Job satisfaction of physicians and teachers; regular verses contract basis jobs

Objectives: To determine the level of job satisfaction of physicians and teachers having regular jobs and those having contract based jobs and to compare level of job satisfaction between these types of jobs and between the two professions

Study design: Cross sectional study

Duration and place of study: This study was conducted with teachers and physicians recruited at different schools, colleges and hospitals of Faisalabad in six months from October, 2008 to March 2009

Subjects and methods: A sample of 200 participants, 100 physicians [50 regular and 50 on contract basis] from public hospitals and 100 teachers [50 regular and 50 on contract] from public schools and colleges was drawn through purposive convenient sampling technique

Result: In overall profession wise analysis teachers scored higher on job satisfaction scale [m=131.98] than physicians [m=126.98]. Personals having regular jobs had lower job satisfaction [m=128.52] than professionals have contract jobs [m=130.45]

Conclusion: Contract based jobs carry higher levels of job satisfaction for employees than the regular based jobs

Personality traits of the adjusted and maladjusted medical students in punjab medical college, Faisalabad, Pakistan

Objective: The study was designed to examine the association between the personality traits and adjustment level of medical students

Method: 190 medical students from Punjab Medical College, Faisalabad participated in this study through purposive convenient sampling technique. Personality traits were measured through Gordon Personal Inventory [GPI] and Gordon Personal Profile [GPP], while adjustment and mal adjustment was assessed through Rotter's Incomplete Sentences Blanks [RISB]. The results were obtained through chi square statistics on SPSS version 17

Results: Results showed that out of 190 medical students 173 students [91%] were well adjusted. While 17 students [9%] obtained RISB scores above the cutoff point hence they were labeled as mal adjusted. Hypothesis testing with Chi square test has shown statistically significant differences in the scores on the trait of responsibility, cautiousness, personal relationship and vigor among adjusted and mal adjusted medical students. Mal adjusted students were seen associated with below average scores on all previously mentioned traits

Conclusion: The traits of responsibility, cautiousness, personal relationship and vigor are crucial for the adjustment in the society. So the parents and teachers should play their part in improving the fabric of the society by the means of building and emphasizing upon the sense of responsibility, cautious behavior, balance in personal relationships, and vigor in daily tasks among their children and students so that they may become well-adjusted in the society

Socio demographics of drug dependents

Objective: The study was designed to examine the split up of social and demographic variables of drug dependent patients approaching the hospital for treatment so that the risk factors may be determined

Study design: cross sectional study

Place and duration of study: The study was conducted indoor patients Drug Abuse Treatment Center of Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, DHQ Hospital, Faisalabad from Jan-2007 to July-2008

Method: 588 patients dependent on different drugs participated in this study through purposive convenient sampling technique. Personal, Social, and Demographic variables were recorded on a demographic sheet. The results were obtained by using SPSS 17

Results: Descriptive statistics show that out of 588, 584 patients [99.2%] were males, 64.8% were between 20 to 35 years of age. 360 [61.1%] were married, while 451 [76.6%] lived in their own houses. 374 patients [83.7%] belonged to the lower or lower middle socio economic status, 242 patients [41.1%] were illiterate, 125 patients [21.2%] had primary level education, and 102 [17.3%] had middle level education. 283 [48.1%] patients were laborers [half were skilled] while 100 patients [17%] were unemployed. 410 patients [69.6%] used heroin, 259 [44%] used cannabis, while 162 [27.5%] patients were poly drug abusers. 430 [74%] patients told peer pressures to be the reason of first drug abuse

Conclusion: As illiteracy, low education, unemployment, labor as profession, and peer pressure are the key features of drug abusers so parents, health professionals, and policy makers should take these as risk factors and focus upon these population segments to spread awareness and take measures of control

Association of HIV with drug dependence; socio-demographic characteristics of substance abusers inclusive of HIV positive admitted in model drug abuse and treatment center, DHQ hospital, Faisalabad, Pakistan

This study was undertaken with an objective of collecting basic data to assess the extent and variety of drug abuse in patients presenting to the model drug abuse and treatment center, DHQ hospital, Fsd as per social and demographic circumstances. cross sectional study. The study was conducted in the indoor Department of Model Drug Abuse Treatment Center of Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, DHQ Hospital, Faisalabad from Jan-2014 to March-2014. 80 patients dependent on different drugs participated in this study through purposive convenient sampling technique. Personal, Social, and Demographic variables were recorded on a demographic sheet. The results were obtained by using SPSS 17. Descriptive statistics showed that 31 patients [38.8%] were HIV positive. Most of the patients were males [97.5 %], between 30 to 35 years of age [28.8%], married [61.3%], lived in urban areas [55%], illiterate [32.5%], had primary level education [21.3%], or middle level education [22.5%]. 51.3 % patients were laborers. As illiteracy, low education, unemployment, labor as profession, and peer pressure are the key features of drug abusers. So, parents, health professionals, and state personals should take these as risk factors and focus upon these population segments to spread awareness and take measures of control to minimize the incidence of substance abuse

Gender differences in test anxiety and examination stress

To assess and compare the level of test anxiety and examination stress among males and females university students. Cross sectional study. The study was conducted in the Department of Sociology and Business Administration, University of The Punjab, New campus, Lahore from June to August 2005. 100 students of sociology and business administration [50 male, 50 female] were approached 3 to 7 days before their final exams through purposive convenient sampling technique. Female students experience significantly higher level of test anxiety, t [98] = 3.83, p < 0.05, Worry, t [98] = 2.458, p < 0.05, Emotionality, t [98] = 4.47, p < 0.05 and Examination stress, t [98] = 2.01, p < 0.05 as compared to male students. In addition, female students reported a significantly higher level of need for family support as compared to male students, t [98] = -3.623, p < 0.05. Female Masters' students are needed to pay more attention on controlling their level of test anxiety, worry, emotionality and examination stress than male students, which could be done through training them. Bearing in mind the gender differences in test anxiety and examination stress different kinds of counseling strategies must be used for males and females

relationship between the characteristics of mentallyretarded persons and the quality of life perception oftheir parents

Objective: The study was designed to assess thelevel of quality of life [QOL] in the parents ofindividuals with mental retardation [MR] and itsrelationship with the characteristics of the sufferingindividuals

Study Design: Quasi experimentalresearch design

Place: The study was carried out inthe Department of Psychiatry and BehavioralSciences, Allied/DHQ Hospitals, PMC Faisalabad,Almasoom center Faisalabad and Amine Maktabspecial institute for mentally retarded childrenLahore

Duration of the study: The study wasconducted during July 2007 to December 2007

Method: 98 mothers and 91 fathers of mentallyretarded individuals from public Hospitals andcenters for mentally retarded children in Faisalabadand Lahore participated in this study throughpurposive convenient sampling technique. Qualityof life was measured by WHO QOL-BREF[Validated Urdu Version] while demographicvariables were recorded on a demographic sheet.The results were obtained by using analysis ofvariance [ANOVA] on SPSS 13

Results: Mothershad scored higher on QOL environment domainwhen their MR Child had the ability to dojudgments in daily living, F [1, 97] = 4.640, p < .05.Fathers of the MR persons who can reason havescored higher on this domain [M = 16.105] than thefathers of the MR persons who can not reason [M =13.694], F [1, 90] = 6.692, p < .05. ANOVA showeddifferences in the QOL scores of the fathers onpsychological, F [1, 90] = 4.819, p < .05, socialrelationships, F [1, 90] = 5.174, p < .05 andenvironment domain, F [1, 90] = 5.320, p < .05depending upon the ability of MR person to travelpublic transport; independent sample t test producedenough evidence to establish the effects on all fourdomains of QOL

Conclusion: In the face of theevidence of high deterioration in quality of life ofthe parents in absence of judgments to daily living,reasoning, and ability to travel public transport, it isto be communicated to parents and teachers of MRpersons to pay more attention on the training ofthese skills. Further more physicians, psychiatrists,other health care professionals and members of thefamily are to be sensitized in identifying thisdisturbance in the quality of life perception in orderto take measures against it so that familyfunctioning may not be disturbed

Prevalence of depression among tuberculosis patients

Objectives: To find out frequency of depression among Tuberculosis [TB] patients, to study the causes of depression in them and its effect on treatment and prognosis of T.B

Study Design: Cross-Sectional Study

Study Area: Department of Chest Medicine District Head Quarters and Red Crescent T.B Hospital, Faisalabad

Duration of Study: March - May 2009. Study Population: TB patients admitted in Department of Chest Medicine DHQ and Red Crescent T.B Hospital, Faisalabad

Sample Size: Sample size was 60 TB patients

Sampling Technique: Convenience sampling technique

Data Collection Tool: Beck's Depression Inventory-II[BDI-II in Urdu] semistructured questionnaire was used for data collection for all TB patients who were able to understand it. Diagnosis was made as per Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth edition [DSM-IV]

Results: Depression was present in about 80% of the hospitalized TB patient. It was more common in males about 86%, while in the females it was about 71%. According to age, young and elderly patients were found to be more affected. Majority of the TB patients had moderate depression, while some had severe and mild depression. Main causes of depression among the male TB patients 24.7% were due to altered social relationship and among female TB patients 23.33% were due to TB stigma

Conclusion: It is concluded from this study that 80% patients were suffering from depression. The frequency of depression was found to be 86% among males; while 71% of the female patients were found to be depressed. Main causes of depression among the male TB patients were altered social relationship and among female patients TB stigma. Depression had adverse effect on drug compliance and TB treatment

Self esteem and psychosocial factors associated with juvenile delinquency

Objectives: The study was designed to assess the level of self Esteem of juvenile delinquents and to find the psychosocial factors associated with delinquency

Study Design: Cross sectional study

Duration and Place of Study: This study was conducted in Borstal jail of Faisalabad, Pakistan during a period of three months from February, 2008 to April, 2008

Subjects and Methods: A sample of 100 male juvenile delinquents was drawn from Borstal jail Faisalabad through Purposive Convenient Sampling technique. Data were collected from participants by using informed consent with the permission of the jail authorities

Result: In the over all picture of the data 56 [56%] of the total sample reported low self esteem. Mean of delinquents labeled as having low self esteem could only reach 13.46 on Rosenberg self esteem scale. High frequency of delinquent behavior was related to feeling of revenge with the mean of 6.00 and high frequency was also associated with love affairs with the mean of 2.80 in delinquents with low self esteem

Conclusion: Research findings concluded that low self-esteem, revenge and lack of supportive relationships are associated with delinquency

Psychiatric co morbidity in medical patients

To assess the rate of anxiety and depression in the patients suffering from various medical diseases. Cross sectional study. The study was conducted in District Headquarter Hospital and Allied Hospital, Faisalabad from 2005 to 2007. Participants were inducted in the study through purposive convenient sampling technique, 339 patients of cardiac, cancer, hepatic, and dermatological diseases from both the above mentioned hospitals participated in this study. Co morbidity of psychiatric disorders was screened out with the help of DSM IV TR's criteria for depression and generalized anxiety. Anxiety [n=32, 9.43%] was the major diagnosis in age group 40-49 and depression [n=31, 9.14%] in age group 50-59. All the diagnosis i.e., anxiety [n=30, 8.84%], depression [n=51, 15.04%] and both anxiety and depression [n=25, 7.37%] were common in illiterate patients. Anxiety [n=37, 10.91%] and depression [n=57, 16.81%] was found more in housewives. All the diagnosis i.e., anxiety [n=77, 22.71%], depression [n=93, 27.43%] and both anxiety and depression [n=45, 13.27%] were common in married patients. Anxiety [n=54, 15.92%] was common in hepatic patients and cardiac patients were having highest share of depression [n=51, 15.04%] and both anxiety and depression [n=32, 9.43%]. Most cardiac patients were depressed; most hepatic patients were anxious; almost half of cancer patients were both anxious and depressed; while majority of dermatological were having no psychiatric illness

Dermatological disorders; psychiatric co-morbidity

The study aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors of Depression and Anxiety in indoor Patients of Dermatology Department. cross sectional study. The study was conducted at in door Department of Dermatology, D.H.Q Hospital Faisalabad from August 2006 to October 2006. A total of 77 diagnosed dermatological patients, [21 males and 56 females] were selected by using non-probability convenient sampling. Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and DSM -IV-TR criteria for depression and anxiety were used to evaluate the patients. QOL-BREF was administered. Results were also correlated with patient's demographics. Out of 77 Patients who were enrolled in a study, 52% of subjects reported psychiatric co-morbidity regarding anxiety and depression according to DSM-IV-TR, HADS, anxiety and depression score was 12.75 [ +/- 4.33] and 11.18 [ +/- 4.51] respectively. A strong co-relation of HADS anxiety and HADS depression was found with the DSM-IV- TR diagnosis respectively. The strong negative association was found with the education, monthly income and socio-economic status respectively. The study shows high Prevalence of Depression and Anxiety in Patients having dermatological disorder. The findings also highlight the importance of recognizing dermatological disease related psychiatric problems. Through training, dermatologists can identify psychiatry morbidity and play their role in early detection, management and referrals of complicated cases of these co- morbid conditions. In this way better quality of care can be assured

Depression and drug non- adherence

To determine the different levels of drug non-adherence in patients suffering from Depression. A case-controlled study. Hayatabad Medical Complex Peshawar, From February 2008 to August 2008. 50-Cases were selected from the out patient department with the DSM-IV diagnosis of major depressive disorder, 50- non psychotic patients were selected as controls. Both sexes were included. The basic socio-demographic characteristics and the clinical profile of all the patients were collected. The level of drug non-adherence was recorded at week 4, week 8 and week 12. SPSS version 15 was used for statistical analysis. The applied method for group comparison was the Chi-square test. The age in mean was 33.78 +/- .30 for the sample and 30.65 +/- 40 for control group. 38% of these patients were males and 62% females. 58% were married and uneducated from lower socio-economical class. 70% of the study group and 59% of control group received treatment. The rates of non adherence were statistically not significant at week 4. However, at week 8 and week 12 the rates of non adherence were statistically significant with the p values of less than [0.001] respectively. Rates of non-adherence with psychotropic / antidepressants are difficult to summarize because they vary with setting, diagnosis, severity of illness and type of adherence difficulties. Drug non-adherence is a serious clinical problem and it has direct effects on illness management and prognosis. The available evidence suggests that the outcome for patients who vary medication doses without consulting a professional is poor

Anxiety and depressive disorders as psychiatric co-morbidity in hepatic diseases

The study was designed to assess the co morbidity of anxiety and depressive disorders in the patients suffering from various hepatic diseases and to examine the split up of patients as per age, gender, marital status, family type, residence, occupation, income and type of hepatic disease diagnosis. Cross sectional study. The study was conduced from September 2007 to November 2007 in liver center DHQ hospital Faisalabad. 102 patients with different hepatic diseases participated in it through purposive convenient sampling technique. To diagnose the patients with anxiety and depression, the diagnostic criteria of DSM IV TR were employed while demographic variables were recorded on a demographic sheet. Results showed that anxiety and depressive disorders were found 88.2% co morbid in all hepatic patients. These psychiatric disorders were more frequently found in urban areas [57.63% anxiety and 37.3% depression] where as it was lesser in joint families [45.94% anxiety and 32.43% depression] and service personals [42.11% anxiety and 26.32% depression]. The proportion of the patients diagnosed with depression was higher in females and elderly, while it was lower in educated class. As the Psychiatric co morbidity especially anxiety and depressive disorders in patients suffering from hepatic disorders is so frequent hence the doctors dealing with such patients should be better trained in assessment and management of these disorders

Depression and anxiety in cancer patients in outpatient department of a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan

To examine the prevalence of depression and anxiety in patients with cancer in an outpatient department of a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan. This study was conducted between May 2006 and January 2007. The sample consisted of 60 diagnosed cancer patients [30 males/30 females]. DSM- IV criteria and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale [HADS] were used to diagnose and assess anxiety and depression. Fifty two percent [31 patients, 10 males/21 females] of the subjects reported having symptoms of anxiety, depression or both according to DSM IV Criteria, [anxiety =14, males six / females eight, depression=6, males two / females four, and depression + anxiety both=11, males two / females nine]. A total of 70% [21/30] of the entire female sample met the criteria for depression, anxiety or both. A total of 33% [10/30] of the entire male sample met the criteria for depression, anxiety or both. This study shows high prevalence rates of depression and anxiety in cancer patients in Pakistan. The oncologists and internists treating cancer patients should screen their patients for symptoms of depression and anxiety

Biopsychosocial model

The bio-psychosocial model is a new, broader and integrated approach to human behavior and disease as compared lo biomedical model which is based on pure scientific aspects of medicine. This model expects the doctors to be an effective communicator and an ethical practitioner of the art and science of medicine. This fact has been proved my many studies. That Psychosocial factors affect the onset and course of almost all chronic physical disorders. Mechanisms like neuroendocrine and immunological may mediate the effects of psychological factors on physical process. Behavioral and emotional aspects should be taken into consideration when decisions are made as to whether treatment should be in hospital or at home. Psychological, behavioral and social factors interact with pathological process in the development and course of physical disorders and that they also lave substantial effects on consultation and compliance with treatment. The application of biopsychosocial model will help the medical students to integrate the teachings of biological and medical sciences with the knowledge of psychology, sociology, and anthropology and thus help the future doctors in having a holistic and a humanistic approach towards their patients

Addictive drugs; effect on haematological and hormonal profiles in men

The phenomenon of drug abuse and its sequalae affect health of the abuser in multiple ways, e.g. changes in body weight, changes in nutrient metabolism due to the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic effects of the drugs, changes in the endocrine system, etc. There is a paucity of research in this area, in Pakistan. To study the effects of drugs of abuse on the physiological and biochemical processes of the body, in a Pakistani population of drug addicts; and then to compare these findings with an age and gender matched control group. This research study was carried out at the District Headquarters Hospital Faisalabad, at the Model Drug Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre located in the hospital. It was a cross-sectional, non-interventional, comparative study. Subjects were recruited by a consecutive sampling method. The study group consisted of 100 subjects, consisting of 80 drug addicts and 20 age and sex matched controls. The following measurements were made: Physical parameters, Plasma biochemistry, Liver function tests, Thyroid hormone levels , Plasma electrolytes and trace element levels Statistical analysis was carried out by two way analysis of variance and Student's t test. The threshold for statistical significance was set at a p value equal to or less than 0.05. Mean age of drug addicts was 31 years. Most of them were poly-drug addicts and mean duration of addiction was 8 years. The drug addicts had low body weight and high blood pressure and temperature, as compared to the control group. The laboratory tests revealed that the addicts as a group had decreased albumin, globulin and total protein levels; while plasma glucose, SGOT, SGPT, T3 and T4 levels were generally higher in the drug addicts, as compared to the control group. Besides the problem of addiction, the effects of drugs of abuse on the physiology and biochemistry of the human body are harmful in their own right. These results are significant because they highlight the importance of holistic assessment and management of drug abusers beyond just managing their addiction