Kumar TCR, John S, Gopal S, Mohan G, Joseph J, Rangaswamy T. Psychiatric advance statements: an Indian experience.
Int J Soc Psychiatry 2013;
59:531-4. [PMID:
22514246 DOI:
10.1177/0020764012443756]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
The psychiatric advance statement (PAS) is a document that outlines the preferences of patients in their future treatment. Formulating and writing a PAS has not been studied in low- and middle-income (LAMI) countries.
AIM
To study the feasibility of writing a PAS in an Indian population.
METHODS
Patients' diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizoaffective psychosis attending the outpatient clinic at the Schizophrenia Research Foundation (SCARF) or its community centres in 2011 were screened using the study criteria. After obtaining informed consent, stratified sampling was used to derive the final sample.
RESULTS
Most patients consented to participate in the study (122/123 patients). Following interviews with research assistants, 93 patients were assessed to have the capacity to write a PAS and 92 completed one. The patients were mostly able to complete the PAS on their own. Major themes included choice of treatment facility, type of treatment and nomination of others to take decisions on their behalf. A third of the sample were either from rural areas or not exclusively urban. At the time of the study, about 45% of the sample was rated as being symptomatic.
CONCLUSION
Psychotic patients with a long-term illness, a third of them from non-urban areas, were able to write a valid PAS.
Collapse