Browsing by Author "Marasinghe, Rohana B"
Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
Results Per Page
Sort Options
- ItemEffect of mobile phone-based psychotherapy in suicide prevention: a randomized controlled trial in Sri Lanka.(2012-04-16) Marasinghe, Rohana B; Edirippulige, Sisira; Kavanagh, David; Smith, Anthony; Jiffry, Mohamad T MWe conducted a randomized controlled trial to test whether a Brief Mobile Treatment BMT intervention could improve outcomes relative to usual care among suicide attempters The intervention included training in problem solving therapy meditation a brief intervention to increase social support as well as advice on alcohol and other drugs and mobile phone follow up The effect of the intervention was measured in terms of a reduction in suicidal ideation depression and self harm at Baseline six and 12 months A wait list control group received usual care A total of 68 participants was recruited from a Sri Lankan hospital following a suicide attempt Participants who received the intervention were found to achieve significant improvements in reducing suicidal ideation and depression than those receiving usual care The BMT group also experienced a significant improvement of social support when compared to the control group However the BMT group did not demonstrate a significant effect in reducing actual self harm and most substance use and differential effects on alcohol use were restricted to men Although the present study was limited in revealing which component of the intervention was more effective in preventing suicide it showed its efficacy in reducing suicide as a whole
- ItemMedical students' knowledge and perceptions of e-health: results of a study in Sri Lanka.(2007-10-03) Edirippulige, Sisira; Marasinghe, Rohana B; Smith, Anthony C; Fujisawa, Yoshikazu; Herath, Walisundara B; Jiffry, M T M; Wootton, RichardThe present study investigates the knowledge perceptions and attitudes of medical students in Sri Lanka in regard to e health We also examined the barriers which impede them to develop knowledge and skills in e health within their medical curriculum A questionnaire focusing on the knowledge attitudes and expectations of medical students towards e health was distributed to all final year students n 136 at the Faculty of Medical Sciences Sri Jayewardenepura University Sri Lanka Response rate was 74 43 of respondents stated that they were familiar with the term e health 51 rated their knowledge of e health applications as minimal 88 admitted that they had no e health education or training of any kind Over 80 of all respondents thought that e health had an important role to play in the current and future health sector particularly in developing countries Our survey revealed that respondents had very poor access to computers and Internet use was rare 77 of respondents admitted that they were not provided with systematic knowledge and skills in e health through their medical curriculum and identified the absence of formal education in e health as a serious shortcoming
- ItemA review of telemedicine interventions in diabetes care.(2012-04-16) Siriwardena, L S A Nishan; Wickramasinghe, W A Sudarshana; Perera, K L Dussantha; Marasinghe, Rohana B; Katulanda, Prasad; Hewapathirana, RoshanWe reviewed the literature concerning the use of telemedicine interventions in diabetes care The PubMed database was searched for randomized controlled trials concerning the use of telemedicine for patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes A total of 27 articles studies met the inclusion criteria The interventions concerned videoconferencing n 8 mobile phones n 10 and telephone calls n 9 There was metabolic improvement in 23 studies which was significant in 12 out of 23 44 Only two studies 8 reported a negative clinical outcome The majority of the studies n 19 70 employed behavioural therapy as the key intervention The medium used for interaction in behavioural therapy intervention was videoconferencing n 7 mobile phone n 4 telephone calls n 8 feedback letters n 2 Telemedicine appears to be a promising alternative to conventional therapy