Objectives: Globally 10-20% of children and adolescents are suffering from mental health disorders. Improving mental health literacy (MHL) of teachers supports early detection and referral of children with mental health problems. In a background of no organized programs to improve teachers' MHL training, "Sisu Sitha Noridawa (SSN)" (not hurting students' feelings) was developed and conducted in central Sri Lanka to explore the effects of the intervention on teacher MHL.Method: There were 251 teachers participated in the study. To begin, Psychiatrist authors facilitated small group discussions on ten case vignettes of common child psychiatry problems and then large group discussions using mini lectures and a handbook. Pre and post-tests were conducted to assess knowledge and attitudes on mental health problems of school children. The scores were analyzed using, Paired T-test in SPSS 17. Results:A majority (73.7%) of teachers claimed to have encountered students with mental health issues. The mean score differences of pre and posttest in both knowledge and attitude components showed statistically significant differences with p values <0.001 and Cohen's d values >0.2 in each, indicating the training had a significant positive impact on improving both the knowledge and attitude about mental health. Conclusions:The training program had a significant positive impact on improving the MHL of participants on common child and adolescent mental health problems. The sustainability of achieved effects and their application in the classroom need exploration in a long-term study. SSN is a feasible and effective training program to be included in the existing teacher-training curriculum with in-service booster SSN programs, in a middle-income country like Sri Lanka.

Background Globally 10-20% of children and adolescents are suffering from mental health disorders. Improving mental health literacy (MHL) of teachers supports early detection and referral of children with mental health problems.Aim To develop and conduct a training program to improve teachers’ MHL, “Sisu Sitha Noridawa (SSN)” (not hurting students’ feelings) in central Sri Lanka (SL) and to explore the effect of the intervention on teacher MHL.Method 251 teachers participated in the study. Psychiatrist authors first facilitated small group discussions on ten case vignettes of common child psychiatry problems and then large group discussions using mini lectures and a handbook. Pre and post-tests were conducted to assess knowledge and attitudes on mental health problems of school children. The scores were analyzed using, Paired T-test in SPSS 17.Results The mean score differences of pre and posttest in both knowledge and attitude components showed statistically significant differences with p values <0.001 (confidence interval of 95%) and Cohen’s d values >0.2 in each, indicating the training had a significant positive impact on improving both the knowledge and attitude about mental health.Conclusion The training program had a significant positive impact on improving the MHL of participant teachers on common child and adolescent mental health problems. The sustainability of achieved effects and their application in classroom need exploration in a long-term study. SSN is a feasible and effective training program to be included in the existing teacher-training curriculum with in-service booster SSN programs, in a middle-income country like SL.

Excessive or abnormal sexual desire in males is called satyriasis. The International Classification of Diseases-10 (ICD-10) describes it under the category of sexual dysfunction, not caused by organic disorder or disease (F 52). We describe a young male who presented following a suicide attempt in the context of depressive symptoms which were precipitated by marital conflicts due to his increased sexual desire.

Background: Poor adherence to iron chelation may underlie the detrimental levels of iron overload previously reported among transfusion-dependent thalassaemia (TDT) patients in Sri Lanka. Given the many challenges faced by these patients and families, psychosocial factors may have a significant impact on medication adherence. Objective: To assess chelation adherence among TDT patients and explore associated psychosocial factors. Method: TDT patients, aged over 4 years, admitted for blood transfusion to a tertiary care hospital, as well as their mothers, were recruited. Medication adherence was assessed using a questionnaire adapted from Brief Adherence Rating Scale. Serum ferritin (SF) values were recorded as objective measures of non-adherence. Mental health status of patients and their mothers was assessed using Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and General Health Questionnaire-30 (GHQ) respectively. Associated psychosocial factors were analysed using multiple linear regression. Results: Fifty two patients aged 4 to 28 years participated. Thirty four (65%) were female. The average adherence rate was 90%. One fifth of patients had an adherence percentage less than 80%. The mean ferritin level was 3260 ng/ml, whereas 46.2% of patients had SF levels exceeding 2500ng/ml. SF levels correlated positively with non-adherence (r=0.34, 95%CI: 0.071-0.606, p=0.014). Based on multivariate analysis, _________________________________________

Vampirism related to psychiatric disorders has been described under the term, “clinical vampirism”. But it is not incorporated as a diagnostic category the ICD or DSM classification systems. We present a case of a 20-year old single, unemployed male who was referred from a drug rehabilitation center, with poor anger control, impulsive behavior and the urge to drink blood, against a background of multiple substance dependence and a IQ of below average. The patient was diagnosed to have mental and behavioural disorders due to multiple substance use, currently in remission, mild mental retardation and dissocial personality disorder. According to the classic description of clinical vampirism, he was having vampirism, without death being involved. He was treated with both pharmacological and nonpharmacological strategies.