Perspectives of Community Nurses on Treatment Engagement of Persons with Severe Mental Illnesses (PwSMI): A Qualitative Study from South India.

Background: There is increasing evidence of the need for treatment engagement between Persons with Severe Mental Illnesses (PwSMIs) and Mental Health Professionals (MHPs). This therapeutic process involves collaborative work between patients and MHPs, which improves the condition. Community nurses are uniquely positioned to facilitate this process as they act as the focal point of interaction between patients and the health system. Methods: This qualitative study explored the community nurses' experiences in treatment engagement with PwSMI through eight group interviews of 35 community nurses from District Mental Health Programs (DMHPs) across Karnataka (South India) from February 2020 to March 2020. The audio recordings of the interviews were transcribed and coded to arrive at themes and subthemes. Results: The major themes identified were factors influencing treatment engagement, strategies to tackle treatment nonengagement, and challenges in dealing with nonengagement. The reasons for nonengagement were lack of insight and lack of knowledge of sociocultural, logistic, and treatment-related factors. The DMHP teams contacted patients through phone calls, home visits, and liaisons with health workers and intervened with them through education and depot injections. The major challenges were difficulty conducting home visits, distances, the unavailability of medications, and the need for adequate infrastructure and human resources. Conclusion: Community nurses address a few factors of nonengagement, such as insight, sociocultural factors, and treatment-related factors. Addressing the systemic challenges and adequate training of nurses in intervening in the dropped-out PwSMIs would help to reduce the treatment gap.

Effectiveness of Digital Learning in Community Mental Health Care Among Nurses in India.

Background: Digital learning is a cost-effective and time-saving approach in higher education. The present study aimed to check the impact of continuing nursing education programs through digital learning by connecting Indian nurses to NIMHANS Digital Academy (NDA). Materials and Methods: One group pre-test and post-test design was used for this study. Overall, 217 nurses registered for the course and 146 nurses were recruited on the basis of eligibility and their Expression of Interest (EoI) through the online registration portal. All the nurses who had access to the internet and enough internet literacy were included in the study. 64 nurses had not submitted the post-test due to various reasons within the stipulated time. Hence, the final sample achieved and calculated for the analysis was n = 82. The data for this study were collected through the retrospective chart review method. Result: The findings of this study reveal that most of the nurses in India had willingness and readiness for digital learning. All the nurses who joined the NDA learning program stated that they would like to improve their knowledge regarding mental health and illness, to identify and manage mentally ill patients efficiently. The results indicated that the training provided through NDA positively impacted the nurses' knowledge and fulfilled their learning needs. Statistical analysis showed a significant difference between knowledge, practice, and confidence score changes for the two-time point period, i.e. before and after the training. Conclusion: It can be concluded that conducting Continuing Nursing Education (CNE) through a digital learning program is an effective teaching-learning method in the nursing curriculum.

Effectiveness of lifestyle intervention on prevention/management of antipsychotic-induced weight gain among persons with severe mental illness: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Individualized lifestyle interventions using motivational interviewing (MI) approach are recommended for persons with severe mental illness (SMI) for effective weight management. The aim of this meta-analysis was to assess the effectiveness of various lifestyle interventions that addressed obesity among persons with SMI. Twelve RCTs were assessed by individual reviewers using revised cochrane risk-of-bias tool (RoB 2). The standardized mean difference (SMD) was calculated with a 95% CI. The age of participants was between 18 and 70 years. Waist circumference showed an SMD of -0.09 (-0.22, 0.03), weight -0.03 (-0.10, 0.15) and BMI -0.07 (-0.07, 0.22). The findings in this meta-analysis revealed that though lifestyle interventions were statistically insignificant in reducing antipsychotic induced weight gain among persons with SMI, they show changes in intervention group. Psychosocial management along with lifestyle interventions, and MI are effective in the management of antipsychotic induced weight gain.

Lived-in experiences of health care professionals affected with COVID-19.

Background and Objective: Healthcare providers (HCPs) were vital during the COVID-19 pandemic. The healthcare providers affected by COVID-19 underwent various life changing events while continuing their profession during the pandemic. This study is aimed to explore the lived-in experiences of HCPs affected by COVID-19 at a tertiary care Mental Health Institute in India. Materials and Methods: The sampling method was purposive. Twenty two HCPs (eight nursing educators, seven nursing officers, five contractual cleaning workers, and two laboratory technicians) participated in the interviews conducted by the researchers to obtain the lived-in experiences of HCPs who have recovered from COVID-19. Researchers used a sociodemographic form and an interview guide to collect the data. Interviews were audio recorded and analyzed by using Atlas-ti-9 software. Results: All the participants were female, and they revealed various physical, psychological, and social issues faced by HCPs while balancing home and workplace. Thematic data analysis resulted in the emergence of two themes and 11 subthemes related to life changing events. Conclusion: The findings concluded that although the healthcare providers had working experience in the field of mental health, they too experienced mild psychological issues like anxiety, depression, and fear of death because of this pandemic situation.

Nursing students' perceptions regarding well-being and healthy use of digital technology: A qualitative thematic analysis.

BACKGROUND: The health and well-being of nursing students are of the utmost importance. Well-being is affected by many factors, ranging from day-to-day hassles to severe stressors in students' college lives. In addition to many other challenges, one new component is added with the advancement of technology, that is, the use of digital technology. The objectives of the study were to explore the perceptions of nursing students regarding well-being, its associated factors, digital technology usage and association between well-being and digital technology use. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A qualitative descriptive design using focus group discussion (FGD) was adopted in this study. A purposive sampling technique was followed for selecting the participants. Five nursing colleges in the city of Bengaluru from Karnataka state (Central Government-1, State Government-2, and Private-2) were selected based on their willingness to allow their students to be a part of the study. Around 12-15 students from each college who might provide potentially rich data were invited to participate in the study. Six FGDs were conducted during June-August 2018 with a total of 80 participants. All the participants were informed about the study. Written informed consent was obtained. All FGDs were audio recorded, and audiotapes were transcribed. Thematic analysis was done using Atlas.ti software. RESULTS: The emerging themes were clustered under the following broad categories: understanding the concept of well-being and associated factors; understanding digital technology; ways to healthy use of digital technology; strategies to maintain well-being; and a felt need for professional help. CONCLUSION: This study provides an insight into the experiences of well-being, stress, and use of digital technology among undergraduate nursing students. The findings have led to elicit the components required to develop an intervention program that may help the undergraduate nursing students to enhance well-being as well as promote healthy use of digital technology.

Evaluation of a manual-based training program in changing auxiliary nurse midwives (ANMs) knowledge, attitudes, and skills related to maternal mental health.

Background: Globally, maternal mental health has been recognized as a priority public health issue. While it is crucial to integrate maternal mental health into mother and child health services, research on strengthening the knowledge and skills of primary healthcare providers on maternal mental health is limited in India. Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of a manual-based training program in improving auxiliary nurse midwives (ANMs) knowledge, attitudes, and skills related to maternal mental health. Methods: The present study adopted an experimental design among ANMs (N = 110) working at primary health centers, Karnataka, India. The participants were randomly assigned to either experimental group (n = 53) or control group (n = 57). The training program delivered interactive sessions based on a facilitator's manual developed specifically for ANMs in India. The assessments were done in both groups at baseline, after the intervention, at three months and at six months using self-rated questionnaires and a case vignette. The descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. Results: After the training program the mean knowledge, attitudes and skills scores were significantly increased in the experimental group (P < 0.001) and significant differences were found between the mean scores of the groups at 3 months and 6 months follow-up (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The training program was found to have a positive impact in enhancing ANMs' knowledge, attitudes, and skills related to maternal mental health in India as there is dearth for mental health professionals in primary care settings.

An audit of initial six years of 5885 telepsychiatric direct video consultations: Findings from "benefits of savings" analysis and the effect of COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: Telepsychiatric direct video consultations (DVCs) meant for continuity of care began in 2017 and continued during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Telemedicine-based consultation gained its long-due importance during the COVID-19 travel restriction, despite its existence for a long. The authors intend to share the utility and growth of the initial six years of live telepsychiatric DVCs from an academic hospital in India and also plan to understand the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on its growth and report findings from an innovative "benefits of savings" (BOS) analysis from these clinics. Methods: A first six years of medical audit of the files and registers of telepsychiatric DVCs from two kinds of continuity of care clinics during 2017-2022 is performed. An analysis of 4991 (84.8%) live DVCs is successfully conducted for 1570 patients from the 5885 scheduled appointments. Year-on-year (YOY) growth and BOS analysis of successful DVCs from these clinics were performed. Results and Discussion: The growth suggests a gradual increase in DVCs yearly. The BOS analysis suggests its increased acceptability, feasibility at both user and provider ends, and possible cost-effectiveness of these video clinics. YOY analysis suggests a natural growth of these clinics than from the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, except for an initial surge in 2020 and 2021 and observing stabilization effect by 2022. Conclusion: In the authors' understanding, this is the largest study of providing DVCs from India, irrespective of any medical/surgical specialty. The video/remote clinics could be an alternative model for regular follow-ups in ensuring the continuity of care among patients with psychiatric disorders. These clinics also saved significant travel time, travel distance, and travel costs for the patients that could have occurred for their in-person consultations.

Experiences of the Occupational Therapists During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Scoping Review.

Occupational therapy has been impacted by the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic and has transitioned from a traditional face-to-face therapy method to an online one. In the wake of the pandemic, occupational therapist faced the challenge of providing online services to people with disabilities. The review aimed to identify and synthesize the best available evidence on the experience of occupational therapists in psychiatric rehabilitation settings during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the challenges posed by changes in the mode of training were examined. Electronic database search included PubMed, PsycINFO, PsycNET, Cochrane Library, Ovid, MEDLINE, CINAHL, SAGE Journals, Elsevier Science Direct, Springer, Wiley Online Library, JAMA Psychiatry, and Society E-Journals. Inclusion criteria were studies describing the experience of the occupational therapists during the COVID-19 pandemic in psychiatric rehabilitation settings. A systematic search identified 8 studies included quantitative, qualitative and mixed methodology conducted between 2020 and 2022. The findings from the reviewed articles revealed that the complexities and challenges faced by occupational therapists during the COVID-19 pandemic were professional, personal, and organizational; innovative practices were implemented in the psychiatric settings. The review findings expressed both positive (accepting a new mode of training, time saving) and negative experiences (problems with interaction & internet) perceived by the rehabilitation professionals. Enhancing the training of occupational therapists will help in easing the access and know-how of using telerehabilitation services for patients and coping with COVID-19-like situations in the future.

Systematic Review on End-Users' Perception of Facilitators and Barriers in Accessing Tele-Rehabilitation Services.

Psychiatric rehabilitation is a therapeutic approach that encourages people with mental illness and intellectual disabilities to develop their inherent capacities through learning and environmental support. Psychiatric treatment (pharmacological and psychological) controls psychiatric symptoms; psychiatric rehabilitation focuses on functioning and role outcomes. The review aimed to explore the end-user's perception of facilitators and barriers in accessing psychiatric tele-rehabilitation services. Various electronic databases like Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, Research Gate, Science Direct, ProQuest, Springer, Wolters-Taylors, Elsevier, PsycINFO, and Wiley online library were searched using Google scholar. Inclusion criteria were studies including psychiatric rehabilitation, web-based interventions, and facilitators and barriers in accessing psychiatric tele-rehabilitation services. A systematic search identified 13 studies, including quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method approaches. The results identified were based on the facilitators and barriers in accessing telerehabilitation. The common themes identified in this review are (1) facilitators of telerehabilitation, (2) barriers of tele-rehabilitation, and (3) expectations in tele-rehabilitation. The facilitating factors include an internet-enabled device, cost/financial benefits, ehealthcare knowledge, technology as a valuable and accessible tool, motivational factors, satisfaction and willingness. The barriers include affordability to the internetenabled device, network connectivity, lack of technical skills, and digital literacy. Expectations include some modifications needed to carry out effective practices of psychiatric tele-rehabilitation. Effective tele-rehabilitation helps people with mental illness and intellectual developmental disorders for their optimal functioning/quality of life.

Development of a Personalized Tobacco Cessation Intervention Package (PTCIP) for Persons with Schizophrenia in India.

Background: Among persons with schizophrenia (PwS), tobacco use is higher in comparison to the general population, contributing to greater morbidity and mortality. Pharmacological interventions combined with psychosocial interventions are effective in tobacco cessation. While the effectiveness of extant psychosocial interventions-when used in isolation-seems limited, developing better combinations of interventions could help treatment providers deliver tobacco cessation services to PwS at different stages of motivation to quit. We aimed to develop a personalized tobacco cessation intervention package (PTCIP) for PwS. Methods: The stage-based intervention package was developed through a systematic review of interventions for tobacco cessation, the authors' clinical experience, and expert validation. The components of the intervention package, developed for PwS visiting the outpatient psychiatric department, were retained, removed, or added based on the content validity ratio (CVR). Results: The final components included brief advice, principles of motivational interviewing, psychoeducation, decisional balance matrix, positive reinforcement, offering various treatment options, personalized feedback using a smoking-risk calculator, and prediction of cardiovascular risk using the WHO package of essential noncommunicable disease (PEN). The delivery of the intervention package was refined based on pilot testing in eight participants. Conclusion: The tailored package was designed to be delivered by a mental health professional as a single comprehensive 40 min to 45 min face-to-face session, integrated with routine follow-up visits, followed by two telephonic conversations in the second and third week of the initial session. The package needs to be tested in a randomized controlled trial for its effectiveness.

Effectiveness of personalized tobacco cessation intervention package among patients with schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders - A two-group experimental study.

INTRODUCTION: Persons with schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders (PwS) smoke more, and have twice the rate of mortality, with 10-25 years lower life expectancy than the general population. Evidence-based tobacco cessation interventions would help in quitting. AIM: To evaluate the effectiveness of a personalized tobacco cessation intervention package for patients attending the outpatient psychiatry department. METHODS: The study adopted a two-group experimental design in PwS, using a simple randomization method. Eligible participants were randomly allocated to either the intervention group (n = 85) receiving the intervention package or the control group (n = 85) receiving brief advice to stop tobacco. The study outcomes were measured at baseline, 1, 3, and 6 months. SPSS 23 was used for data analysis. Intention-to-treat analysis was used to manage missing data. The p-value of < 0.05 is considered statistically significant. RESULTS: At 6 months, there was a significant difference (p < 0.001) in 7 days point-prevalence abstinence (28 % vs 10.8 %), reduction of tobacco by at least 50 % (62.4 % vs 40.9 %) with an attrition rate of 15.3 % vs 30.5 % in intervention and control group respectively. Reduction in nicotine dependence and tobacco craving, an increase in motivation level, quit attempts and clinical improvement favored the intervention group. 16.5 % of participants expressed interest in pharmacotherapy for tobacco cessation, 3.5 % were referred to a specialized tobacco cessation center, two control group participants were hospitalized for drug default, and withdrawal symptoms reported were mild. CONCLUSION: Implementing a tobacco cessation intervention based on the stage of motivation aids in abstinence and reduction of tobacco use in PwS.

Can employment in a café change Clientele Attitude towards the staff when they are Persons with Mental Illness?

BACKGROUND: Clientele's attitude toward Persons with Mental Illness (PwMI) changes over a period of time. The aim of this study was to explore and understand how and whether perception about PwMI changes when they are seen working like persons without mental illness among those availing services of ROSes café at NIMHANS, Bengaluru. METHODS: The descriptive research design was adopted with purposive sampling. Community Attitude toward Mentally Ill (CAMI) a self -administered questionnaire of was administered to measure the clientele attitude towards staff with mental illness in ROSes Café (Recovery Oriented Services). A total of 256 subjects availing services from the ROSes café recruited in the study. Chi-square and Mann-Whitney U test was computed to see the association and differences on selected variables. RESULTS: The present study results showed that subjects had a positive attitude seen in health care professionals in the domains of benevolence (BE) (28.68 ± 3.00) and community mental health ideology (CMHI) (31.53 ± 3.19), whereas non-health care professionals had showed negative attitude in the domain of authoritarianism (AU) (30.54 ± 3.42) and social restrictiveness (SR) (30.18 ± 3.05). Education, employment, marital, income, and working status were significantly associated with CAMI domains. CONCLUSION: PwMI also can work like people without mental illness when the opportunities are provided. The community needs to regard mental illness in the same manner as chronic physical illness diabetes mellitus and allow PwMI to live a life of dignity by creating and offering opportunities to earn livelihood which would help them recover with their illnesses.

Use of Technology to Facilitate Performance of Activities of Daily Living in Persons Availing Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services During Covid-19 Pandemic.

The global health crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) has brought about previously unimaginable changes to all of health care, including the field of psychiatric rehabilitation. During the pandemic, many issues pertaining to the people with SMI(Severe Mental Illness) was addressed, however, we have not found any studies exploring the impact of pandemic on Activities of daily living. Here we discuss two case reports to furnish the first -hand experience on how online sessions have helped patients to improve their Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL), a component of Activities of Daily Living (ADL). Though the pandemic had an impact on IADL initially in both the patients, with technology facilitated psychiatric rehabilitation both patients improved in areas of managing household chores, cooking, concentration and memory as reported by their caregivers. Family involvement in care and bonding also increased. Online sessions facilitated persons with mental illness to engage in daily activities, created an interest in them to attend the sessions and to translate them in real-time world and increased the involvement of caregivers in training them.

Effectiveness of IADL interventions to improve functioning in persons with Schizophrenia: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY: Instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) are activities that are needed to live an independent life. Psychotic disorders are associated with deficits in everyday functioning, causing impairment/disability in activities of daily living. Activities play a crucial role to measure functional health or disability. People with Schizophrenia often present difficulties in social and occupational reintegration that may be associated with problems in performing daily activities, including independent living, education, working, and socializing. Activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living (life skills training) including leisure and social skills training intended to reintegrate the patient into the community to lead an everyday life. AIM: The aim of this review was to identify the effect of skill-based interventions on independent functioning in persons with Schizophrenia. METHODS: The authors conducted database searches of Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Direct, ProQuest, EBSCO from 1st January 1992 to 31st December 2020. The researcher extracted data, and the quality of included studies was rated by two authors independently. We used the Cochrane Risk of Bias (ROB) tool for assessing the quality of selected studies. The search identified nine studies that met the inclusion criteria with 655 participants. The outcome measure was independent functioning skills. RESULTS: The interventions in the review were multifaceted with different combinations of psychoeducation, cognitive-behavioral methods, training in social skills, and IADL. The interventions resulted in significant improvement in functioning skills and reduction in relapse rates. CONCLUSION: Results of this review have revealed moderate to strong evidence for skills training, either behavioral or social skills to improve social and independent functioning, reduce caregiver burden, and improve negative symptoms. The review also supported that interventions could be generalized across settings.

'Unheard voices': Perceptions of women with mental illness on nurses screening routinely for domestic violence: A qualitative analysis.

OBJECTIVES: To explore women's experiences of violence and their opinion on routine screening for domestic violence by nursing professionals in mental health care settings. METHODS: This qualitative narrative research design was carried out among 20 asymptomatic women with mental illness at a tertiary care centre in Bangalore, India. RESULTS: Narrative content analysis was performed, and five dominant themes have emerged: 1. Understanding the nature and signs of violence (subtheme: Meaning of violence), 2. Abusive experiences of women with mental illness (subthemes: Physical violence, psychological violence, social violence, sexual violence and financial violence), 3. Experiences on disclosure of violence (subthemes: Identification of violence by nursing professionals, Experiences of disclosure of violence), 4. Barriers for disclosure of abuse(subthemes: Fear of consequences, the hectic schedule of nursing staff, helplessness and hopelessness, perceived poor family support). 5.Routine screening for violence by nursing professionals (subthemes: reasons for routine inquiry of violence, nature of inquiry by the nursing professionals). CONCLUSIONS: Women with mental illness were undergoing more than one form of violence, and most of the participants supported routine screening by nursing professionals. Nurses play an essential role in identifying and supporting abused women in mental health care settings.

'Unheard voices': Perceptions of women with mental illness on nurses screening routinely for domestic violence: A qualitative analysis / "Voces no escuchadas": Percepciones de las mujeres con enfermedades mentales sobre el cribado rutinario de la violencia doméstica por parte de las enfermeras. Un análisis cualitativo / "Vozes não ouvidas": percepções de mulheres com transtorno mental sobre o rastreamento cotidiano da violência doméstica por enfermeiras. Uma análise qualitativa

Objective. To explore women's experiences of violence and their opinion on routine screening for domestic violence by nursing professionals in mental health care settings. Methods. This qualitative narrative research design was carried out among 20 asymptomatic women with mental illness at a tertiary care centre in Bangalore, India. Results. Narrative content analysis was performed, and five dominant themes have emerged: 1. Understanding the nature and signs of violence (subtheme: Meaning of violence), 2. Abusive experiences of women with mental illness (subthemes: Physical violence, psychological violence, social violence, sexual violence and financial violence), 3. Experiences on disclosure of violence (subthemes: Identification of violence by nursing professionals, Experiences of disclosure of violence), 4. Barriers for disclosure of abuse(subthemes: Fear of consequences, the hectic schedule of nursing staff, helplessness and hopelessness, perceived poor family support). 5.Routine screening for violence by nursing professionals (subthemes: reasons for routine inquiry of violence, nature of inquiry by the nursing professionals). Conclusion. Women with mental illness were undergoing more than one form of violence, and most of the participants supported routine screening by nursing professionals. Nurses play an essential role in identifying and supporting abused women in mental health care settings.

Objetivo. Explorar las experiencias de violencia que sufren las mujeres y su opinión sobre el cribado rutinario de la violencia doméstica por parte de los profesionales de enfermería en los centros de salud mental. Métodos. Esta investigación narrativa cualitativa se llevó a cabo con 20 mujeres asintomáticas con enfermedades mentales en un centro de atención terciaria en Bangalore, India. Resultados. Se realizó un análisis de contenido narrativo y surgieron cinco temas dominantes: 1. Comprensión de la naturaleza y los signos de la violencia (subtema: Significado de la violencia), 2. Experiencias abusivas de las mujeres con enfermedades mentales (subtemas: Violencia física, violencia psicológica, violencia social, violencia sexual y violencia económica), 3. Experiencias sobre la revelación de la violencia (subtemas: Identificación de la violencia por parte de los profesionales de enfermería, Experiencias de revelación de la violencia), 4. Barreras para la revelación del abuso (subtemas: Miedo a las consecuencias, el agitado horario del personal de enfermería, impotencia y desesperanza, percepción de un escaso apoyo familiar). 5. Indagación rutinaria de la violencia por parte de los profesionales de enfermería (subtemas: razones para la indagación rutinaria de la violencia, naturaleza de la indagación por parte de los profesionales de enfermería). Conclusión. Las mujeres con enfermedades mentales sufrieron más de una forma de violencia y la mayoría de las participantes apoyó el cribado rutinario por parte de los profesionales de enfermería. Las enfermeras desempeñan un papel esencial en la identificación y en el apoyo a las mujeres maltratadas en los entornos de atención en la salud mental.

Objetivo. Explorar as experiências de violência sofrida por mulheres e sua opinião sobre o rastreamento rotineiro de violência doméstica por profissionais de enfermagem em centros de saúde mental. Métodos. Esta pesquisa narrativa qualitativa foi realizada com 20 mulheres assintomáticas com doença mental em um estabelecimento de cuidados terciários em Bangalore, Índia. Resultados. Realizou-se uma análise de conteúdo narrativo e emergiram cinco temas dominantes: 1. Compreendendo a natureza e os sinais da violência (subtópico: Significado da violência), 2. Experiências abusivas de mulheres com transtorno mental (subtópicos: Violência física, violência psicológica, violência social, violência sexual e violência econômica), 3. Experiências sobre a divulgação da violência (subtópicos: Identificação da violência por profissionais de enfermagem, Experiências da divulgação da violência), 4. Barreiras para a divulgação do abuso (subtópicos: medo das consequências, enfermagem ocupada horas de trabalho, desamparo e desesperança, percepção de pouco apoio familiar) 5. Inquérito de rotina sobre violência por profissionais de enfermagem (subtópicos: motivos de inquérito de rotina sobre violência, natureza do inquérito por profissionais de enfermagem). Conclusão. Mulheres com doença mental sofreram mais de uma forma de violência e a maioria das participantes apoiava o rastreamento de rotina pelos profissionais de enfermagem. Os enfermeiros desempenham um papel essencial na identificação e apoio às mulheres agredidas em ambientes de cuidados de saúde mental.

Family Focused Therapy for Family Members of Patients with Bipolar Disorder: Case Reports of Its Impact on Expressed Emotions.

Caregivers of patients with bipolar disorder (BD) undergo a considerable amount of burden. In India, family caregivers are the primary source of support and care for their ill relatives. The burden faced by family members of patients with BD often results in physical and mental health consequences. This may lead to negative interaction patterns such as hostility, criticality, and overinvolvement, termed as expressed emotions (EE). Here, we report how we addressed the EE in family members, using a single-subject design that involved the family caregivers (n = 2) of two adults who presented with a diagnosis of BD with a current episode of mania. An assessment of family caregivers, using the family questionnaire, revealed high EE. Family focused therapy (FFT) of 12 sessions was delivered over 3-4 weeks on an inpatient basis, with positive outcomes of reductions in EE and family stress and improved psychosocial functioning in patient that were sustained over 9-10 months. FFT can be an important add on psychosocial therapy to reduce EE and stress and to facilitate functioning and communication.