Sri Lanka

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Browsing Sri Lanka by Author "ABEYWICKREMA, SC"

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    A Retrospective follow up study of a population of women with post partum psychotic illmesses seen in a university psychiatry unit
    (Post Graduate Institute of Medicine, Colombo: PGIM ., 1994) ABEYWICKREMA, SC
    Post partum psychosis in Sri Lanka is an identifiable entity. It appears to occur more commonly in primiparous mothers. After an avergae of 24.6 months of onset of the illness, more than half of the subjects, 56.36 percent continue to have positive symptomatology. Depressive and Anxiety scores are significantly correlated with disability in realtion to self care, level of activity, slowness, house hold participation, affective relationships, sexual relationships and parental role. The patients who were admitted did better than the patients who were not admitted. Changes in life style are seen in 56 percent of the sample following the index illness. Seventy two paercent of the patients in the study sample show positive family history among first degree relatives. In 13.4 percent of the sample the index child has died. Those who relapse show severe symptoms and greater disability. When the study sample is divided in to two groups according to the onset of the illness (as within six weeks and after six weeks) there were significant differences in relation to relapses, recovery, anxiety scores and parental role between the two groups. This study also highlights the importance of educating health care personnel who deal with patients in the community regarding post partum psychosis.