepts, eastern views center around acceptance, "letting go" and aging with a greater sense of purpose. Traversing loneliness with self-esteem is viewed over a consistent resistance against loneliness. Self-acceptance, wisdom, and understanding the processes of emotional aging can foster hope and resilience which help navigate the inevitable loneliness that may arise in old age due to a multitude of factors. Spirituality has various intersections with mental well-being, however, it is often considered to be an esoteric concept. In this paper, we provide an Indian understanding of accepting and dealing with loneliness through the daily implementation of spiritual practices in life as well as mental health interventions. The four ashramas of Hinduism are discussed with special relevance to Vanaprastha Ashrama (forest-dweller), which signifies renunciation and acceptance associated with aging. The actionable areas with respect to spirituality and its philosophical underpinnings in mitigating loneliness in older people are also highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Many community-based intervention models for mental health and wellbeing have undergone robust experimental evaluation; however, there are limited accounts of the implementation of these evidence-based interventions in practice. Atmiyata piloted the implementation of a community-led intervention to identify and understand the challenges of delivering such an intervention. The goal of the pilot evaluation is to identify factors important for larger-scale implementation across an entire district in India. This paper presents the results of a feasibility and acceptability study of the Atmiyata intervention piloted in Nashik district, Maharashtra, India between 2013 and 2015., Methods: A mixed methods approach was used to evaluate the Atmiyata intervention. First, a pre-post survey conducted with 215 cases identified with a GHQ cut-off 6 using a 3-month interval. Cases enrolled into the study in one randomly selected month (May-June 2015). Secondly, a quasi-experimental, pre-post design was used to conduct a population-based survey in the intervention and control areas. A randomly selected sample (panel) of 827 women and 843 men age between 18 to 65 years were interviewed to assess the impact of the Atmiyata intervention on common mental disorders. Finally, using qualitative methods, 16 Champions interviewed to understand an implementation processes, barriers and facilitators., Results: Of the 215 participants identified by the Champions as being distressed or having a common mental disorder (CMD), n = 202 (94.4%) had a GHQ score at either sub-threshold level for CMD or above at baseline. Champions accurately identified people with emotional distress and in need of psychological support. After a 6-session counselling provided by the Champions, the percentage of participants with a case-level GHQ score dropped from 63.8 to 36.8%. The second sub-intervention consisted of showing films on Champions' mobile phones to raise community awareness regarding mental health. Films consisted of short scenario-based depictions of problems commonly experienced in villages (alcohol use and domestic violence). Champions facilitated access to social benefits for people with disability. Retention of Atmiyata Champions was high; 90.7% of the initial selected champions continued to work till the end of the project. Champions stated that they enjoyed their work and found it fulfilling to help others. This made them willing to work voluntarily, without pay. The semi-structured interviews with champions indicated that persons in the community experienced reduced symptoms and improved social, occupational and family functioning for problems such as depression, domestic violence, alcohol use, and severe mental illness., Conclusions: This study shows that community-led interventions using volunteers from rural neighbourhoods can serve as a locally feasible and acceptable approach to facilitating access social welfare benefits, as well as reducing distress and symptoms of depression and anxiety in a low and middle-income country context. The intervention draws upon social capital in a community to engage and empower community members to address mental health problems. A robust evaluation methodology is needed to test the efficacy of such a model when it is implemented at scale.

Background: Maternal mental health is becoming recognized as a global health priority. Mental distress among mothers of young children may be exacerbated by exposure to adversity. Social capital may buffer the impact of adversity on mental distress during the postnatal period and beyond. This paper examines the relationship between adversity, cognitive social capital and mental distress among mothers of young children in three low and middle-income countries., Methods: This study uses data from the Young Lives study on 5,485 women from Ethiopia, India, and Vietnam. Logistic regression was used to examine the association between exposure to stressful life events (SLEs) and mental distress in women between 6 months and 1.5 years post-partum. Logistic and linear regression was used to examine the potential for effect modification by social capital., Results: The proportion of women with mental distress during the period between 6-18 months following the birth of a child in the sample was 32.6% in Ethiopia, 30.5% in India and 21.1% in Vietnam. For each additional SLE to which a woman was exposed, the odds of MMD increased by 1.28 (95% CI: 1.22, 1.36; p<0.001) in Ethiopia, 1.17 (1.11, 1.25; p<0.001) in India, and 1.98 (1.75, 2.25; p<0.001) in Vietnam. Exposure to family SLEs was significantly associated with MMD in all three countries with odds ratios of 1.76 (95% CI: 1.30, 2.38; p<0.001), 1.62 (95% CI: 1.12, 2.33; p<0.01 in India), 1.93 (95% CI: 1.27, 2.92; p<0.01), respectively. In Ethiopia and India, economic SLEs were also significantly associated with MMD after adjustment (Ethiopia OR: 1.68; 95% CI: 1.12, 2.52; p<0.01 and India OR: 1.44; 95% CI: 1.01, 2.05; p<0.05), while in India, crime SLEs (OR: 1.93; 95% CI: 1.27, 2.92; p<0.01) were associated with MMD. Cognitive social capital was found to modify the association between SLEs and symptomology of mental distress in Ethiopia, India and Vietnam., Conclusions: This study suggests that adversity may increase the risk of maternal mental distress in three LMICs, while social capital may buffer its effect., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Background: Patients with advanced cancer often experience poor health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) due to cancer and treatment-related side-effects. With India's palliative care landscape in its infancy, there is a concern that advanced cancer patients, especially individuals who are from disadvantaged populations experience poor HRQoL outcomes. We aim to assess HRQoL of advanced cancer patients in terms of general well-being (physical, functional, emotional, and social/family well-being), pain experiences, psychological state, and spiritual well-being, and determine the relationship between belonging to a disadvantaged group and HRQoL outcomes. We hypothesize that patients from disadvantaged or minority backgrounds, identified in this paper as financially distressed, female, lower years of education, lower social/family support, minority religions, and Non-General Castes, would be associated with worse HRQoL outcomes compared to those who are not from a disadvantaged group., Methods: We administered a cross-sectional survey to 210 advanced cancer patients in a regional cancer center in India. The questionnaire included standardized instruments for general well-being (FACT-G), pain experiences (BPI), psychological state (HADS), spiritual well-being (FACT-SP); socio-economic and demographic characteristics., Results: Participants reported significantly lower general well-being (mean ± SD) (FACT-G = 62.4 ± 10.0) and spiritual well-being (FACT-SP = 32.7 ± 5.5) compared to a reference population of cancer patients in the U.S. Patients reported mild to moderate pain severity (3.2 ± 1.8) and interference (4.0 ± 1.6), normal anxiety (5.6 ± 3.1) and borderline depressive symptoms (9.7 ± 3.3). Higher financial difficulty scores predicted most of the HRQoL domains (p ≤ 0.01), and being from a minority religion predicted lower physical well-being (p ≤ 0.05) and higher pain severity (p ≤ 0.05). Married women reported lower social/family well-being (p ≤ 0.05). Pain severity and interference were significant predictors of most HRQoL domains., Conclusions: Advanced cancer patients, especially those with lower financial well-being and belonging to minority religions, reported low physical, functional, emotional, social/family, and spiritual well-being, and borderline depressive symptoms. Future studies should be directed at developing effective interventions supporting vulnerable groups such as those with financial distress, and those belonging to minority religions.

Mental health information systems are increasingly being used to measure the effectiveness of mental health interventions. Little or no data is available for mental health service availability and service uptake in lowand middle-income countries. Through a narrative review, this paper illustrates the importance of routine monitoring data and suggests methods for developing, implementing and evaluating mental health indicators in low- and middle-income countries with a primary focus on India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: General hospital psychiatry units (GHPUs) are the major providers of mental health services in India. Unlike in high-income countries, GHPUs in India are also the main training centers for providing postgraduate training in psychiatry and allied disciplines. Aim: This paper traces the history of the GHPUs in India from beginning to the present. Material and Methods: PubMed, old issues of the Indian Journal of Psychiatry and related sources were searched with key words general hospital and psychiatry both electronically and manually to look for the related literature. Results: The history of the development of GHPUs is discussed under 3 phases: beginning to the preindependence period, independence to the year of the launch of the National Mental Health Programme of India, and afterward. Contributions of the GHPUs towards service development, teaching, research, community awareness and reducing stigma, and their future scope are discussed. Conclusion: GHPUs have been a revolutionary development in India with great contribution in the field of mental heath [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objective: Coronavirus is spreading across the globe since December 2019. As India's first case was reported on January 30, 2020, the spread of this virus is experiencing by our population. As a result, there are extensive emotional distress and anxiety among populations due to this pandemic. Screening mental health is important for psychological well-being of any individual during this pandemic. The objective of this study was to validate the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS) in an Indian population. Materials and Methods: The research proposal was laid out before an ethical clearance committee, which approved the conduct of the research and consequent publication of the paper. Data were collected from 246 respondents through online. CAS, developed by Lee (2020), was adopted for the study. Informed consent was given by all the respondents, and their participation was voluntary. AMOS and SPSS were used to calculate confirmatory factor analysis and other statistical analyses. Bartlett's test of sphericity and Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) test, and Cronbach's alpha, were also calculated. Convergent validity was calculated through average variance extracted (AVE) and composite reliability (CR) in Microsoft Excel. Results, and Conclusions: Bartlett's test of sphericity was highly significant measuring Chi-square = 494.004, df = 10, and P < 0.001. The KMO was acceptable at 0.805. Fit indices (P < 0.001, Chi-square/df = 3.24, goodness of fit index = 0.976, Tucker-Lewis index = 0.954, and comparative fit index = 0.977) are statistically significant. Cronbach's alpha coefficient (0.822), AVE (0.526), and CR (0.745) were adequate. The overall findings of the analyses demonstrate that the CAS is a reliable and valid scale that evaluates the severity levels of dysfunctional anxiety linked to COVID-19 in an Indian sample. CAS is applicable to measure the level of dysfunctional coronavirus anxiety in the Indian population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]