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Biomedical subjects

R L Kapur

Publications and source records attributed to R L Kapur.

16 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1983

Evaluation of home care treatment for schizophrenic patients.

Twenty-seven patients diagnosed as schizophrenics suffering their first episode of illness and who had not received any prior medical treatment for the present illness, have been treated in their own homes. The treatment was carried out by a visiting nurse, trained in follow-up assessment and counselling. The outcome of this group was compared with a similar group of 27 patients who underwent initial mental hospital admission and subsequent outpatient follow-up. Both groups were followed up for 6 months. The results reveal that the home treatment through a visiting nurse gives a better clinical outcome, better social functioning of the patient and greatly reduces the burden on the patients' families. This treatment modality is also more economical.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

Impact of treatment intervention on the relationship between dimensions of clinical psychopathology, social dysfunction and burden on the family of psychiatric patients.

The interdependence of the three areas of patient improvement assessments used in a comparative study has been studied. The three dimensions are clinical psychopathology, social dysfunction and burden on family. A high correlation has been found between these dimensions. The differential effect of two modalities of treatment delivery on the interdependence of these three dimensions is discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Convulsive threshold in humans and rats and magnetic field changes: observations during total solar eclipse.

Convulsive thresholds were measured in 26 psychiatric patients who were receiving electroconvulsive treatment, and in 8 rats subjects to electroconvulsive shocks, during the recent the recent total solar eclipse day (February 16th, 1980) and on control days. Our results showed that there was a significant reduction in the convulsive thresholds of both humans and rats at the time of solar eclipse, probably occurring due to the observed geomagnetic field variation of 19 Gammas.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Single daily dose chlorpromazine therapy in psychosis. An evaluation.

A double blind study was undertaken to compare the efficacy of a single bedtime dose of chlorpromazine (300 mg) with divided doses of the same drug (100 mg, thrice daily). Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and Nurses' Observation Scale for Inpatient Evaluation (NOSIE) were administered to 80 acutely psychotic patients who took part in the study. Thirty-one patients in the experimental and 29 in the control group completed this 3-week trial. It was observed that there were no statistically significant differences between the two modes of treatment. Drowsiness was seen more often in the single bedtime schedule. Postural hypotension was observed in both patient groups. The implications of single night-time medication in psychotics is discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

The burden on the family of a psychiatric patient: development of an interview schedule.

This paper describes the construction of a semi-structured interview schedule to assess the burden placed on families of psychiatric patients living in the community. The Indian population studied found their sick relatives most burdensome in respect of the effect of the illness on family finances, the disruption of normal family activities and the production of stress symptoms in family members other than the patient. The inter-investigator reliability of the interview schedule proved to be high.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1980

Reactive psychosis. A prospective study.

A prospective study was carried out on 30 patients suffering from a psychotic episode following a stressful life event. They were found to have an Emotional, Timid, Sensitive, Tense and Insecure personality. Sleep disturbance, Affective symptoms, Histrionic behaviour and Excitement were the common clinical features. Sixty-six per cent were found to be clinically and socially remitted during a 6 months' follow-up. For 20% the diagnosis was revised to Affective Psychosis and for 10% to Schizophrenia.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

A cost-effectiveness analysis of three different methods of psychiatric case finding in the general population.

A study was carried out to compare the sensitivity as well as cost of three different methods of psychiatric case detection. It was found that the simplest method, which involved interviewing about 3% of the adult population, with a questionnaire taking only five minutes to complete, picked up as many adult epileptics and nearly as many psychotics as the inquiry with all the adults in the population using a sophisticated structured interview schedule. A method of medium complexity, in which the short five-minute questionnaire was given to one adult member of each family, detected in addition to all adult epileptics and psychotics, and many juvenile epileptics and mentally retarded. The cost of the simplest method was one-ninth and that of the method of medium complexity, one-fifth of the cost of the most sophisticated method. The method of medium complexity is recommended for use in the rural psychiatry programme of the developing countries.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

I11-defined somatic symptoms in a South Indian rural clinic. Some preliminary clinical observations.

A detailed physical and psychiatric examination was carried out on 125 patients presenting with vague illdefined sensory symptoms, at a South Indian rural primary care clinic. Among these 94 cases were found to have a predominantly sensory peripheral neuropathy, 19 cases had evidence of other medical illnesses, and only 12 cases could be categorised as being functional. The large number of cases of peripheral neuropathy in a South Indian village is probably nutritional and resembles the clinical pattern of the burning feet syndrome. The significance of the presentation of these cases with vague somatic and psychological symptoms to psychiatric epidemiology is stressed.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

A comparative study of reactive psychosis and acute psychosis without precipitating stress.

A study was carried out to compare the antecedent factors, phenomenology, treatment required and prognosis in 30 cases of Reactive Psychosis and 30 cases of Acute Psychosis without antecedent stress, matched on age and sex. Both groups were followed up for 7 months. It was found that the two groups differed markedly on several dimensions: The Reactive Psychotics had more hysterical and affective features, more vulnerable personality, higher stress experience in their life prior to illness and relatively better prognosis compared to the Acute Psychotics. The difference still remained when those in either of the groups who at the end of the follow-up turned out to be schizophrenics or suffering from affective disorder were excluded from analysis.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1975

Mental health care in rural India: a study of existing patterns and their implications for future policy.

Three separate studies were carried out to examine the patterns of mental health care in an Indian village. The first examined the conceptual frameworks of the various traditional and modern healers. The second was an attitude study inquiring about the type of healer favoured for psychiatric consultation. The third was a population survey in which every person with one or more symptoms was asked if he or she had consulted anyone for relief of distress. Besides the modern doctors there were three types of traditional healers: Vaids, practising an empirical system of indigenous medicine; Mantarwadis, curing through astrology and charms; and Patris, who acted as mediums for spirits and demons. It was found that a large majority (59 per cent) of those with symptoms had consulted someone. The consultation was determined more by the severity of illness than by socio-demographic factors. Modern doctors were more popular, but most people consulted both traditional and modern healers without regards to the latter's contradictory conceptual framework. Literacy and other socio-demographic factors had no influence on the type of consultation. A conclusion was reached that any scheme for introducing modern psychiatry into rural areas should make use of the locally popular healers, both traditional or modern.

Astrology↗