Dr. Amila Isuru

Senior Lecturer in Psychiatry (Grade II)

Faculty of Medicine and Allied Sciences

Rajarata University of Sri Lanka

Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist

Teaching Hospital Anuradhapura

Head of the department 

Faculty of Medicine and Allied Sciences, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka

Consultant Psychiatrist

Base Hospital, Tissamaharama

Acting Consultant psychiatrist

District General Hospital, Mannar

Specialty Registrar in Psychiatry

Leicestershire partnership NHS Trust, United Kingdom

Acting Consultant Psychiatrist

BH Thambuththegama

1^st December 2014 up to March 2016

Post MD training

Senior Registrar in Psychiatry

University Psychiatry Unit, Colombo North Teaching Hospital, Sri Lanka

Pre-MD Psychiatry Appointments

Registrar in Psychiatry (Full Time)

17.05.2010 – 01.09. 2010 

Medical Officer in Psychiatry,

Teaching Hospital Karapitiya

18.11.2006 - 15.05.2010

Medical Officer In charge

Transfusion Medicine Unit, District General Hospital, Hambantota

03.09.2006- 16.11.2006

Release House Officer (Neonatology)

Teaching Hospital, Mahamodara, Sri Lanka

September 2005 to September 2006

Pre-REGISTRATION HOUSE Officer (Internship)

Teaching Hospital Karapitiya and Teaching Hospital Mahamodara in Galle

MRCPsych

Royal College of Psychiatrist, UK

October 2014

MD (Psychiatry) 

Post Graduate Institute of Medicine, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka.

2004

Bachelor of Medicine Bachelor of Surgery

University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka.

Orations

College oration 2019, Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrists, “Presence in absence”

Research awards

National

2020       First runners-up for oral presentation on the prevalence and associated factors of depression in patients with epilepsy, Sri Lanka College of psychiatrist international congress.

National Research Council merit awards for research.

2016       Second runners up for oral presentation, psychological morbidity of families of missing individuals in Southern Sri Lanka International Conference of the Asian Federation of PsychiatricAssociations and the 13th Annual Academic Sessions of the Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrists, June 2016

Second runners up for oral presentation on,

The impact of drama, dance, yoga and music therapy workshops on symptom reduction in a group of patients with schizophrenia at Annual academic sessions, Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrist.

2017       Overseas Bursary Price Winning Research

International congress 2017, Royal College of Psychiatrists Faculty of Old Age Psychiatry, United Kingdom, Overseas Bursary Price.

1. Suraweera C, Perera I, Amila Isuru LL, Galhenage J. Prevalence and associated factors of antenatal depression of women attending antenatal clinics in two tertiary care maternity hospitals in Sri Lanka. BJPsych Open. 2021 Jun 18;7(S1):S292–3. Available from: https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056472421007766/type/journal_article

2. De Silva, S., Isuru, A., Rodrigo, A. and Kuruppuarachchi, L., 2021. Prevalence and correlates of depression in patients with epilepsy in Sri Lanka. Ceylon Medical Journal, 66(3), pp.138–143. DOI: http://doi.org/10.4038/cmj.v66i3.9492

3. Isuru, A.,Bandumithra, P. & Williams, S.S. Locked in grief: a qualitative study of grief among family members of missing persons in southern Sri Lanka. BMC Psychol9, 167 (2021).https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-021-00675-7

4. Isuru A, Hapangama A, Ediriweera D, Samarasinghe L, Fonseka M, Ranawaka U. Prevalence and predictors of new onset depression in the acute phase of stroke. Asian J Psychiatr [Internet]. 2021;59(March):102636. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajp.2021.102636

5. Isuru, A., Ediriweera, D., Pathmeswaran, A., Embuldeniya, A., Narammalage, H., Warnakulasuriya, S., Kuruppuarachchi, K.A.L.A. and Hapangama, A., 2020. Betel quid use and its effects on symptoms of schizophrenia and extrapyramidal symptoms among a group of patients in a tertiary care hospital in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka Journal of Psychiatry, 11(1), pp.32–38. DOI: http://doi.org/10.4038/sljpsyc.v11i1.8244

6. Amila Isuru, Mahesh Rajasuriya, Tobacco smoking and schizophrenia: Reexamining evidence, BJPsych Advances (2019), page 1 of 10 doi: 10.1192/bja.2019.33

7. Isuru A, Hewage SN, Bandumithra P, Williams SS (2018). Unconfirmed death as a predictor of psychological morbidity in family members of disappeared persons. Psychological Medicine 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1017/ S0033291718003793

8. Isuru A et al, double blind randomized control trial on effectiveness of pre- emptive analgesia with acetaminophen for post ECT headache, BMC Psychiatry (2017) 17:275

9. Isuru, L.L.A., Gunathillaka, K.D.K. &Kathriarachchi, S.T., (2016). Reducing maternal suicide in Sri Lanka: closing the gap. Sri Lanka Journal of Psychiatry. 7 (1), pp. 1–3. DOI: http://doi.org/10.4038/sljpsyc.v7i1.8095

10. Dahanayake, D.M.A. Isuru, L.L.A., N.N.K. Aththanayake., S.N. Hewage, C.K. Ranasinghe., (2016). Prevalence of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia and its association with the degree of cognitive impairment in patients presenting to the National Institute of Mental Health, Sri Lanka.SriLanka Journal of Psychiatry. 7 (1), pp. 4–8. DOI: http://doi.org/10.4038/sljpsyc.v7i1.8096

11. Isuru LLA,Dahanayake DMA, de Alwis A, Weerasinghe A, Hewage SN, Ranasinghe CK; Impact of dance, drama, yoga and music therapy workshops on symptom reduction in patients with Schizophrenia:  A Randomized Controlled Study: South Asian Journal of Psychiatry, volume 3:2, 3-9, March 2015

12. Isuru, L.L.A.&Kuruppuarachchi, K.A.L.A., (2015). A case series of catatonia: Lessons to learn. Sri Lanka Journal of Psychiatry. 6 (1), pp. 29–31. DOI: http://doi.org/10.4038/sljpsyc.v6i1.8059

13. Goonathilake P, Ediriweera D, Ruban R, Isuru A. Prevalence and correlates of cognitive impairment in schizophrenia: a cross-sectional study from a teaching hospital southern Sri Lanka. BMC psychiatry. 2022;22(1): 716. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-022-04368-2.

14. Isuru LLA. Putting delirium in the spotlight. Anuradhapura Medical Journal. 2022;16(3): 01. https://doi.org/10.4038/amj.v16i3.7752.

Other publications

1. Amila Isuru, Placing the spotlight on the radicalization process, Sri Lanka Medical Association News Letter, May 2022, P7-10
2. ShashiniSomarathne, Amila Isuru, Samudra Kaththriarachchi, Women's mental health in Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka Medical Association Newsletter, May 2016, P10-15.

Book chapters 

Amila Isuru, AruniHapangama Psychological Aspect of Betel Chewing: Samadhi R, An authentic Perception of Betel Chewing, National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol 2021, ISBN 978-955-4584-12-9

Published as conference proceedings 

1. Isuru LLA, Rodrigo A, Wijesinghe CA, Premasinghe S, Wijesekara C, Kuruppuarachchi KALA,A Randomized, Double Blind Placebo Control Trial of the effectiveness of Preemptive analgesia with paracetamol on the reduction of occurrence of a headache after Electro Convulsive Therapy. Annual academic sessions, International Congress of Sri Lanka Medical Association 2016.
2. Chaya Kapugama, Santanu Chakraborty, Roshan Perera, Isuru LLA, Safe and effective dosing during ECT; A quality improvement project, The Royal College of Psychiatrists Trent division annual conference 2018
3. Isuru LLA, Bandumithra MMP, SS Williams, Psychological morbidity in families of missing     persons in southern Sri Lanka: A preliminary report; International Conference of the Asian Federation of Psychiatric Associations and the 13th Annual Academic Sessions of the Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrists, June 2016
4. Isuru LLA, Kuruppuarachchi KALA, Pathmeswaran A, Hapangama A. Prevalence and correlates of betel chewing and its effects on symptoms of Schizophrenia among patients attending to General Hospital Sri Lanka. Annual academic sessions, Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrist 2015

5. Isuru LLA, Samarasinghe LNP, Kuruppuarachchi KALA, Pathmeswaran A, Hapangama A. Prevalence, and correlates of antenatal and postnatal depression in Gampaha District, Sri Lanka. Annual academic sessions, Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrist 2015

6. Isuru LLA, Weerasinghe M., Wijethunga S., Perera IBRU, A study of the percentage and pattern of sensory processing problems in children diagnosed with Autistic Spectrum Disorder. (ASD), Annual academic sessions, Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrist 2012
7. Isuru LLA, Dahanayake DMA, Aththanayake NNK, Ranasinghe CK. Prevalence of Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia and its association with the degree of cognitive impairment in Patients with Dementia Presenting to National Institute of Mental Health, Sri Lanka. Annual academic sessions, Association of Sri Lanka Neurologists, 2015.

8. Isuru LLA, Dahanayake DMA, de Alwis A, Ranasinghe CK, Weerasinghe A, Impact of drama, dance, yoga and music therapy workshops on symptom reduction in a group of patients with schizophrenia. A Randomized controlled trial, annual academic sessions, Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrist 2013.

9. Hapangama A, Isuru LLA, Kuruppuarachchi KALA, Chandrathilake M, Attitudes of medical students of the Sri Lankan university towards Psychiatry and Psychiatric illnesses. Annual academic sessions, Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrist 2015.

10. Hapangama A, Isuru LLA, Fonseka M, Samarasinghe LNP, Ranawaka U. The prevalence and demographic and clinical correlates of Post-Stroke Depression in patients at a stroke unit in a tertiary care hospital in Sri Lanka. Annual academic sessions 2015, Sri Lanka College of Physicians.

11. Kuruppuarachchi KALA, Seneviratne AN, Isuru LLA, Mendis TSS. Catatonia is presenting with megaloblastic aneamia. Annual Academic Sessions, Sri Lanka. College of Psychiatrists, Feb. 2011, Colombo, Sri Lanka

12. Kuruppuarachchi KALA, Hapangama A, Seneviratne AN, Wijesinghe CA, Isuru LLA, Herath HMUK, Fernando WKTR, Fonseka TPM. Attitudes of nursing officers towards mental illness and psychiatric patients. Annual Academic Sessions, Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrists, 2011

13. Obadaarachchi LN, Amila Isuru, Vipuladasa DDML, Williams SS,. The prevalence of depression and correlates in garment factory workers in Hambantota District, Sri Lanka, 134^th Anniversary International Medical Congress, Sri Lanka, p 199, September 2021.

14. Goonathilaka YLA, Ruban R, Ediriweera DS, Isuru LLA, The prevalence and correlates of cognitive impairment among patients with schizophrenia attending psychiatry outpatient clinics at Teaching Hospital, Karapitiya, Sri Lanka, 134^th Anniversary International Medical Congress, Sri Lanka, p 83, September 2021.

15. FazanaAththanas, Arunu de Silva, Ediriweera DS, Amila Isuru, A comparative study of the prevalence of depression among males who
    smoke and those who do not smoke attending Family Medicine clinics in Colombo district – Sri Lanka, 18^th Annual academic sessions, Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrist, September 2021.

• Undergraduate teaching faculty of medicine and Allied sciences, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka
• Post graduate teaching, Post graduate Institute of Medicine, University of Colombo
• Undergraduate teaching, faculty of Medicine, eastern university of Sri Lanka
• Undergraduate teaching, faculty of Medicine, Uwa University of Sri Lanka

National audit on Electroconvulsive therapy

Healthcare professional training in addiction counseling

Presentations 

International

 oral presentation and two poster presentations at international congress, Royal College of Psychiatrists 2017, Edinburgh

1. Poster presentation at international congress, Royal College of Psychiatrists at Birmingham in 2018
2. Poster presentation at perinatal Psychiatry conference, Royal College of Psychiatrist, Prescott Street, London.

Research papers presented at the annual sessions of the Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrists

1. Prevalence and correlates of betel chewing and its effects on symptoms of Schizophrenia among patients attending to General Hospital Sri Lanka. Annual academic sessions, Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrist 2015
2. Psychological morbidity in families of missing persons in southern Sri Lanka: A preliminary report; International Conference of the Asian Federation of Psychiatric Associations and The 13th Annual Academic Sessions of the Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrists, June 2016
3. Attitudes of medical students of theSri Lankan university towards Psychiatry and Psychiatric illnesses. Annual academic sessions, Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrist 2015
4. The impact of drama, dance, yoga and music therapy workshops on symptom reduction in a group of patients with schizophrenia. A Randomized controlled trial, annual academic sessions, Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrist
5. A study of the percentage and pattern of sensory processing problems in children diagnosed with Autistic Spectrum Disorder. (ASD), Annual academic sessions, Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrist

Research papers presented at the annual sessions of the Sri Lanka College of Physicians.

1. The prevalence and demographic and clinical correlates of Post-StrokeDepression in patients at a stroke unit in a tertiary care hospital in Sri Lanka. Annual academic sessions 2015, Sri Lanka College of Physicians.

Research papers presented at RESEACH SYMPOSIUM of the Alcohol and Drug information center Sri Lanka.

1. Prevalence and correlates of betel chewing and its effects on symptoms of Schizophrenia among patients attending to General Hospital Sri Lanka.

Research papers presented at Annual Academic sessions, Sri Lanka Medical Council.

1. A Randomized, DoubleBlind, Placebo Control Trial of the effectiveness of Pre-emptive analgesia with paracetamol on the reduction of occurrence of a headache after Electro Convulsive Therapy. Annual academic sessions, International Congress of Sri Lanka Medical Association 2016.

Community projects and research papers presented at the National Mental Health forum                                                                 

1. A novel approach to combating stigma, use of Forum Theater to reduce stigma, National Mental Health forum 2013.
2. Innovations to Combat Alcohol and drug abuse, use of Forum Theater to change attitude, National Mental Health forum 2014.

Supervising research projects

1. Prevalence and associated factors of antenatal depression and suicidal ideas of antenatal mothers attending to antenatal clinics in Tissamaharama, Sri Lanka
2. Prevalence and associated factors of antenatal depression and suicidal ideas of antenatal mothers attending to antenatal clinics in Mannar District, Sri Lanka
3. The prevalence and associated factors of depression among care givers of patients with serious mental illness.
4. The prevalence and correlates of burnout and depression among doctors working in Anuradhapura district, Sri Lanka.
5. The prevalence and associated factors of depression among patients with chronic kidney disease in Anuradhapura district, Sri Lanka.
6. The prevalence and correlates of cognitive impairment among patients with schizophrenia attending psychiatry outpatient clinics at Teaching Hospital, Karapitiya, Sri Lanka

Membership in academic bodies

1. Life Member of Sri Lanka Medical Association.
2. Life member of Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrist.
3. Member of General Medical Council, United Kingdom.
4. Member of Royal College of Psychiatrist
5. Member of Expert committee on suicide prevention, Sri Lanka Medical Association
6. Member of drug and alcohol expert committee, Sri Lanka Medical Association.

Experience as a reviewer

I have reviewed articles in following journals

1. Qualitative health and research
2. Sri Lanka Journal of Psychiatry
3. Frontiers in Psychiatry
4. Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry
5. Anuradhapura Medical Journal