Industrial Psychiatry Journal最新文献

Background: The internet is a vital part of present-day society. Internet use for education has increased in recent years. During the COVID pandemic, schools were closed and education was delivered through online methods, which led to a further increase in internet use, especially in adolescents, leading to internet addiction in some.

Aim: To estimate the prevalence of internet addiction and poor quality of sleep in adolescent students of Jamnagar.

Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out between January 2022 to March 2022 and included 1778 adolescent students of Jamnagar, Gujarat. The internet addiction test was used to measure the level of internet addiction, and the short Pittsburgh sleep quality index was used to measure the quality of sleep. Data analysis was conducted using the Chi-square test, Mann-Whitney U test, and multiple logistic regression techniques.

Results: In our study, 17.8% of participants had mild internet addiction, 3.2% of participants had moderate-to-severe internet addiction, and 79% of participants were average internet users. Associated variables with internet addiction were male gender, residence at home, duration of internet usage in years, daily hours spent online, and monthly expenditure on internet recharge. Furthermore, 27.2% of participants had poor quality of sleep. Female gender, secondary school education, residence at the hostel, and internet addiction were predictors of poor quality of sleep.

Conclusion: Students were found to have a high prevalence of internet addiction. The internet usage increased amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Internet addiction was significantly associated with poor quality of sleep in adolescents.

Translational research in psychiatry bridges the gap between basic scientific discoveries and clinical applications, aiming to improve the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental illnesses. By elucidating the neurobiological mechanisms underlying psychiatric disorders through neuroimaging, genetics, and animal models, researchers can identify novel therapeutic targets and biomarkers for personalized interventions. This brief communication provides an overview of the importance, approaches, and a few examples of translation psychiatry research and challenges. Moving forward, collaboration between researchers, clinicians, industry partners, and regulatory agencies is essential to address the unmet needs of individuals affected by mental illness and to realize the full potential of translational psychiatry.

Background: Internet addiction (IA) and gaming disorder (IGD) are emerging public health concerns among youth. Sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT)/cognitive disengagement syndrome has been linked with risky online behaviors, but the literature on medical students is limited.

Aim: To determine associations between SCT, IA, and IGD in Indian medical undergraduates.

Materials and methods: The study included 303 medical students (ages: 18-24, 66% male). The Sociodemographic Information Form, Barkley SCT Scale, Young Internet Addiction Test-Short Form, and The Digital Game Addiction Scale were utilized to collect data. Contingency Table analyses, Mann-Whitey U-test, Chi-square test, and correlation analyses were used for analysis.

Results: The prevalence of IA and IGD was 101 (33.3%) and 61 (20%), respectively. Students with IA or IGD had significantly higher SCT, daydreaming, and sluggishness scores (P < 0.01). SCT, daydreaming, and sluggishness showed significant positive correlations with IA and IGD severity (P < 0.01).

Conclusion: Greater SCT symptoms demonstrated significant associations with increased risk of IA and IGD among medical students. Screening for SCT alongside IA and IGD may enable targeted interventions to promote healthy Internet use.

Background: Though agricultural farming is considered a peaceful and healthy industry it has a high rate of mortality especially suicide. In India, 11.2% of suicides are reported in the farming sector.

Aim: To identify the role of psychosocial factors leading to farmer's suicide in a farmer's dominant district of Kerala.

Material and method: One hundred and sixty-six successive suicides in Wayanad district and age, sex, marital status, and financial status matched normal controls residing in the same locality were evaluated and compared on psycho-social demographic variables, life events, and details of suicide.

Results: Significantly a greater number of victims were living separately, living in rented homes, had no own land for cultivation, migrated, had marital discord, and strained relationships with relatives. They had loans from private financial enterprises and single money persons, had past attempts, a family history of alcoholism, and highly stressful life events. The most frequent psychiatric diagnosis was alcohol dependence/abuse followed by depression. The majority committed suicide by hanging followed by insecticide poisoning. Intention to commit suicide was expressed by 38.5% and 30.2% were intoxicated at the time of attempt. The venue for the attempt was the own house in 75.7% of cases.

Conclusion: This study suggests the following remedial measures to prevent farmers' suicides. Expert advice to manage financial constraints like availing loans, crop insurance, etc. Guidance from the agricultural department for cost-effective cultivation. Early identification and treatment of psychiatric disorders.

Geopolitical determinants of health have been well recognized by the World Health Organization and are increasingly being discussed across governments, institutions, academics, policy makers, and across global health sector. Geopolitical determinants of health are events, structures, processes, and factors that influence individual health including mental health, public and population mental health both directly and indirectly. Consequently, nation's responses to these factors will affect short-term and long-term health outcomes. Geopolitical factors are becoming increasingly more important as they influence directly and indirectly social determinants of health. These factors clearly impact both physical and mental health leading to health inequities and inequalities. It is important to factor in geopolitical determinants in resource allocation and funding as well as policy making as has been highlighted by the recent pandemic and variable access to vaccines. Geopolitical determinants would be integral when addressing all global health inequities. These play a major role in resource allocation, policy and planning to meet today's global health challenges.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by intrusive, distressing thoughts and/or repetitive behaviors. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a promising neuromodulation technique for augmenting pharmacotherapy in OCD. This case series identified patients diagnosed with OCD, who showed residual symptoms even after two adequate trials of pharmacotherapy corroborated using the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) (score of eight and above taken as cutoff). tDCS was given in the form of two milliamperes current with anode at SMA and cathode at the right orbitofrontal area, for twenty minutes, for six sessions (one session per day) in addition to pharmacotherapy. Clinical assessment was performed using the Y BOCS at baseline and post treatment. The results revealed a reduction in OCD symptom severity in all the patients (as per both subjective report and Y-BOCS scores). The patients did not have any severe adverse effects. tDCS appears to be a potential augmentation therapy for individuals with OCD. However, further research is warranted to optimize stimulation parameters and elucidate the long-term effects of tDCS as part of a comprehensive treatment approach for OCD.

Background: Only a few studies have systematically assessed sexual dysfunction and marital adjustment in married men with alcohol dependence in India.

Aim: To assess the prevalence and pattern of sexual dysfunction and marital adjustment in a clinical sample of married men with alcohol dependence. The association of sexual dysfunction and marital adjustment with the severity of alcohol dependence was also explored.

Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study included 100 consecutive married men attending psychiatry outpatient department (OPD) with a diagnosis of alcohol dependence syndrome (ADS). A pre-designed study proformawas used for collecting relevant socio-demographic and clinical details of the study participants. Sexual dysfunction, marital adjustment, and alcohol dependence were assessed using the following validated tools: the Arizona Sexual Experiences Scale (ASEX), the Marital Adjustment Questionnaire (MAQ), and the Severity of Alcohol Dependence Questionnaire (SADQ), respectively.

Results: Of 100 patients, about 15% had clinical sexual dysfunction based on ASEX. The most commonly reported sexual dysfunction was difficulty with erection (24.0%), followed by problems in desire (18.0%), sexual arousal (12.0%), ability to reach orgasm (12.0%), and satisfaction with orgasm (9.0%). Sexual dysfunction (ASEX score) showed significant positive correlation (r_s = 0.345; P < 0.001) with alcohol dependence severity (SADQ score). Also, the severity of alcohol dependence was negatively correlated (r_s = -0.240; P = 0.016) with the overall level of marital adjustment (MAQ score) with spouse.

Conclusion: Sexual dysfunction is common in married men with ADS, with both sexual dysfunction intensity and marital adjustment difficulties being positively associated with the severity of alcohol dependence.