University of Warwick researchers are to improve the lives of India’s millions of psychosis sufferers.
The National Institute of Health Research’s (NIHR) Global Health Research Unit has awarded the University’s Warwick Medical School £1.5 million to work with this highly vulnerable and disadvantaged group. The award will be used to improve their health, wellbeing and functioning.
In India, psychosis is a leading cause of disability and affects between seven and eight million people. Without adequate treatment and support, many of them languish in long stay hospitals for years in appalling conditions or drift into homelessness and destitution. The research award aims to identify sufferers early and ensure that they regain their health and wellbeing.
Professor Swaran Singh, leading the project, said: “Early treatment of first-episode and untreated psychosis is key to reducing burden of disability for this neglected group.” The three-year project will lead to evidence-informed interventions relevant to India, such as culturally appropriate interventions for families, raising standards of care, and using digital technologies to overcome infrastructure problems.
Professor Singh said they will “deliver measurable individual, family and societal gains by alleviating suffering, enhancing recovery, preventing social exclusion, and reducing emotional and financial burden on families.”
The University of Warwick is also receiving £5,686,767 from the NIHR Global Health Research Unit to find better ways of delivering healthcare to slum dwellers.
