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Introduction: Mental health problem is common and ubiquitous. Mental illness cuts across all sections of society, irrespective of socio-economic status. Recent international survey showed a varying prevalence rates ranged (4.7%- 12.0%). The Community study in Nepal yielded prevalence rate of mental illness at 14.0%. Methods: descriptive, epidemiologic study with systematic randomization sampling. Results: Of 911 respondents majority was married (76.1%), of age group 20-59 yrs. Overall, 113 (12.4%) respondents had at least one psychiatric disorder and the commonest were: Depression, Anxiety disorders, Alcohol use disorders with 1.9% had seizure/epilepsy. Conclusions: Community prevalence rate of some common psychiatric disorders is high which calls for special attention to address depressive and alcohol related disorder from all quarters of society particularly from government.  Keywords: community survey; mental illness; psychiatric morbidity.

Background-Suicide attempt is a self-injurious behaviour with a nonfatal outcome. Studies report increasing hospital admissions due to self-inflicted harm (SIH) as well as a higher likelihood of associated psychosocial factors in SIH cases. We conducted a study to explore personality traits, socio-demographic profiles and psychiatric disorders among the suicide attempt cases in a tertiary care hospital setting of eastern Nepal.Methods-It was a descriptive study conducted with purposive sampling in a tertiary care hospital among suicide attempt cases who visited to out-patient department of psychiatry. A total of 113 cases (calculated sample size) were enrolled after written informed consent within study period of 1 year. Personality traits were analyzed by using ‘Personality Trait Inventory’ questionnaire. Psychiatric diagnosis was made as per the ICD-10 diagnostic criteria. Demographic variables were recorded in a semi-structured proforma.Results-Majority of the subjects were female, married and literate, with the most common age group being 20–29 and < 20 years. Most of them were Hindu, from low socioeconomic status, joint family and cities, and were homemakers. Poisoning was the most common mode of suicide attempt and organo-phosphorous compounds the most common poison used. Some (13.3%) had past and 5.3% had family history of suicidal attempt. Most cases 63 (55.8%) were referred from Departments of Internal Medicine, followed by Emergency 28 (24.8%), self 18 (15.9%) and Paediatrics 4 (3.5%). The common ICD-10 psychiatric diagnoses were: Substance use disorder, main being alcohol (42%), Adjustment (34%) and mood disorders (22%). Emotional instability trait was the most common Personality Trait 70 (61.9%), followed by Depressive tendency 46 (40.7%). Personality disorder was present in 34%; most common being Emotionally unstable personality disorder.Conclusions-Emotional instability trait was found in the highest number of suicide attempt patients.

Introduction: Nutritional status has vital role on brain development of children during pregnancy and the first two years of life. Children who suffered from early childhood malnutrition have generally been found to have poorer IQ levels. Objective: To find out Nutritional Status and Intelligence Quotient of Preschool Children in Bhutaha VDC, Sunsari, Nepal. Methodology: A descriptive cross sectional design was used for the study. Proportionately 250 preschool children were selected. Data was collected by using self developed semi structured questionnaires for socio-demographic profiles, stadiometer and weighing scale for height and weight measurement respectively. Nutritional status was classified according to World Health Organization (WHO) standard. For an assessment of IQ, Indian Adaptation of Vineland Social Maturity Scale (VSMS) and Developmental Screening Test (DST) scale were used. These scales provide an estimate of social quotient (SQ) and development quotient (DQ) and are designed to measure social maturation of age group 'below 15 years'.  Data were analyzed using Pearson chi-square. Result: Among all, 51.2% of the children were male and most (80%) of the children were from Muslim ethnicity. Mean ± SD age of the children was 51.80±12.31 months. Almost all i.e., 98.4% of the children were delivered by normal vagina delivery and majority i.e., 78% of the children were delivered at home. Nearly equal proportions of children were from nuclear and non nuclear family. Prevalence of stunting and wasting were 28.4% and 8.4% respectively. Among 250 children, 11.6% had superior IQ, 52.4% had bright normal and 36% had average IQ. Mother’s education and malnutrition of children were significantly associated with IQ of children i.e., p=0.006, p=0.011 respectively. Conclusion: Mother’s education has great impact on Intelligence Quotient of children. Intelligence is strongly related to nutritional status. Poor nutrition leads to poor IQ, which results in poor academic achievements. To prevent this, priority should be given for the prevention of malnutrition which ultimately improves the intelligence of children.

Introduction: Pregnancy can be a difficult period during which psychosocial and hormonal changes may lead to increased incidence of mental health problems such as stress, depression, anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorders. Objective: a. To describe the clinical and socio-demographic profile, b. to explore the level of stress and c. to assess the depression among the pregnant women. Methods: It was a hospital based study using convenient and purposive sampling where only pregnant women were selected for study in 1 year. Instruments used were: the Perceived Stress Scale(Sheldon Cohen), Social Readjustment Scale (Holmes and Rahe) and General Health Questionnaire-12 (David Goldberg). Results: About 2/3rd of pregnant women were from age range 15-25 years, 49% were housewives and all literate. Patients were mainly from Sunsari and Morang districts. About 28% patients were mild to moderately stressed. About 50% patients were on 50% zone of possibility of sickness on the Social Readjustment Rating Scale. About 50% patients were mild to moderately depressed. Conclusion: One third of pregnant women were mild to moderately stressed. Nearly half number of the clients were mild to moderately depressed and were in moderate to severe range at > 50% risk for developing sickness.