Hospital Roles in Providing Psychosocial Health Care to People Affected by the Unrest in the Southernmost of Thailand: A Case Study of Yala Hospital-บทบาทโรงพยาบาลในการดูแลด้านสังคมจิตใจ ผู้ได้รับผลกระทบจากสถานการณ์ชายแดนใต้ : กรณีศึกษาโรงพยาบาลยะลา

Abstract

         During the 4-5 years, the unrest in the southernmost of Thailand caused much psychosocial effects to people, for example, stress, anxiety, depression, fear, and paranoid.  These are normal reactions to abnormally violent situation.  Nevertheless, it can lead to several mental disorders in some victims.  Appropriate and early interventions can help reduce the distress and long term psychosocial consequences.  This retrospective descriptive study was designed to assess the services on mental health care in Yala hospital during January-June 2008 for those affected by the past 48-month unrest theoretically and practically.  In the first phase, a documentary review was carried out and secondary data was collected and focused on theories on post traumatic stress disorders and mental health interventions.  In the second phase that followed, actual roles of the hospital were divided into 4 stages of preparedness plan, emergency services, post-trauma psychosocial services, and long-term rehabilitation system including special programs for the bereaved.

                               It was found that, in the early stage of actual implementation, Mental Crisis Center, Child Traumatic Stress Center and Call Center were set up in order to provide immediate counselling services.  Whereas, health manpower development program was designed to build up skills on psychological first aid, crisis intervention, counselling, resilience quotient, cognitive behavior therapy, and orientation on cultural and religious context.  It the second stage, immediate psychological first aid and support were provided through the first 48 hours while follow-up services program covered patients in the third stage.  Rehabilitation in the fourth stage included early detection and early intervention to prevent chronic mental disorders and relapse.  Special cares were provide for the bereaved or affected including orphans, widows, refugees, teachers and even hospital staff.  In  2007, 74.3-100.0 percent of the bereaved were covered by the services.  In conclusion, there had been appropriate psychosocial management system theoretically and practically to cope with the violence-related trauma in the deep South.

Key words:      hospital roles, psychosocial health care