NIMHANS

DEPARTMENTS

Department of

Epidemiology

WHO Collaborating Centre for Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion

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Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs)

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 :WHO Collaborating
  Centre:
. About Us
. Mission
. Faculty
. Capacity building
and HRD
. Projects and Programmes
. Injuries in India
. Injuries in South-East Asia
. Road Traffic Injuries
. Traumatic Brain Injuries
. Suicides
. Violence
. Major contributions
. Collaboration
. Publications
. Information Dissemination
. Contact Us
TBIs is a leading cause of deaths, hospitalizations, disabilities and socio-economic losses. It is estimated that nearly ……. deaths and ……. hospitalizations occur every year in India. The problem has not been recognized and investigated in other South-East Asian countries. The centre in collaboration with department of Neurosurgery at NIMHANS has undertaken comprehensive studies on epidemiology, prevention and control of TBIs resulting from RTIs, violence, falls and others.

Epidemiology of traumatic brain injuries

The recent study supported by WHO collaborating centre for prevention, management and rehabilitation at SCIPRC, USA, has examined the epidemiology, prehospital care, risk factors, disabilities and socioeconomic impact through a Neurotrauma registry established at NIMHANS. The centre has also contributed for Neurotrauma surveillance, helmet legislation, reduction of drinking and driving, Neurorehabilitation, policies and programmes to reduce the burden.

Suicides

Suicides resulted in death of more than 110,000 persons in India during 2004 as per official reports. It is also a major public health problem in other countries of South – East Asia region and is a social, economic, legal, psychosocial problem apart from mental health concerns. Epidemiological information on the suicidal phenomenon in India is not clearly known.

Epidemiology of suicides

The centre in collaboration with the department of psychiatry and several NGOs and hospitals in the city has completed number of descriptive and analytical studies. The findings clearly highlight the burden, risk factors, socio-economic impact and care related issues in the India region. A recently completed case control study has brought to the fore front a number of risk and protective factors indicated the causation of suicides. Surveillance continues on a regular basis with data pooling from government and other sources.

Risk factors for completed and attempted suicides

Several risk factors have been implicated in the causation of suicides around the world. A recent case control study done in collaboration with Bangalore City Police and 12 major hospitals has identified number of risk and protective factors contributing for suicidal deaths. Further studies are in progress in the areas of alcohol involvement and impact, role of domestic violence, economic issues, association with past suicidal attempts and role of several protective factors.

Intervention programmes for suicide prevention

The findings of research studies have been incorporated into series of capacity building workshops for health professionals, family physicians, NGOs, Women and Child development organizations, educational institutions, police personnel and media professionals. The workshops clearly identify the roles and responsibilities of different sectors in suicide prevention. An intersectoral workshop in 2004 with key stakeholders of earlier workshops resulted in the development of a suicide prevention action plan for the state of Karnataka. Recently, inputs have been provided for the National Suicide Prevention policy under the National Mental Health Programmes of the government of Indian by identifying specific components for intervention purposes.

The centre in collaboration with Medico Pastoral Association and Bangalore Rotary (East) facilitated the implementation of SAHAI – An exclusive suicide prevention helpline in the city of Bangalore. In 2006, collaboration with Christ College and Bangalore Rotary resulted in the development of SAHAI – II aimed at distress prevention among students. Both help lines are run by trained lay volunteers and has been helpful to people in crisis situations. Nearly 100 volunteers run both the help lines on a voluntary basis and have provided timely emotional support and referral services.

VIOLENCE

Epidemiology of violence

Violence in India and South-East Asia is a hidden and unrecognized epidemic cutting across sectors and opulation groups. Violence results in significant amount of deaths, disabilities and hospitalizations. Violence against women is a third leading cause for suicide. Sexual abuse, violence against children, elderly and women are common day to day events in the society. The real extent of those killed injured and hospitalized is not clearly known due to lack of reliable data and absence of research in India and other south Asian countries. The centre has developed a resource base for violence and related issues and has included the epidemiological aspects under epidemiology of injuries.

Documenting profile and characteristics of organizations

In a recent WHO supported multi-country study, the profile and characteristics of nearly 110 organizations involved in violence prevention has been documented by the centre. The report highlights that apart from crisis and medical management of victims of violence, systematic and scientific prevention programmes have not been developed in the Indian region. The large number of NGOs is focusing their efforts on violence prevention and the government initiated programmes are very few. The study has placed several recommendations to systematically initiate activities in this area.