Search

Background: Undergraduate (UG) medical students are one of the stakeholders and ultimate beneficiaries of the competency-based medical education (CBME) curriculum introduced in 2019 by the National Medical Commission (NMC). There is a dearth of literature on student perspectives on CBME Psychiatry clinical posting in India., Methods: Second professional students who attended the psychiatry clinical posting were invited to participate in the qualitative study. They were asked to give perspectives about the training during clinical posting based on a semi-structured questionnaire., Results: Written feedback forms were obtained from 44 students. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results showed the perceived impact of posting (change in knowledge, skills, and attitude), barriers to learning (student factors, patient factors, interaction factors, structural factors), and feedback on training during clinical posting (structural factors, practice over theory)., Conclusion: UG students perceived improvement in their knowledge, attitude, and clinical skills during their posting in Psychiatry. They reported several barriers to learning at variouslevels. Their feedback to improve the posting focused on demonstrating skills using patients rather than theory classes., Competing Interests: The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship and/or publication of this article., (© 2024 The Author(s).)

Background: The new competency-based medical education (CBME) curriculum presents an opportunity to address the many deficiencies in undergraduate (UG) psychiatry education in India. There are no published reports of such evaluations of psychiatry teaching programs based on the new CBME curriculum., Methods: We performed a cross-sectional evaluation of the first clinical posting in psychiatry of the new CBME curriculum using the following metrics: clinical skills, knowledge, attitudes towards psychiatry, self-efficacy in performing the specific learning objectives (SLOs), and satisfaction with specific teaching-learning and assessment methods implemented., Results: The mean knowledge score after the posting was significantly higher compared to the mean knowledge score at baseline (7.79 vs 5.45, p<0.001). The mean clinical skills score after the posting was 13.77 (0-20 range). Improvement was noted in the mean scores on all three sub-scales of the attitudes toward psychiatry scale. However, the improvement in scores was statistically significant only on the 'Stigma of Psychiatry' sub-scale. The mean scores on the items of the self-efficacy scale were between 63.41 and 77.73 (0-100 range). The mean scores on all items of the satisfaction scale were between 4 (somewhat satisfied) and 5 (very satisfied)., Conclusion: We have described an evaluation of the first clinical posting in psychiatry of the new CBME curriculum. The posting was effective in imparting knowledge and clinical skills and potentially bringing about favorable changes in the attitudes toward psychiatry among UG medical students. The students also perceived confidence in performing the SLOs and were satisfied with the teaching-learning methods and assessment methods implemented., Competing Interests: The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship and/or publication of this article., (© 2024 The Author(s).)

Introduction : There is increasing recognition that antenatal depression and postpartum depression are highly prevalent and have significant impact on maternal and child health. Areas Covered : In the initial part of the manuscript, the authors review the epidemiology of antenatal and postpartum depression and its impact on maternal and child health. The later part of the manuscript reviews the current status of the medical management and psychosocial interventions targeting perinatal depression. Expert Opinion : Perinatal depression is the focus of several studies with increasing interest in developing effective interventions. While several psychosocial interventions targeting maternal depressive symptoms during pregnancy and postpartum are available, more studies are needed to address the need for safe and efficacious strategies for the use of antidepressant medication during pregnancy and in the postpartum period.

Background: Women with schizophrenia have needs beyond their mental health needs, such as those arising out of their gender, sexual, and reproductive functions. Very little is known about the knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding contraception among women with schizophrenia from India., Materials and Methods: Study among women with schizophrenia (in reproductive age group, having at least one living child, and currently staying with husband) from south India explored their knowledge, attitude, and practice of contraception. Adhering to observational design and ethical principles, data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire. Modified National Family Health Survey-3 questionnaire and Positive and Negative Symptom Scale of Schizophrenia were also used., Results: Ninety-six women with schizophrenia participated. The mean age was 33.5 years [standard deviation (SD): 6.8 years], and the mean age of onset of schizophrenia was 29.2 years (SD: 6.2 years). Although nearly 90% had knowledge on at least one method of contraception, the mean total number of methods known was mere two. Out of 65 women who were practising contraception, 86.2% adopted female sterilization. The common reasons for not using contraception were wish for another child/son, lack of awareness, and fear of side effects. Unmet need for family planning was 14%. Informed choice of contraception was below 3%. There was statistically significant association between those who were currently using contraception and variables such as age 31 years and above, undifferentiated subtype of schizophrenia, and greater severity of schizophrenia., Conclusion: Although the majority had some knowledge about contraception, decision-making largely rested with others, and informed choice regarding contraception was poor. These could pose an obstetric risk on women with schizophrenia. Sociocultural and illness-related factors influencing contraception need to be explored., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.