INTRODUCTION:

Mental health is a state of successful mental functioning, resulting in productive activities, fulfilling relationships, and the ability to adapt to changes and cope with adversity. Mental health is indispensable to personal well-being, family and interpersonal relationships, and one’s contribution to society.

Any alteration in the mental functioning, which leads to unproductive activities, impaired relationship and inadequate adjustment would lead to mental disorders.

Psychiatric disorder is defined as any disturbance of emotional equilibrium, as manifested in maladaptive behaviour and impaired functioning, caused by genetic, physical, chemical, bio, psycho, socio and cultural factors.

Depression, anxiety and drug abuse are the most common mental disorders. Mental disorders are common internationally. An estimated 26.2 percent of Americans, 18 years of age above i.e., about one in four adults - suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year. 1 in 17 people suffer from a serious Psychiatric disorder. Approximately 20.9 million suffer from mood disorder. 14.8 million suffer from depressive disorder. 1.1 percent of the population has schizophrenia. 18.1 percent of people have an anxiety disorder, 8.7 percent of people have some type of specific phobia.

NEED OF THE STUDY:

Psychiatric disorder is a great problem in our society. People who live alone are more prone to develop Psychiatric disorders. Man cannot live in isolation. He needs the 3 company of others to find meaning in life. They are unfortunate people who are forced to live in isolation. Widows and Widowers, individuals who have lost their family members, have a high risk of developing psychiatric disorders¹.

Psychiatric disorder can affect a person from any culture, race or ethnic background. Psychiatric disorders can occur at any stage of life, from childhood to old age. No community is unaffected by Psychiatric disorders. Psychiatric disorder is treatable, especially when the treatment comes early. Early intervention and appropriate treatment can improve persons with Psychiatric disorders. Therefore it is important for a person to seek mental health care when he/she needs it. It is equally important for service providers, friends, and family members to be informed about the symptoms of Psychiatric disorders and the treatment options available².

Migration by indigenous people to urban areas in search of livelihood doesn’t bring improved social well being. Economic growth, more complexity of social life, financial problem, caste difference, educational difficulties in the present situation increase mental disorders in day to day life. Misconceptions still exist in the community. They are totally ignorant about mental disorders³.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM:

Objectives:

1. To assess the knowledge level of significant individuals in selected families on basic awareness of psychiatric disorders.

2. To determine the effectiveness of Planned Teaching Programme in terms of gain in the knowledge level of significant individual in selected families on basic awareness of psychiatric disorders.

3. To find out the association between mean pre-test knowledge score and selected variables like age, education and socioeconomic status.

ASSUMPTION:

The study is based on following assumptions:

1. Significant individuals of families with risk factors of alcoholism, divorce and broken families have some knowledge on basic awareness of psychiatric disorders.

2. Planned teaching programme is an accepted teaching strategy to improve knowledge.

MATERIAL AND METHODS:

A descriptive evaluatory approach with one group pre-test, post test design was used for the study. Data was collected by administering a structured interview schedule. After collection of the demographic data, PTP was administered to the subjects and on the seventh day, the post-test was conducted. The collected data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics (mean, median, SD, ‘t’ test, x2 test).

This study deals with the analysis and interpretation of the data collected from 40 significant individuals to determine the effectiveness of the planned teaching programme on basic awareness of psychiatric disorders by using the structured interview schedule. The collected data is tabulated in the master sheet and analyzed and interpreted in the light of the objectives and hypotheses of the study by using descriptive and inferential statistics

RESULTS:

Findings of the study proved that planned teaching programme was effective in increasing the knowledge of significant individuals on basic awareness of psychiatric disorders. Overall, carrying out the present study was really an enriching experience of the investigator. The direction for the guide, various experts, and cooperation of the participants played a major role in successful completion of the study.

Finding related to demographic data:

In this study overall the highest percentage in the demographic data including the Age group 30% (50-60 year), gender status 85% (female), educational status 60% (primary education), marital status 92.5%, Type of the family 75% (nuclear family), occupational status 75% (unskilled workers), family income 87.5% (less than 3000), risk factor 90% (alcoholism family).

Section-I Frequency,[ercentage and cumulative frequency distribution of pre-test and post-test knowledge score. (N=40)

Knowledge score	Pre-test			Post-test
Knowledge score	f	%	cf	f	%	CF
9.5-14.5	14	35	14	2	5	2
14.5-19.5	15	37.5	29	8	20	10
19.5-24.5	10	25	39	15	37.5	25
24.5-29.5	1	2.5	40	14	35	39
29.5-34.5	-	-	-	1	2.5	40

Maximum possible score = 36 The data in Table 3 shows that (37.5%) of the subjects scored between 14.5-19.5 in pre-test and 37.5% of the subjects scored between 19.5-24.5 in post-test knowledge score.

Pre-test knowledge score of 14 respondents (35.0%) was limited to 9.4 – 14.5 and all the respondents had scores below 30. This indicates that the subjects had inadequate basic awareness of psychiatric disorders During

Post-test knowledge score was 22.85 and the mean pre-test score was 16.8. In the post-test most of the significant individuals (47.5%) had score between 24-29, whereas in pre-test, most of the significant individuals (62%) obtained a score below 17. Only 10.0% significant individuals had a score below 17 in the post-test.

Section-II Distribution of subjects according to the grading of pre-test and post- test knowledge level

Range of score	Range of percentage	Grading of knowledge score	Pre-test		Post-test
Range of score	Range of percentage	Grading of knowledge score	f	%	f	%
≥30	82%-100%	Very good	-	-	1	2.5
24-29	64%-81%	Good	3	7.5	19	47.5
18-23	47%-64%	Average	12	30.0	16	40.0
≤17	<47%	Poor	25	62.5	4	10.0

Maximum score =36 pre-test knowledge of most (62.5%) of the subjects on basic awareness of psychiatric disorders was poor, whereas 47.5% of sample scored good knowledge score in post-test. It indicates a considerable gain in knowledge score as the result of PTP.

Section-III Mean, Mean difference, standard deviation and ‘t’ value between pre- test and post-test knowledge scores N=40

Mean			SD difference	‘t’value	inference
Variable	Pre-test	Post-test
Knowledge score	16.8	22.85	6.05	9.7	significant

t(39) = 2.02, P < 0.05

Above Table shows that the mean post-test knowledge score (22.85) is higher than the mean pre-test knowledge score (16.8). The computed ‘t’ value (t39 = 9.7) shows that there is a significant difference between the pre-test and post- test mean knowledge score. Hence null hypothesis H01 was rejected and research hypothesis was accepted at 0.05 level of significance. This indicates that PTP was effective in increasing the knowledge level of significant individuals on basic awareness of psychiatric disorders

Section- IV Association between pre-test knowledge scores and selected variables:

The chi-square computed between pre-test knowledge and selected variables showed that there was no significant relationship between the level of pre-test knowledge scores and selected variables i.e., age 2(1) = 1.504), educational 48 qualification (x2 (1)= 0.052), and socioeconomic status (Fisher’s test p = 0.27) at 0.05 level of significance.

The findings of this study revealed a significant increase in the post-test knowledge scores after the administration of PTP. Therefore it is confirmed that PTP is an effective strategy. These findings were consistent with the findings from other studies.

CONCLUSION:

1. This chapter deals with the conclusions drawn based on the findings of the study. The findings revealed the following.

2. Pre-test knowledge score of significant individual on basic awareness of “psychiatric disorders” was poor.

3. Planned teaching programme prepared and provided by the investigator was found to be effective in improving the knowledge of significant individual

4. Knowledge regarding psychiatric disorders is poor among the public.

There was no significant association between pre-test knowledge score and selected variables like age, education, and socioeconomic status, therefore, it could be concluded that PTP can help in improving the knowledge of significant individuals and could be used in various settings.

REFERENCES:

1. Khandelwal SK, Jhingan HP, Ramesh S, Gupta RK, Srivastava VK. India mental health country profile. Int Rev Psychiatry 2014 Feb-May;16(1-2):126- 41.

2. Stuart GW, Laraia MT. Principles and practice of psychiatric nursing. 7th ed. Missouri: Mosby; 2010.

3. National Instituet of Mental Health. The numbers count: Psychiatric Disorders in America.

Received on 08.02.2022 Modified on 17.02.2022

Int. J. of Advances in Nur. Management. 2022; 10(2):106-108.

DOI: 10.52711/2454-2652.2022.00027