This descriptive study examined gender differences related to attitudes toward suicide among randomly selected urban residents. Data was collected using a standardized questionnaire through face-to-face interview. Our findings revealed that men hold more pro preventive attitudes to help persons with suicidal thoughts (80.3 %, p = 0.05) and agreed that suicidal attempts are impulsive (78.6 %, p = 0.01). However, they hold permissive attitude to help persons with incurable diseases and expressing death wishes to die (66 %, p = 0.05). A majority of men (78.6 %) than women agreed that "suicidal attempt is essentially a cry for help" (χ (2) = 11.798, p = 0.05). These gender differences need to be taken into consideration when developing appropriate programs to prevent suicide. Further, decriminalizing the law, high-quality research and raising awareness about suicide prevention among the general population is crucial in developing countries like India.

Background:Coercion is not uncommon phenomenon among mental health service users during their admission into psychiatric hospital. Research on perceived coercion of psychiatric patients is limited from India.Aim:To investigate perceived coercion of psychiatric patients during admission into a tertiary care psychiatric hospital.Materials and Methods:This was a cross-sectional descriptive survey carried out among randomly selected psychiatric patients (n = 205) at a tertiary care center. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using structured questionnaire.Results:Our findings revealed that participants experienced low levels of coercion during their admission process. However, a majority of the participants were threatened with commitment (71.7%) as well as they were sad (67.8%), unpleased (69.7%), confused (73.2%), and frightened (71.2%) with regard to hospitalization into a psychiatric hospital. In addition, the participants expressed higher levels of negative pressures (mean ± standard deviation, 3.76 ± 2.12). Participants those were admitted involuntarily (P > 0.001), diagnosed to be having psychotic disorders (P > 0.003), and unmarried (P > 0.04) perceived higher levels of coercion.Conclusion:The present study showed that more formal coercion was experienced by the patients those got admitted involuntarily. On the contrary, participants with voluntary admission encountered informal coercion (negative pressures). There is an urgent need to modify the Mental Health Care (MHC) Bill so that treatment of persons with mental illness is facilitated. Family member plays an important role in providing MHC; hence, they need to be empowered.

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Psychosocial care needs Parents & children Seizure Management of epilepsy a b s t r a c t Aim: The present study aimed to assess the psychosocial care needs of parents having children with epilepsy. Methods: Descriptive research design was adapted and it was conducted in neurology OPD at NIMHANS, Bangalore. Fifty subjects that are parents having children with epilepsy were selected after considering the inclusion and exclusion criteria through simple random sampling method. The study subjects were interviewed for socio demographic characteristics and psychosocial care needs using Socio Demographic Data Sheet and Parent Report Psychosocial Care Needs Scale (Austin et al 1998) respectively. ANOVA and t test, Frequency and mean percentage were used to identify the psychosocial care needs of the parents.Results: Majority of the parents received lesser information about seizure than they wanted and expressed strong need for information about epilepsy diagnostic procedures, treatment and management at home and school and they were not expressed much concern and fear towards causes and complications of the children's seizure. There were no significant associations seen between parent psychosocial care needs and their socio demographic characteristic but family history of epilepsy and number of drugs used by the children was associated significantly. Conclusion:The findings showed that majority of the study subjects received lesser information than they needed about epilepsy and not had much concern about the causes and the complications of epilepsy, but at the same time most of the parents expressed that they need information about the management of children's seizure.

Objectives This study aims to assess the knowledge of childhood neurodevelopmental disorders (CNDDs) among mothers of children younger than 5 years and to promote awareness through health education to promote early identification. Methods Quantitative approach, a descriptive survey in nature research design, was used. A total of 173 mothers who contented the inclusion conditions were chosen as sample on the basis of purposive sampling. The research study was done at the selected Primary Health Centre, Bengaluru, Karnataka. The tabulations were measured and construed based on the objectives of the study by using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results The findings showed that most of the mothers have insufficient knowledge (mean and standard deviation: 3.02 ± 2.75) and there is no substantial relationship found between mothers’ knowledge on CNDD and their demographic variables except their occupation and majority of the mothers communicated that they needed further facts toward CNDD. Conclusion The government and nongovernmental organizations can take initiations to conduct health education programs toward childhood developmental delays and disorders for the general public including mothers and community health workers.