Joseph Wilson James1, Thanapal Sivakumar2, Channaveerachari Naveen Kumar3, Jagadisha Thirthalli3. 1. Department of Psychiatric Social Work, Central Institute of Psychiatry, Ranchi, India. 2. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services, Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru, India. Electronic address: drt.sivakumar@yahoo.co.in. 3. Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Bengaluru, India.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) play an important role in health care in rural India. AIM: To study the change in attitude of ASHAs towards persons with mental illness (PMI) after involvement in a community-based rehabilitation program. METHODS: ASHAs (n = 95) were trained to identify and refer PMI. Community Attitudes to Mental Illness scale was administered at baseline and after 18 months of training. RESULTS: Domains of benevolence, social restrictiveness, and community mental health ideology showed significant improvement p < 0.001. There was no change in authoritarianism domain. CONCLUSION: Engaging ASHAs in identification, referral and treatment positively changes their attitudes towards PMI.
BACKGROUND: Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) play an important role in health care in rural India. AIM: To study the change in attitude of ASHAs towards persons with mental illness (PMI) after involvement in a community-based rehabilitation program. METHODS: ASHAs (n = 95) were trained to identify and refer PMI. Community Attitudes to Mental Illness scale was administered at baseline and after 18 months of training. RESULTS: Domains of benevolence, social restrictiveness, and community mental health ideology showed significant improvement p < 0.001. There was no change in authoritarianism domain. CONCLUSION: Engaging ASHAs in identification, referral and treatment positively changes their attitudes towards PMI.
Authors: Raghu Paramasivam; Aravind Raj Elangovan; Senthil Amudhan; John Vijay Sagar Kommu; Harshal Haridas; Sudhir Babu Sriramalu Journal: J Family Med Prim Care Date: 2022-03-18