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Aug 2017 DOI 10.14302/issn.2324-7339.jcrhap-16-1316
The socio-cultural context of illness has become a major research area, and it has made significant contributions to our understanding of the socio-cultural dimensions of illness. In this article, we briefly trace the roots of a socio-cultural approach to illness, and we present some of the key findings of socio-cultural organized under main themes. Adherence to antiretroviral therapy drugs in the treatment of HIV infection is complicated because of many psychosocial factors. The aim of the study was to investigate the psychosocial factors involved in non-compliance with ART among people infected with HIV in Alert Hospital in Ethiopia. To achieve its objective, the study utilized a qualitative method to gather direct, inductive and wealthy information from the participants. The study covered interviews with twenty participants. The participants were selected using purposive sampling technique. The collected data was categorized and analyzed thematically based on the research objective. The results of the study indicated that the major psychological and social factors such as stigma and discrimination, social support, substance abuse, subjective norms, belief system and perceived behavioral control, and various cultural factors may uniquely contribute to deeper and potential barriers to ART adherence. Evaluating changes in the level of knowledge health workers trained in adherence measurements and concerned bodies work for providing relevant and updated information about ART issues for the followers in a convincing way. Therefore, the study has concluded that health workers in all facilities that provide ART would be trained in adherence counseling through formal training.
Feb 2016 DOI 10.14302/issn.2476-1710.jdt-15-762
Bipolar disorder (BD) is a chronic psychiatric illness impacting patient functioning and quality of life. Medication produces improvement in many patients and remission in some, but there is minimal understanding about why some patients improve and others do not. Our goal was to identify demographic, psychosocial and comorbid variables associated with outcomes in BD. Charts of 121 outpatients treated with medication and supportive psychotherapy were reviewed. Forty four percent attained euthymia for 12 months while 56% did not. Poorer outcome was associated with economic stress, missed appointments, life stress, and presence of pain (p < 0.05). Those employed were more likely to improve (p < 0.02). Patients with BP-II reported more frequent life stressors, headache and use of alcohol (p <0.05) and were less likely to achieve euthymia than BP-I. Gender, education, and co-morbid medical illness did not affect results. Our findings suggest that poorer outcome is related to psychosocial factors. Increased attention to these variables may increase providers’ ability to manage challenging patients with BD.
May 2022 DOI 10.14302/issn.2576-9383.jhhr-21-3994
In this article the author reviews research on high risk factor of Human Immunodeficiency Virus in homosexuals and how lack of awareness & unprotected anal sex contribute substantially to new infections among this population. current HIV prevention efforts by providing insight into the patterns of Indian MSM behavior and sexual partnerships, and the specific cultural, social inequality, the gaps and lack of knowledge and psychological context in which HIV risk is occurring. And the need to develop effective awareness programs for well-functioning prevention of HIV and considerable understanding of the logistical and socio-cultural barriers MSM experience while accessing HIV prevention services. And in last will put light on therapeutic interventions for Human Immunodeficiency Virus, behavioral interventions that are socially and culturally appropriate for the population or community being prioritized and addressing multilevel psychosocial factors, including skills building and strategies to foster self-acceptance and increased social support for MSM. At the same time, prevention messages need to be designed and adapted to the knowledge level and culture of people.
Aug 2019
Objective Antisocial behavior (ASB) in children and youth is public health problem in Georgia. Nevertheless, there has been no systematic study the risk factors for ASB that could counteract on ASB development. To prevent ASB development and acceleration the understanding of biological (assessment of Brain morphology using MRI) and psychological (assessment using Freiburg Personality Inventory) risk factors is critical. This was the aim of this study. Method The children/youth with ASB tendency (AST) were identified by the Freiburg Personality Inventory (FBI). The biological and psychosocial factors contributing to AST were evaluated using a semi-structured clinical interview. Brain anatomy and morphology was studied using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Results Children/youth with AST had significant abnormalities in most axial elements of the DSM multi-axial system but not in brain anatomy measured by MRI. Conclusion Early identification of ASB tendencies and a provide correlationship between specific psychiatric, medical and family stress factors will likely reduce the number of children/youth with ASB and will promote their integration into society.
Aug 2018 DOI 10.14302/issn.2474-3585.jpmc-18-2223
Marijuana utilization among school aged adolescents is major public and mental health concern in Ghana and other developing countries, with the rate of usage soaring high among school going adolescents. The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of marijuana utilization among selected Junior High School (JHS) students in the Central Region of Ghana and explore the relative impact of psychosocial factors accounting for its usage. Using a descriptive cross-sectional survey design with the Global School Based Survey GSHS questionnaire, a sample of 1400 school going adolescents students were drawn using multistage sampling procedure. Frequencies, percentages and binary logistic regression results indicated marijuana utilization prevalence of 9% (n = 122). Statistically, gender (OR = 0.52, 95% CI= 0.35 - .765, p = 0.001), religious affiliation (OR = 1.76, 95% CI = 1.0 - 2.95, p = 0.034), socioeconomic background (OR = 0.52, 95% CI = 0.33 - 1.23, p = 0.004) and geographical location (OR = 0.53, 95% CI = 0.31 - .886, p = 0.016) significantly predicted marijuana utilization among school aged adolescents. No statistically significant variations were found in the odds of students’ marijuana usage for age (OR = 1.15, 95% CI = 0.69 - 1.88, p = 0.590), parental communication (OR = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.56 - 1.23, p = 0.348) and academic performance (OR = 1.09, 95% CI = 0.66 -1.80, p = 0.744). Findings suggest that school based research should reflect and perhaps replicate existing prevalence, patterns of marijuana and other drug use through multiple school surveys nationwide. This pathway may provide useful information towards the design, evaluation and implementation of drug prevention cognitive-behavioural interventions and the development of stringent drug regulative standards.
Jun 2017 DOI 10.14302/issn.2471-2175.jdrt-17-1481
Background: Studies have unveiled lower levels of serum vitamin D in autoimmune diseases and the role of vitamin D in inhibition of helper T cells proliferation, stimulation of regulatory T cells, diminishing of B-lymphocyte differentiation and inhibition of immunoglobulin secretion has been discussed in the literature. Oral lichen planus (OLP) is an autoimmune mucocutaneous disorder in which cell mediated immunity plays an important part and so it may also be related to serum vitamin D levels. Aim: To estimate serum vitamin D in oral lichen planus patients of North India, compare it to the controls and to evaluate various factors influencing vitamin D level in OLP cases such as sun exposure, gender, psychosocial factors, meteorological influences, religion and diet. Methods and Material: Venous blood samples of 102 clinically diagnosed oral lichen planus patients and 102 age and sex matched controls were obtained for the study and serum vitamin D levels were estimated using Vitek Immunodiagnostic Assay System, an automated bench-top immuno-analyzer, based on the Enzyme Linked Fluorescent Assay. The data was analyzed using chi-squared test and t-test. Results: Mean vitamin D in OLP cases and controls was 20.40 ng/ml and 32.67 ng/ml respectively. Vitamin D3 deficiency was more in OLP cases (70.6%) as compared to controls (34.3%) and insufficiency was more in controls (35.3%) as compared to OLP cases (16.7%). These differences were statistically significant. Conclusion: Although vitamin D deficiency was found more in OLP cases pointing towards the possible co-relation of vitamin D and OLP, yet insufficiency was seen more commonly in controls which revealed that this important vitamin was lacking in North Indian population.
Aug 2016 DOI 10.14302/issn.2474-9273.jbtm-16-1105
An often neglected factor in the examination of the mental quality of life of survivors of colorectal cancer is the role of family and community level resources and support. The aim of this study was to develop a deeper understanding of the influence of family and community level resources over and above previously examined mental health variables. A survey-based pilot study was conducted with 101 colorectal cancer survivors. Four multiple linear regression models were developed to examine the associations between demographic, health-related, individual psychosocial, family and community level factors, and specific dimensions of mental quality of life (measured using the mental health subscales of the SF-12). In addition to examining all of the correlates of mental quality of life, the unique role of family and community level factors over and above previously examined factors was examined. Analyses found that family and community level factors, as a whole, explained a significant portion of the variance in role emotional health, mental health, and social functioning over and above demographic, health-related, and individual psychosocial factors. Family cohesion was a significant, unique predictor of role limitations due to mental health, and family and community social support was a significant, unique predictor of role limitations due to mental health and overall mental health. These results suggest the potential importance of considering family and community level resources when conducting research and designing interventions to improve mental quality of life in colorectal cancer survivors.