World Wide Journals

PSYCHIATRIC MORBIDITY AND ASSOCIATED PSYCHO-SOCIAL FACTORS AMONG INHABITANTS OF INSTITUTIONAL HOME FOR DESTITUTES

Dr.Rakesh kumar sarwan, Dr.Harful singh, Dr.Isha choudhary — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

BACKGROUND- The destitute population among homeless includes beggars, commercial sex workers, and mentally
ill, elderly women with dependent children, street children, and persons with disability. Amongst these, some of them
have migrated from other states and some are local residents. Previous researches demonstrates that the homeless population is at a greater risk of
acquiring mental and physical ill-health such as depression, drug and alcohol issues, obesity, hepatitis B and C, and dental problems. This study
aimed at determining the psychiatric morbidity and associated socio-demographic correlates among the residents of a destitute rehabilitation
center in Bikaner, Rajasthan.AIM AND OBJECTIVES- The aim was to study the prevalence of psychiatric morbidity and psycho-social factors
among inhabitants of institutional home for destitute. METHODOLOGY- This is a single-center, cross-sectional descriptive study. Inmates
(N=109) of APNA GHAR AASHRAM (home for destitute in Bikaner) were recruited. RESULTS- In our study , out of 109 inmates, 89 (81.6%)
have psychiatric illness and most common psychiatric illness among participants was psychosis (47.7%). Of the 109 Participants, 89 (81.6%)
had psychiatric illness. Most common psychiatric illness was psychosis (n =52 ,47.7%) , followed by Mental Retardation (n = 11 , 10.1%) ,
followed by Bipolar Disorder (n = 9, 8.3%). Most common reason for admission to destitute home was psychiatric illness and found wandering.

ASSESSMENT OF DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY AMONG CAREGIVERS OF PSYCHIATRIC PATIENTS.

Dr. Isha Choudhary, Dr. Harful Singh, Dr. Aditi Mahajan — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Background- Patients with psychiatric illnesses require support from family, peers, and care-givers to overcome the
difculties and manage their health. Caregivers are hence at a risk themselves to develop anxiety and depression, or
related symptoms, due to the emotionally challenging and draining experience. Aim – To evaluate and assess anxiety and depression of caregivers to the patients admitted to the Psychiatry department of a tertiary care centre located in Rajasthan. Materials and Methods- Our
assessment relied on data collection that followed cross-sectional observational analysis. We performed the study post approval of the ethical
clearance by the respective committee at the university and an informed decision was consented to in written by 50 caregivers taking part in the
study. These included caregivers to 25 patients with disorders due to substance use (Group A) and 25 patients with other psychiatric diagnosis
(Group B). We also lled in socio-demographic details and performed scoring as administered by the HAM-D and HAM-A scales. Results-
Group A comprised of more females (64%) than males in contrast to Group B participants. HAM-D score analysis showed that depression was
present in Group A (52%) as compared to Group B participants (40%). HAM-A analysis of score showed anxiety in 34% of caregivers and was
higher among Group A participants and among female caregivers. Conclusions- The results of the study can be used to plan for early
interventions, to reduce stress among caregivers of patients with psychiatric illness.

UNRAVELLING THE ENIGMATIC MINDSCAPE: A DESCRIPTIVE STUDY ON INTRICATE PATTERNS OF DISSOCIATIVE DISORDERS

Dr. Aditi Mahajan, Dr. Harful Singh, Dr. Isha Choudhary — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Background- Dissociative disorders, presumed to have psychogenic origin, often emerge as a response to traumatic
events, insurmountable challenges, or strained relationships. They serve as a coping mechanism for individuals facing
overwhelming stress. These exhibit variations in prevalence and manifestation across diverse cultures and geographical regions worldwide.
Aim- To assess the prevalence and patterns of dissociative disorders among psychiatric inpatients over a comprehensive six-months period.
Materials and Methods- This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out at S.P. Medical College, Bikaner, Rajasthan from January 2023
to June 2023. The sample constituted Psychiatric inpatients who fullled the ICD-10 criteria for diagnosing dissociative disorders. After
obtaining informed consent, a semi-structured proforma was used to gather sociodemographic information, document presenting signs and
symptoms and establish a nal diagnosis. Results- During the span of six months, a total of 867 patients were evaluated. Out of these, 250
patients were diagnosed with Dissociative disorder based on ICD-10 criteria. Majority of patients fell within the age group of 21-30 years
(36.4%), were females (94.4%), married (52.8%), lived in rural areas (72.4%), belonged to joint families (65.6%), had positive family history of
dissociative disorder (20.8%) and experienced psychosocial stressors. Dissociative convulsions (60.4%) were the most common presentation
followed by Dissociative motor disorders (18.4%) and mixed dissociative disorder (16.8%). Conclusions- These ndings led us to conclude that
dissociation serves as a signicant nonverbal communication process of the subconscious mind, asserting its importance in understanding and
addressing these disorders.