|
National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) has been examining clinically relevant research questions among these representative, community-dwelling schizophrenia patients: these include studies on course and outcome, disability, age at onset, metabolic syndrome, work functioning, family burden, substance use and tardive dyskinesia.
The community intervention programme in Thirthahalli referred to as Community Intervention Psychotic Disorders, CoInPsyD) was started in June 2005 with research grants under the National Mental Health Programme. Since then, the NIMHANS team has been providing regular clinical services to these underserved patients. Nearly 2/3rds of these patients were out-of-treatment, and our team has provided services to them virtually at their doorsteps, while most receive follow-up care in their nearest primary health centres, a substantial proportion of patients are seen in their homes. Where there is no government supply of medications, the team has provided medications such as olanzapine, clozapine, etc., free of cost. Till date, 400 schizophrenia patients have been identified and are being treated and followed up regularly. Apart from these, thousands of patients with other neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental conditions are being treated.
The Turuvekere community intervention programme (Treating the Untreated Psychosis in Rural Community: Variation in the experience of care, TURUVECARE was started in December 2009. Like in Thirthahalli, our team aimed to identify and treat all patients with schizophrenia in the taluk. Experience related to service delivery is identical to that of Thirthahalli. Till date, 325 patients with schizophrenia have been identified, treated, and are being followed up (a total of 3,200+ follow-ups to date). The team has trained doctors, nurses, health workers and ASHA workers in the identification/treatment/referral of persons with psychiatric disorders, said the communication note.
For patients with severe mental disorders living in low-resource settings, there is a large absence of psychosocial and mind-body interventions. Yoga as a culturally appropriate intervention is found to be effective in improving the physical, mental health and well-being of persons with mental disorders in India. We wish to address this important clinical, public health and research gap with the following objectives through the Yoga-based Extension Services (YES): to develop a community mental health care model of YES using the TOC model of stakeholder engagement, and understand its feasibility
YES, will be a six-session, once a month face to face programme whenever the patient comes to the PHC/hospitals for a follow-up for a 30 – 45 minute duration. Brochures/ videos depicting yoga practice with instructions in local language will be provided to encourage daily practice at home. We expect to observe improvement in symptom severity, disability, social cognition, socio-occupational functioning, and well-being over 6 months, along with Delivery and fidelity (support and challenges) of YES, said NIMHANS.
On the occasion of the International Yoga Day 2025 month, as well as for celebrating 15+ years of community mental health service at Thirthahalli and Turuvekere, YES programme was launched by Dr. Rajiv Bahl, director general, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR); Dr. Pratima Murthy, Director, NIMHANS; and Dr. B. N. Gangadhar, Chairperson, National Medical Commission (NMC) Government of India; Ayush Chair (Yoga); and former director, NIMHANS.
|