Browsing by Author "Dahanayake, D."

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A Comparative study on medical comorbidities among children with autism spectrum disorder and controls in a children’s hospital.
(Sri Lanka College of Paediatricians, 2017) Chandradasa, M.; Rohanachandra, Y.; Dahanayake, D.; Hettiarachchi, D.; Gunathilake, M.; Fernando, R.; Wijetunge, S.
INTRODUCTION: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder, in which medical disorders are known to occur higher than in the general paediatric population. This may indicate either that the neurodevelopmental disorder is acting as a risk factor or sharing a common pathophysiological mechanism with the medical disorder. We could not access any publications focusing on medical comorbidities in autism from Sri Lanka. OBJECTIVE: To compare the prevalence and types of medical comorbidities between children with ASD and outpatient controls presenting to a children’s hospital in Sri Lanka. METHOD: This was an observational analytical study using a case control design. Seventy three consecutive new enrolments diagnosed as ASD at the child psychiatric services of Lady Ridgeway Hospital were recruited to the study group. An age and gender matched group of children presenting to the outpatient department with minor physical problems were recruited as the comparison group. The presence of a medical disorder was determined retrospectively by perusal of medical records. RESULTS: The prevalence of febrile seizures, epilepsy, bronchial asthma, atopic dermatitis and recurrent gastrointestinal symptoms in the child were higher in the ASD group compared to the control group. The differences of the rates between groups for bronchial asthma and recurrent gastrointestinal symptoms were statistically significant. Also, pregnancy induced hypertension and gestational diabetes mellitus in the mother was higher in ASD group. CONCLUSIONS: The probability of co-occurrence of certain medical disorders is significantly higher in children with ASD (neurological, respiratory, gastrointestinal and dermatological disorders) in comparison to controls.
Experience of required foreign specialist training: The lived experiences of Sri Lankan trainee child and adolescent psychiatrists in Australia
(Elsevier, 2021) Chandradasa, M.; Dahanayake, D.; Rohanachandra, Y.
No Abstract Available
Psychological wellbeing and mental health amongst medical undergraduates: A descriptive study assessing more than 1,000 medical students in Sri Lanka
(London Avenue Publishing Co, 2022) Dahanayake, D.; Rajapakse, H.; Wickramasinghe, A.; Chandradasa, M.; Rohanachandra, Y.; Perera, S.; Nillo, A.M.; Molodynski, A.
BACKGROUND: Studies from around the world have shown higher rates of anxiety, depression, alcohol and other drug use, and burnout in medical students. AIMS: The aim of this study was to identify the socio-demographic factors and severity of difficulties Sri Lankan medical students face regarding psychological wellbeing and burnout. METHOD: This one-off survey used a cross-sectional design, assessing substance use, psychological wellbeing, and burnout using the CAGE, GHQ-12, and OLBI. The survey was open to all medical students in six universities in Sri Lanka. Chi-square analysis was used to assess the statistical significance related to categorical dependent variables and one-way ANOVA for continuous dependent variables. RESULTS: A higher prevalence of diagnosed mental health conditions was found following admission to the medical course in comparison prior to admission. Sixty-two percent of students had a score of more than 2 on the GHQ-12 indicating caseness. The OLBI identified exhaustion in 79% of students. The CAGE questionnaire was positive in 4.8% of students. CONCLUSIONS: Only a small proportion of students are recognizing their mental health difficulties and seeking help. Further understanding is required as to why this is, as well as re-evaluation of the demands of the curriculum. Effective ways of regularly identifying and providing practical and evidence-based support for mental health problems in medical and other undergraduates need to be identified and introduced. KEYWORDS: Sri Lanka; Wellbeing; burnout; medical students.
Survey on the psychosocial impact of COVID-19 on the Sri Lankan mental healthcare system and the needs of frontline healthcare workers in the post-covid era
(Sri Lanka Medical Association, 2023) Wijesinghe, C.; Chandradasa, M.; Ranwella, P.; Samaranayake, A.; Wickrama, P.; Gamage, N.; Siriwardane, G.; Goonathilake, N.; Perera, S.; Dahanayake, D.; Mendis, J.; Kapila, R.
INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic severely strained the health care in Sri Lanka. The subsequent economic crisis compounded this issue. Priority was given to treating those afflicted with COVID-19 and preventing its spread, and healthcare staff faced immense difficulties dealing with the situation. The psychosocial impact of COVID on health care staff has not been properly assessed or addressed. OBJECTIVES: A study was conducted to identify the psychosocial impact of COVID-19 among four different categories of health care workers, and perform a needs assessment among these groups. METHODS: A convenient sample of frontline health workers, mental health teams, 1926 mental health helpline workers and 1990 Suwa Sariya emergency ambulance service staff were assessed via a self-administered questionnaire for mental health impact, work capacities and needs. RESULTS: Among frontline workers (n=188), 42.5% experienced anxiety symptoms, 12.8% depressive symptoms and 4.1% suicidal thoughts. Most (58.9%) lacked a psychological support system at the workplace. Only 20% have accessed specific programs or services at their workplace to obtain support for mental health issues, and all have benefitted from them. All categories of health workers lacked training and resources. CONCLUSION: The findings demonstrate that a significant amount of health care workers undergo psychological problems in the course of their work especially in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. The analysis reveals that Sri Lanka lacks structured psychological support systems for health workers and needs more resources and training. Psychological support for health workers through strengthening resources and training should be prioritised when planning service development.