RESUMEN
Purpose: To explore women's mental health in India's rapidly changing society. Participants and Methods: A convenience sample of low-income women (N = 286) in a medium-sized city in South-India participated in a mixed-methods, exploratory study in 2022. Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval was received from Loma Linda University in the US, and Christian Medical College-Vellore in India, in accordance with the declaration of Helsinki, prior to data collection. All study materials were forward and back translated for Tamil, the local language. Phase 1(n = 25) involved audio recorded key-informant interviews and focus groups. Verbatim transcripts were inductively coded, and emerging themes identified. Phase 2 (n = 261) entailed a quantitative survey including demographics, health history, and validated scales measuring mental health symptoms, coping strategies, social support, living situation, and life satisfaction. Data collectors were gender and language matched, research trained, community health nurses. Results: Qualitative themes included: 1) benefits of living in the city, 2) double duty for women doing household work and paid work, 3) challenges of living in the urban environment, 4) advantages of living in the village, 5) struggles associated with village life. Quantitative results: the average Hopkins Symptoms Checklist (HSCL) score of 1.82 (SD = 0.70) exceeded the 1.65 cut-off score for anxiety and depression symptomology. Among participants with elevated HSCL scores (n = 129) the average was markedly elevated (M = 2.39, SD = 0.56). These women were more likely to rely on wishful thinking, religious coping, and reported more post-migration living difficulties, less social support, and less satisfaction with life. Regression analysis further explored variables associated with participant HSCL scores. Conclusion: In this sample of low-income urban-dwelling women depression and anxiety symptomology was elevated. Given the limited mental health workforce and cultural stigmatization of mental health issues, further attention is required.
RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Loss of tissue, whether congenital or traumatic or resulting from malignancy or radical surgery, is accompanied by esthetic and psychological effects. Fabrication of an ocular prosthesis is a challenging and time-consuming procedure. PATIENTS AND TECHNIQUES: This article describes two different techniques of iris customization on two different patients. First technique describes the iris customization with the use of conventional paint on technique while second describes the photographic method of fabricating the eye prosthesis. DISCUSSION: A sequence of steps of construction of ocular prostheses is outlined, and the critical areas of fabrication and artistic techniques employed in the successful prosthetic treatment are described in this article. Conventional iris paint on technique and digital photographic technique to customize the iris are explained along with their advantages, disadvantages and indications. CONCLUSION: In addition to decrease treatment time and increased simplicity, digital photography technique is particularly advantageous in cases requiring thin acrylic shell type of prosthesis.
